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PhD vacancy Cardiac Tissue Biomechanics and Remodeling (Delft University of Technology, Netherlands)
Push the frontier of the current understanding of chronic cardiac tissue behavior.
Develop enhanced treatment strategies improving patients’ quality of life and survival rate.
Apply here!
Job Description
Heart failure is a progressive chronic condition under which heart tissues undergo detrimental changes in structure and function across multiple scales in time and space. Given the role that biomechanical stimuli play in the onset and progression of these remodeling processes, cardiac restraint devices are seen as a promising treatment strategy. However, given the limited understanding of the underlying cardiac tissue behavior, current designs fail to successfully counteract pathological remodeling in the long term.
To this end, the aim of this PhD project is to develop, implement, verify, calibrate, and validate a microstructurally and functionally informed cardiac tissue model for growth and remodeling using finite element analysis. The outcomes of the developed framework will be leveraged to design enhanced bio-informed cardiac restraint devices.
Within this project, the PhD candidate is expected to operate within a multidisciplinary team of engineers, biomedical scientists, and cardiac surgeons. The outcomes of this project will be disseminated to the scientific community and to a general audience through presentations at (inter-)national conferences and through publications in peer-reviewed journals. Additionally, the candidate is expected to take part in educational activities within the department (assist in teaching, act as a mentor for master students, supervise master thesis work, … ).
The PhD candidate will be supervised jointly by dr. ir. M. Peirlinck (dept. of Biomechanical Engineering) and dr. ir. Noël (dept. of Precision & Microsystems Engineering) at Delft University of Technology. Our labs have a strong network of national and international collaborators in both academia and industry.
Requirements
We are looking for a highly-motivated candidate to conduct doctoral research focusing on biomechanical cardiac tissue modeling and tissue-device interaction.
➔ You have a strong interest in both mechanics and biology (in particular for cardiac tissue behavior and properties) and want to be involved in multidisciplinary research.
➔ You hold or are about to obtain a MSc degree in mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, aerospace engineering, or equivalent.
➔ You have a background in computational mechanics and finite element analysis.
➔ You have hands-on experience with finite element software (COMSOL, ABAQUS, or equivalent).
➔ You demonstrate a good level of programming skills (C++, Fortran, Python, or equivalent).
➔ You are creative, take initiative, and are a team player.
➔ You have good communication skills and are fluent in both written and spoken English*.
Highly Desirable
➔ Experience with nonlinear geometric and/or material modeling.
➔ Machine learning and data-driven modeling expertise.
Please highlight your specific skills for this position explicitly in your motivation letter.
Motivation letters that do not address any of these requirements will not be considered.
*Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements.
Conditions of employment
Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.
Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2443 per month in the first year to € 3122 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.
The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. For international applicants we offer the Coming to Delft Service and Partner Career Advice to assist you with your relocation.
TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)
Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context. At TU Delft we embrace diversity and aim to be as inclusive as possible (see our Code of Conduct). Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale.
Challenge. Change. Impact!
Faculty Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
The Faculty of 3mE carries out pioneering research, leading to new fundamental insights and challenging applications in the field of mechanical engineering. From large-scale energy storage, medical instruments, control technology and robotics to smart materials, nanoscale structures and autonomous ships. The foundations and results of this research are reflected in outstanding, contemporary education, inspiring students and PhD candidates to become socially engaged and responsible engineers and scientists. The faculty of 3mE is a dynamic and innovative faculty with an international scope and high-tech lab facilities. Research and education focus on the design, manufacture, application and modification of products, materials, processes and mechanical devices, contributing to the development and growth of a sustainable society, as well as prosperity and welfare.
Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering.
Additional information
Relevant publications from our labs include
Application procedure
Are you interested in this vacancy?
Please apply before May 15th, 2022 via this link and upload your motivation letter and CV.
A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated.
Develop enhanced treatment strategies improving patients’ quality of life and survival rate.
Apply here!
