PhD Studentship – Engineering Soft Surfaces

School of Mechanical Engineering

The interface established in any medical device/product is key to its success. In many cases hard, non-compliant materials are used in contact against soft viscoelastic biological materials. This results in patient pain, high failure rates due to soft tissue erosion and the need for future interventions clinical.

This project aims to investigate links to soft tissue architectural changes to tribological factors occurring at the interfaces for catheterisation products (i.e. vascular and urinary) and develop bio-inspired soft polymer technologies to produce durable, yet bio-tribologically optimal surfaces. This will utilise mechanical, chemical and biological approaches to understand and optimise commonly used surface.

Value: This studentship, which is open to UK, EU and international students, will cover academic fees and a maintenance of £14,254 in 2016/17. 

Number of awards: 1 

Entry requirements: Applicants must have a minimum of a UK upper second class honours degree (2.1), or equivalent, in mechanical engineering, medical engineering, physics, chemistry, material science/engineering.

If English is not the applicant’s first language, they must provide evidence that they meet the University’s minimum English Language requirements.

Main contact: Contact Dr Michael Bryant to discuss this project further informally.

Application deadline: Friday 15 January 2016

How to Apply:
Applications for this scheme will open on Friday 30th October. This is when details about the application process will be made available.

If you would like to receive an email reminder, to inform you that applications have opened, please fill in your name and email on our contact form and we will be in touch in due course.

Apply Now