KTH Royal Institute of Technology, KTH Technology and Health
KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm is the largest and oldest technical university in Sweden. No less than one-third of Sweden’s technical research and engineering education capacity at university level is provided by KTH. Education and research spans from natural sciences to all branches of engineering and includes Architecture, Industrial Management and Urban Planning. There are a total of 13,400 first and second level students and almost 1,900 doctoral students. KTH has 4,900 employees.
KTH Technology and Health is located in Haninge, Flemingsberg and Solna. Our programs in Bachelor of Science in Engineering cover subjects, like Computer-, Electrical and Medical Engineering. We are also responsible for a programme in Master of Science in Engineering, Medical Engineering. In addition, we offer masterprogrammes and doctoral studies (PhD) in Technology and Health and Applied Medical Technology. Our research is multidisciplinary and spans the field of Technology and Medicine, in a broad sense, which includes technical and organizational research. The focus of research is on Medical Technology, Logistics, Design and Ergonomics that restrict and prevent injury and promote health. KTH Technology and Health has 175 employees and an annual revenue of SEK 200 million.
Job description
This PhD will be headquartered at the Neuronic Engineering research group at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. The multidisciplinary research at the Neuronic Engineering unit at KTH School of Technology and Health is aimed at the biomechanics of head and neck injuries. As part of the Marie Curie training experience, the candidate will spend 3 months at KU Leuven, Belgium, and 3 months at AGV, Italy.
Finite element modelling of axonal injuries:
This PhD project is part of a Marie-Curie International Training Network, HEADS (Head protection: a European training network for Advanced Designs in Safety), with UC Dublin, KTH Stockholm and KU Leuven as academic partners, and Charles Owen, Lazer Sport and AGV as industrial partners.
The scientific goal of HEADS is to improve the understanding of head impact injury and to design new helmet standard test methods that recognize the influence of rotational kinematics. This will lead to improved helmets and a reduction in the severity of injuries and the numbers of fatalities. This objective will be achieved through a combination of computational simulations of real-life accidents, experimental and computational investigation of injury thresholds, and design of new helmet certification tests.
Understanding the correlation between the internal structure of tissue and macroscopic mechanical properties is important to accurately predict injury levels to patients. In particular, anisotropy must be considered in computational head models used to predict Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) so that suitable pass/fail thresholds for helmet testing can be established. In vitro analysis of brain injury mechanisms suggests stretching of white matter and the consequent local physiological impairment of neuronal cells a potential mechanism of microstructural injury. The susceptibility of tissue appears to be the result of both viscoelastic properties and highly organized structure in white matter tracts. The project will develop a hyperviscoelastic fibre reinforced anisotropic material model to account for time rate and local morphological dependence in TBI. Cases of concussion and axonal injury will then be simulated by using FE head models to gain an improved understanding of the biomechanics of concussion and diffuse axonal injuries.
Offer:
The doctoral student is offered a 4 year highly specialized doctoral training, making the candidate an expert in head impact biomechanics and helmet design technologies as well as being aware of commercializable market opportunities. The doctoral candidate will work in world-class facilities with highly qualified experts, and will benefit from the training scheme developed based on the expertise of academic and industrial partners. This project will reach a new level of understanding of head injury and how head injury should be prevented, with directly applicable results to European industry. It will develop a well-networked group of young engineers and scientists into world-class researchers and innovators with numerous career paths open to them, who will advance technology for the benefit of society and maintain Europe as a global leader in industrial development.
Qualifications
KTH Royal Institute of Technology is seeking a highly motivated recently graduated Master (Of Science) in Engineering. Candidates are willing to change the world (and to travel to research partners).
Preferably, the person should have a Master in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Engineering Physics or equivalent, preferably with a biomechanics background. Knowledge of continuum mechanics and/or FE modeling is desirable but not required.
Great importance will be placed on the applicants’ ability of working independently, communicating in English and working in group with other researchers.
A requirement for EU funding, which is a prerequisite for the position, is that the candidate must not have resided in Sweden for more than 12 months the last three years (Marie Curie’s Mobility Requirements).
Trade union representatives
You’ll find contact information to trade union representatives at KTH:s web page.
Application
Log into KTH’s recruitment system in order to apply to this position. You are the main responsible to ensure that your application is complete according to the ad. Your complete application must be received at KTH no later than April 01, 2015.
Applicants are required to submit:
- Curriculum Vitae
- An official transcript/academic record
- A short presentation of why the applicant wishes to pursue doctoral studies
You´re welcome to apply for multiple positions but you need to registrate one application per position.
Others
We firmly decline all contact with staffing and recruitment agencies and job ad salespersons.
Type of employment: Temporary position longer than 6 months
Working hours: Full time
First day of employment: According to agreement
Salary: Monthly pay
Number of positions: 1
Working hours: 100%
City: Huddinge
County: Stockholms län
Country: Sweden
Reference number: H-2015-0039
Contact:
Svein Kleiven, Professor, +46 8 7906448
Chiara Giordano, PhD, +46 720309569
Published: 19.Feb.2015
Last application date: 01.Apr.2015