Engineering | Scholarship for Nigerians and Africans - Part 117

Postdoctoral Position Ambulatory Real-time Detection of Major Epileptic Seizures, Netherlands

Technische Universiteit Eindhoven (TU/e) is one of Europe’s leading research universities. The Eindhoven area, in the southern part of the Netherlands, is one of Europe’s top ‘innovation ecosystems’, with many high-tech companies and institutes. TU/e is closely intertwined with many of these companies and institutes, and research at TU/e is characterized by a combination of academic excellence and industrial relevance. Culturally, the Netherlands is a very interesting part of Europe. Historic cities such as Amsterdam, The Hague, Maastricht, Brussels, and Antwerp are all within easy reach from Eindhoven.

Kempenhaeghe is an internationally leading expertise centre for epilepsy and sleep-wake disorders. Kempenhaeghe is involved in nearly all major domains of epilepsy research, and offers a multidisciplinary semi-academic clinical research environment in the Eindhoven area. One of the innovation programmes in the area of diagnosis focuses on the detection of epileptic events, called seizures.

Project description

The goal of the ‘seizure detection programme’ is to achieve increased safety for the patient and a better quality of life for them and their loved ones by offering reliable, unobtrusive detection of epileptic seizures. Epilepsy has many different types of seizures, ranging from minor very short to major life-threatening seizures; every type has its own characteristics. The golden standard for detection of epileptic seizures uses combined EEG and video monitoring. This process is time-consuming, expensive, and only applicable to hospitalized patients. In order to overcome these problems and widen the reach of seizure detection to extramural patients, dependable unobtrusive approaches are critically needed. In past collaborative research, Kempenhaeghe and TU/e have gained important experience in detecting seizures based on analysis of heart activity and based on accelerometers attached to various parts of the body. Building on this experience, this PostDoc project seeks to develop and validate an unobtrusive system for detection of major epileptic seizures, and to iteratively refine it to approach the dependability of the aforementioned golden standard.

The main scientific focus will be on the development of dynamic models that characterize epileptic heart activity, epileptic movements, and the key sensor characteristics and (e.g. movement) artifacts, along with sophisticated multimodal model-based signal-processing and interpretation algorithms to extract reliable seizure information in ambulatory settings. The project will take a clinically driven approach, i.e. working in close collaboration with neurologists and medical technicians and taking their experience and knowledge as starting point. Algorithm development and validation will be based on real clinical data from patients. To obtain adequate clinical immersion, the candidate is expected to spend a significant fraction of his/her time at Kempenhaeghe, while TU/e will be the home base for algorithm development.

Requirements

Candidates for this position should have a Ph.D. degree in signal processing or control, physics, or biomedical engineering, and an extensive publication record in leading journals. A strong mathematical basis and a background in signal processing (statistical and adaptive signal processing, pattern recognition and machine earning, efficient real-time implementation of signal processing algorithms) is required. Hands-on experience with physiological monitoring and ambulatory sensor systems is desired, as are good programming skills in Matlab and C++. Candidates should be pro-active and entrepreneurial, have a ‘hands-on’ attitude, and excellent social and team working skills.

What we offer

A challenging job with a combined appointment at a multidisciplinary clinical expertise centre and a dynamic and ambitious University. A temporary appointment for the period of 3 years. Gross monthly salaries are in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement (CAO) and are at least € 2988 per month (FWG 60) and at most € 4705 per month (scale 12). Salary is based on knowledge and experience. An attractive package of fringe benefits (including excellent work facilities, child care, and excellent sports facilities).

Application Deadline 29-08-2010.
Read more: http://scholarship-positions.com/postdoctoral-position-ambulatory-real-time-detection-of-major-epileptic-seizures-netherlands/2010/08/04/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ScholarshipPositions+%28International+Scholarships+and+Financial+Aid+Positions%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail#ixzz0xQvofvqm

Postdoctoral Position in NIH Multiscale Modeling of the Human Knee, Netherlands

The Department of Biomedical Engineering is a joint department of the Eindhoven University of Technology and the University of Maastricht interfacing and integrating engineering and biomedical sciences from the two universities. The department is organized into 4 divisions: 1) molecular bioengineering, 2) biomechanics and tissue engineering, 3) biomedical imaging and informatics, and 4) biosignals and regulation.

