Developing in silico tools to test patient-specific maxilla-facial implants

An exciting, funded PhD opportunity on virtual testing of patient-specific maxilla-facial implants, in collaboration with Attenborough Medical - one of the UK's leading custom implant designers and manufacturers. This interdisciplinary project integrates experimental biomechanics with computational biomechanical modelling to develop powerful in silico tools for preclinical validation of bespoke temporomandibular joint (TMJ or more commonly known as the jaw joint) replacements. Advances in 3D medical imaging and additive manufacturing have enabled the possibility of creating patient-specific implants. A recent application of such technology is the design and 3D printing of patient-specific TMJ replacements. This project aims to develop and validate in silico tools which are capable of virtually testing and evaluating TMJ replacements under the musculoskeletal forces associated with chewing. The validation will involve experimental testing of 3D printed implants. The supervisory team have interdisciplinary skills, with expertise in experimental and computational testing of medical implants, in particular for the maxillofacial region. The project also provides the opportunity to gain knowledge of the imaging-design-manufacture-clinical application pipeline from Attenborough Medical. You will join the multi-disciplinary, dynamic Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (iMBE) embedded within the School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Leeds, a world-renowned medical engineering research centre which specialises in research and translation of medical technologies.