Efficient In Silico Trials for Bone Diseases

The School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering at the University of Sheffield is recruiting for a PhD position associated with the EPSRC funded New Investigator Award BONESFE. The position will be based within the Integrated Musculo-Skeletal Biomechanics Group in the Insigneo Institute for in silico Medicine, a collaboration between the University of Sheffield, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust and Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

This project is concerned with the exciting new area of In Silico Trials. In Silico Trials aim to predict the safety and efficacy of medical interventions (i.e. devices and drugs), which are necessary to obtain regulatory approval such that these interventions can be brought to market. At the same time, In Silico Trials need fewer patients and/or shorter trial durations than conventional clinical trials and can reduce the cost to enter the market for much-needed medical products.

With a focus on bone diseases and drugs and devices used to treat them, the project will leverage recent advances in the characterisation of bone shape variation in a population and in the development of intrusive stochastic finite-element analysis tools. The overall aim of the project is to improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of conducing In Silico Trials, thus encouraging uptake of this technology by device and drug manufacturers.

We are looking for applicants who are eager to develop new skills and apply their existing knowledge. The project requires a good level of mathematical and solid mechanics background and will require the candidate to develop and extend existing finite-element code and execute it on high-performance computing systems. You should be excited to learn and develop new technology, be passionate about the subject and look to be creative in your work.

Applicants should hold or be completing this year a degree at a good level (2.1/1st or equivalent) in a related subject, e.g. engineering, physics, maths, computer science, and should be able to demonstrate good interpersonal and organisational skills. The expected start date for this project is September 2024.

Interested candidates are strongly encouraged to contact the project supervisor, Dr Pinaki Bhattacharya (p.bhattacharya@sheffield.ac.uk) to discuss your interest in and suitability for the project prior to submitting your application. 

To apply, please use our on-line PhD application form