We are looking for a Post Doc in the division of Biomechanics and Tissue Engineering for an international NIH-funded project, in which researchers from TU/e are working together with colleagues from Lerner Research Institute in Cleveland, the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, and Duke University in Durham.

Project description: The goal of the consortium is to understand how mechanical loading, applied at the level of a whole knee joint, can be translated into mechanical effects in cartilage, ligaments and menisci, at multiple scales, down to the level of a single cell. To predict cellular deformations from joint level mechanical loading, requires a multi-scale finite element model. Such a model is being developed in this project, and will be used for studying physiological as well as pathological responses. Part of the project is to obtain experimental data at multi-scales, which can be used for model validation.

The task of the TU/e in this project is to develop micro-structural models for cells and pericellular and extracellular matrix that describe the deformation and failure behavior of the tissue. TU/e also is responsible for performing experiments for data collection and validation of the micro-structural models. This includes monitoring abnormal deformations at the micro-level, and to establish critical levels of magnitude, duration and/or frequency above which these can lead to cell damage and disruption of homeostasis of the extracellular matrix.

Requirements:

We are seeking a candidate who is well versed with computational analysis and knowledgeable of biological processes. The candidate should be recently graduated from a PhD – program in biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering, (bio)physics or a related field, with,

* Knowledge and experience in biomedical science and technology,
* Strong affinity for multidisciplinary research and engineering science,
* Experience with finite element modeling and ex vivo biomechanical testing,
* Capacity to write and communicate fluently in English.

Appointment and Salary:

We offer

* a challenging job at a dynamic and ambitious university in an international consortium with top institutes and universities from the United States
* an appointment for two years;

* gross monthly salaries in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement of the Dutch Universities (CAO NU).

Application Deadline 30-09-2010
Read more: http://scholarship-positions.com/postdoctoral-position-in-nih-multiscale-modeling-of-the-human-knee-netherlands/2010/08/04/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ScholarshipPositions+%28International+Scholarships+and+Financial+Aid+Positions%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail#ixzz0xQu3p6tm

Postdoctoral Position in “Tissue Integrity of the Intervertebral Disc”, Netherlands

The Department of Biomedical Engineering is a joint department of the Eindhoven University of Technology and the University of Maastricht interfacing and integrating engineering and biomedical sciences from the two universities. The department is organized into 4 divisions: 1) molecular bioengineering, 2) biomechanics and tissue engineering, 3) biomedical imaging and informatics, and 4) biosignals and regulation.

In the second division is the Orthopedic Biomechanics Section whose general objective is to improve our understanding of function and damage of orthopedic tissues, esp. bone, cartilage and intervertebral disc. Ultimately, these insights are used to develop and improve strategies for treatment of pathologies. For this purpose, we regularly combine experimental and computational approaches. Results from experimental studies on cells and/or tissues are captured in theories that are evaluated using computer models, and predictions by these models are helpful for the design and interpretation of further experiments.

Project description:

Degeneration of the intervertebral disc is a common, painful and disabling pathology whose etiology and pathogenetic mechanism is poorly understood. It is generally believed that genetic, cell nutrition and biomechanical factors play a key role; however the interactions between them have been difficult to investigate because of the inherent limitations of current cell and organ culture methods. Among the genetic factors, collagen IX polymorphisms have been identified as a risk factor. In this project, the role of collagen IX will be investigated on the nanoscopic level in collagen gels of chicken. Optical tweezers will be used to analyse the influence of collagen IX upon a collagen network down to the individual fibril level. The resulting finding will be built into an existing FE-model of the degenerating disc.

Requirements:

We are seeking a Post Doc candidate acquainted with optical techniques in biomedical engineering and interested in biological processes and modeling of them. The candidate should be graduated from a Ph.D. program in biomedical engineering, (bio)physics or a related field, with,

* Knowledge of and experience with optical techniques in biomedical engineering,
* Strong affinity for multidisciplinary research and engineering science,
* Capacity to write and communicate fluently in English.

Appointment and Salary:

We offer:

* a challenging job at a dynamic and ambitious University
* an appointment for one year, with the possibility of extension with one year.
* gross monthly salaries are in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement of the Dutch Universities (CAO NU), For the PD position it is increasing from € 2.861 per month initially, to € 2.977 in the second year
* an attractive package of fringe benefits (including excellent work facilities, 13th month salary, holiday allowance of 8%, child care and sport facilities).

Application Deadline 31-08-2010.