PhD Studentship opportunity

PhD Studentship opportunity

PhD Studentship
Institute for Materials Research & Innovation

3.5 years duration

Applications are invited for an EPSRC Industrial CASE PhD studentship, awarded via the Materials Knowledge Transfer Network, to join the Auxetic Materials Research Group within the Institute for Materials Research & Innovation (IMRI) at the University of Bolton in collaboration with Central Manchester NHS Foundation Trust. The studentship, available immediately, will investigate the use of auxetic materials in biomedical devices for laparoscopic surgery and related procedures to develop new surgical devices to benefit patients.

Auxetic materials exhibit the unusual properties of expanding in width when stretched along their length, and undergoing convex curvature under pure bending, leading to the ability to undergo very high volume and counterintuitive deformation under large applied strain.

The research will involve the development and evaluation of a range of expanding auxetic structures with the potential to retract organs and create space within the abdominal cavity during laparoscopic surgery. Activities are likely to include the evaluation of the forces and pressure involved during laparoscopic surgery, structural analysis of auxetic expansion mechanisms and the manufacture and physical testing of a variety of expanding structures in a laparoscopic simulator. The project will have a high practical content and will require the design, fabrication and evaluation of prototype devices with minimal supervision. The successful candidate may be required to observe a number of surgical procedures and should be comfortable with this aspect of the work.

The award-winning Auxetic Materials Research Group has been featured on BBC TV and Radio, and has had samples of its materials on display at the Science Museum in London. IMRI has a strong focus on research into smart and advanced materials and systems which, in the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, has been assessed as world-leading.

The work is part funded by Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (www.cmft.nhs.uk) and the successful candidate will work closely with a surgeon at the Trust during the research project. In addition to the PhD project activities, the student will also spend some time working at TRUSTECH, the North West NHS Innovation Service on projects related to the identification and development of healthcare innovations within the NHS. Such activities will enable the successful candidate to gain further experience in the identification, evaluation and implementation of new technologies within the NHS.

Candidates should hold a good Honours Degree in an Engineering, Physical Sciences or related discipline with strong interests/expertise in the modelling and analysis of materials and structures and in biomedical engineering.

Industrial CASE funded students must fulfil standard eligibility criteria (Qualifications and Residence) for EPSRC studentships. However, if identified by the university as an ‘exceptional student’, international students can be recruited, although EPSRC will only pay standard UK fees.

Prospective candidates can contact Professor Andy Alderson, Director of IMRI (Tel: 01204 903513, email: a.alderson@bolton.ac.uk) for an informal discussion relating to this opportunity.

Bursary is equivalent to the UK Research Council standard student bursary, currently £13,590 per annum, plus a top-up from the commercial partner.

Closing date for applications is 23 December 2011

Application forms are available for download from http://www.bolton.ac.uk/ProspectiveStudents/ApplyAndJoin/AppResearch.aspx and should be returned to Donna Zarei, IMRI Administrator, IMRI, University of Bolton, Deane Road, Bolton BL3 5AB (email D.Zarei@bolton.ac.uk; Tel: 01204 903101).