PhD Studentship: Bioresorbable intestinal devices with embedded resorbable sensors for gastrointestinal monitoring

Swallowable sensors are limited by how long they stay in place. A capsule passes through the gut within a day or two, so it can only take a snapshot when conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease need to be tracked over weeks without the risk of obstruction. Devices that stay longer exist, but they carry a problem. A structure designed to resist peristalsis is also a structure that can obstruct the bowel, and that risk is why intestinal residence has largely been abandoned in favour of the stomach. Attempts to solve it have relied on external magnets, tissue-piercing anchors, or adhesives that mucus turnover defeats within hours. This project addresses this challenge by creating an orally delivered, bioresorbable retentive structure that incorporates a mixture of embedded systems on flexible printed circuitry with custom microfabricated bioresorbable sensors, this device will be tested in a simulated intestinal environment. The device will have three separate lifetimes, the structural lifetime, sensor lifetime and retention lifetime. Understanding and sequencing these lifetimes is crucial to the success of the project.

You will gain experience in cleanroom microfabrication, thin-film patterning, sensor design and calibration, finite element modelling, polymer processing, embedded electronics, and ex vivo tissue methods.

The University is uniquely positioned to benefit any applicant interested in a future career in healthcare technology. The University emphasises the clinical translation of innovative research to ensure real-world impact through the Healthcare Technologies Institute and the Precision Healthcare Technology Accelerator. The School of Engineering also has an established Medical Engineering research group with links to several SME and multinational medical device companies.

The candidate will join a diverse, international team. We welcome applications from all qualified applicants and encourage applications from traditionally under-represented groups in Engineering including, but not limited to, women and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic.

We seek applications from highly motivated students graduating with a first-class MEng degree in mechanical, electrical, biomedical, or materials engineering, applied physics, or a closely related subject. You should enjoy building things and be prepared to work across mechanics, materials and electronics. Experience with microfabrication, finite element analysis, embedded systems or thin film processing is welcome but not required.

Funding notes:

This is a fully funded EPSRC studentship covering tuition fees at the UK rate and a tax-free stipend at the UKRI minimum (£21,805 per year for 2026/27), for 3.5 years. A research training support grant covers consumables and conference travel.

Applicants eligible for home fee status include UK citizens, citizens of the Republic of Ireland and EU citizens with settled status in the UK. International applicants are also eligible, but EPSRC limits the proportion of international students in each cohort, so places are restricted. The School awards funding on a competitive basis, depending on the applicant’s strength. Informal enquiries are welcome. Please contact Dr Gerard Cummins at G.Cummins@bham.ac.uk with a CV and a short note on why the project interests you.

References:

Kong et al. (2018) 3D-printed gastric resident electronics. Advanced Materials Technologies 4, 1800490.
Bettinger (2018) Advances in materials and structures for ingestible electromechanical medical devices. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 57, 16946-16958.

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