The QMUL Institute of Bioengineering is a new cross-faculty initiative bringing together over 50 academics from the faculties of Medicine & Dentistry and Science & Engineering. 

Project Details: We are part of an EU-funded consortium whose aim is to build a non-contact device for the determination of carotid artery pulsewave velocity, a measure of vascular stiffness, and the detection of disturbed flow due to atherosclerosis. Early identification of cardiovascular disease allows early treatment. The consortium proposes such a device for the screening of patients at risk. 

The novelty of this study is to use laser interferometry to measure displacements at the skin surface, both normal to it (p waves), due to the pulse wave and parallel (s waves), due to stenosis induced turbulence. Knowing the viscoelastic properties of the gel and the approximate source and amplitude of the arterial wall movement we will solve numerically the generation and propagation of the waves from source to skin surface and compare these results to the measured data; finally to predict the position and magnitude of the causative disturbance.

Our principal objectives are to
• construct a neck phantom consisting of a soft tissue mimicking gel with embedded compliant tube. Fluid flow will be imaged by duplex ultrasound and surface displacement, measured by accelerometers and laser interferometry.
• develop and validate a fluid structure interaction model firstly, of the vessel wall movement due to the pulse wave and the transmission of this energy to the gel surface. Secondly to apply a similar model to stenosis-induced turbulence. The computational model will be based on the Finite Element Method within the framework of the software ANSYS FLUENT. 

Applicants will have a working knowledge of real-time data capture (e.g. Labview) and background in computational fluid/solid mechanics. While prior knowledge of cardiovascular physiology is not required, practical experience with biomedical signal processing and commercial CFD packages (e.g. fluent or abacus) will be a distinct advantage.

Supervisors: Steve Greenwald, Yi Sui

QMUL Research Studentship Details
• Available to Home/EU/International Applicants
• Full Time programme only
• Applicants required to start in September/October 2015.
• The studentship arrangement will cover tuition fees and provide an annual stipend (£15,863 in 2014/15) for up to three years.
• The minimum requirement for this studentship opportunity is a good Honours degree (minimum 2(i) honours or equivalent) or MSc/MRes in a relevant discipline.
• International applicants should refer to the following website at http://www.qmul.ac.uk/international/index.html 
• If English is not your first language then you will require a valid English certificate equivalent to IELTS 6.5+ overall with a minimum score of 5.5 in all sections (Reading, Listening, Writing, Speaking).

Contact Details: For informal enquiries about this position, please contact:

Prof. Steve Greenwald.
Tel: 020 3246 0178 
E-mail: s.e.greenwald<στο>qmul.ac.uk

Dr Yi Sui
Tel: 020 7882 7763 
E-mail: y.sui<στο>qmul.ac.uk

Application Method: To apply for this studentship and for entry on to the Medical Engineering programme (Full Time, Semester 1 start) via the following webpage: http://www.qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate/pgrcoursefinder/engineering/index.html