EU MSCA Doctoral Candidate

Salary: Fixed salary of £53,555

Contract Type: Fixed Term contract up to February 2029

Background

CUSTOM is an EU MSCA Doctoral Training Network connecting relevant academic and industrial expertise in emerging medical-device technologies across Europe and apply them to the problems of shoulder implants. Total shoulder replacements (TSRs) are now outpacing those of knees and hips, mainly due to the increasing use of reverse shoulder arthroplasty (rTSR), however roughly 10% of shoulder implants will fail within the first 10 years of service necessitating a complex revision procedure. Many of the current problems (e.g. soft-tissue failures, implant loosening, infection) derive from a top-down, one-size-fits-all approach to implants; CUSTOM plans to invert this approach, based on combining computational, patient-specific design and additive manufacturing to offer complex, custom designs and structures. The project also incorporates multi-functionality as well as blended experimental and in-silico testing to accelerate the path to certification.

More details on the project can be found here: https://hecustom.eu/ 

This post will contribute to the creation and validation of a digital twin (with biological bone models) to assess and interrogate the issue of implant loosening and wear/abrasion for anatomical and reverse TSR systems. This includes the use of interfacial BEM or FEM friction and wear models, as well as biological bone ingrowth models, to predict primary and secondary fixation. The digital twin then allows a virtual search of the most important variables that affect loosening and migration and enables a subsequent targeted optimization of the implant shape and properties. This can facilitate the certification process and market introduction of novel devices, reducing the burden on experimental preclinical testing. The role will include secondments with Zimmer Biomet to examine the use of in silico models in the context of the shoulder, and the USU Food and Drug Administration to understand the medical device development and regulatory pipeline.

The successful candidate will:

• Develop and validate a digital twin of the a/rTSR component system that can predict risk of loosening/abrasion.
• Integrate interfacial BEM/FEM (coupled via heterogenous multi-scale methods) friction/wear models (for modified load/torque transmission) and bone ingrowth models to predict primary and secondary fixation.
• Conduct in silico parameter searching of SIP variables contributing to the risk of implant loosening and migration.

Person Specification

Essential:

• Not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies) in the country of the recruiting beneficiary (UK) for more than 12 months in the 36 months preceding the recruitment date. 
• A MSc degree in mechanical engineering or a related discipline. Applicants must not have a PhD. 
• Excellent communication and organisational skills
• Ability to work independently, as well as proven ability to work collaboratively as part of a multi-disciplinary research team
• Ability to build rapport quickly with patients and health care professionals
• Ability to write and present clearly and concisely 

Informal enquiries can be made to Dr Rob Beadling, email: a.r.beadling@bham.ac.uk or Prof Michael Bryant, email: m.g.bryant@bham.ac.uk.

To download the full job description and details of this position and submit an electronic application online please click on the 'Apply' button above.

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