Job Description
Heart failure is a progressive chronic condition under which heart tissues undergo detrimental changes in structure and function across multiple scales in time and space. Given the role that biomechanical stimuli play in the onset and progression of these remodeling processes, cardiac restraint devices are seen as a promising treatment strategy. However, given the limited understanding of the underlying cardiac tissue behavior, current designs fail to successfully counteract pathological remodeling in the long term.
To this end, the aim of this PhD project is to develop, implement, verify, calibrate, and validate a microstructurally and functionally informed cardiac tissue model for growth and remodeling using finite element analysis. The outcomes of the developed framework will be leveraged to design enhanced bio-informed cardiac restraint devices.
Within this project, the PhD candidate is expected to operate within a multidisciplinary team of engineers, biomedical scientists, and cardiac surgeons. The outcomes of this project will be disseminated to the scientific community and to a general audience through presentations at (inter-)national conferences and through publications in peer-reviewed journals. Additionally, the candidate is expected to take part in educational activities within the department (assist in teaching, act as a mentor for master students, supervise master thesis work, … ).
The PhD candidate will be supervised jointly by dr. ir. M. Peirlinck (dept. of Biomechanical Engineering) and dr. ir. Noël (dept. of Precision & Microsystems Engineering) at Delft University of Technology. Our labs have a strong network of national and international collaborators in both academia and industry.
Requirements
We are looking for a highly-motivated candidate to conduct doctoral research focusing on biomechanical cardiac tissue modeling and tissue-device interaction.
➔ You have a strong interest in both mechanics and biology (in particular for cardiac tissue behavior and properties) and want to be involved in multidisciplinary research.
➔ You hold or are about to obtain a MSc degree in mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, aerospace engineering, or equivalent.
➔ You have a background in computational mechanics and finite element analysis.
➔ You have hands-on experience with finite element software (COMSOL, ABAQUS, or equivalent).
➔ You demonstrate a good level of programming skills (C++, Fortran, Python, or equivalent).
➔ You are creative, take initiative, and are a team player.
➔ You have good communication skills and are fluent in both written and spoken English*.
Highly Desirable
➔ Experience with nonlinear geometric and/or material modeling.
➔ Machine learning and data-driven modeling expertise.
Please highlight your specific skills for this position explicitly in your motivation letter.
Motivation letters that do not address any of these requirements will not be considered.
*Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements.
Conditions of employment
Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.
Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2443 per month in the first year to € 3122 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.
The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. For international applicants we offer the Coming to Delft Service and Partner Career Advice to assist you with your relocation.
TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)
Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context. At TU Delft we embrace diversity and aim to be as inclusive as possible (see our Code of Conduct). Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale.
Challenge. Change. Impact!
Faculty Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
The Faculty of 3mE carries out pioneering research, leading to new fundamental insights and challenging applications in the field of mechanical engineering. From large-scale energy storage, medical instruments, control technology and robotics to smart materials, nanoscale structures and autonomous ships. The foundations and results of this research are reflected in outstanding, contemporary education, inspiring students and PhD candidates to become socially engaged and responsible engineers and scientists. The faculty of 3mE is a dynamic and innovative faculty with an international scope and high-tech lab facilities. Research and education focus on the design, manufacture, application and modification of products, materials, processes and mechanical devices, contributing to the development and growth of a sustainable society, as well as prosperity and welfare.
Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering.
Additional information
Relevant publications from our labs include
- Peirlinck, M., Sahli Costabal, F., Sack, K.L. et al. Using machine learning to characterize heart failure across the scales. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 18, 1987–2001 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10237-019-01190-w
- Peirlinck, M., Costabal, F.S., Yao, J. et al. Precision medicine in human heart modeling. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 20, 803–831 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10237-021-01421-z
- Noël, L., Duysinx, P. & Maute, K. Level set topology optimization considering damage. Struct Multidisc Optim 56, 737–753 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00158-017-1724-2
- Noël, L., Schmidt, M., Messe, C. et al. Adaptive level set topology optimization using hierarchical B-splines. Struct Multidisc Optim 62, 1669–1699 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00158-020-02584-6
Application procedure
Are you interested in this vacancy?
Please apply before May 15th, 2022 via this link and upload your motivation letter and CV.
A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated.