Postgraduate Research Vacancies

ADDITION: Advanced Drug Delivery Implants through Intelligent Digital Twin Optimisation

Drug delivery implants are medical devices which are implanted into the human body to deliver therapeutical agents locally – e.g. at the site of a tumour or infection etc., avoiding the negative side effects which come from loading the entire system with potentially harmful drugs. Implants may also serve mechanical functions such as providing support to broken bones while promoting healing (tissue scaffolds) or holding up airways or vessels which are at risk of blockage (stents).

Hot melt extrusion is a process for fabricating drug loaded implants and is also sometimes used as prior step before 3D printing of advanced and personalised devices. The process is complex and typically extensive trial and error is needed to determine suitable formulation and processing conditions to achieve the desired mechanical properties and drug release behaviour, while avoiding damage to heat sensitive drugs and materials.

This PhD project will explore novel developments in the integration of computational modelling, sensor data and AI to produce process digital twins which can be used for real-time optimisation and control of the fabrication processes for advanced drug delivery systems.

The PhD project will involve working as part of a team on a physical process and will involve processing of complex sensor data – including novel optical and hyperspectral image data – to monitor and predict product quality and advance the state of the art in process optimisation and control for smart medical devices. The research will encompass aspects of experimental design, Process Analytical Technology (PAT), anomaly detection, sensor fusion, Digital Twin development, and optimal control. It is not essential to have prior knowledge of drug delivery or medical device manufacturing as this expertise exists within the wider team. This project would suit a candidate who enjoys working with cyberphysical systems, AI, sensors and computational models in any domain. An interest in exploring emerging physics-informed AI techniques would be an advantage.

The ADDITION project is part of the Postgraduate Research Training Programme in Innovation in Digital Manufacturing and Design (IDMD) at Atlantic Technological University, funded by TU RISE.

This is a cohort-based doctoral training programme comprising 12 PhD students across ATU with 30 ECTS of structural training, a 12-week industrial internship alongside the research project. The candidate will be supported by the wider IDMD community at the university as well as the MISHE (Centre for Mathematical Modelling & Intelligent Systems for Health and Environment) PEM (centre for Precision Engineering and Manufacturing) and WiSAR (Wireless Sensor and Applied Research Lab). The project will also link closely with the Research Ireland PROCEED 3D project (Process Control for Extrusion based 3D printing at the Point of Care) project. 

Funding Notes

To be considered please forward a Cover Letter, CV, copies of transcripts, minimum 2:1 Honors Degree in the respective field, copy of Degree Certificate and proof of English Language proficiency to marion.mcafee@atu.ie

Stipend: €22,000 p.a. until December 2028.

Fees: Full fee for waivers for duration of PhD programme

Financial support for project-related travel, consumables and training will also be provided.

The Postgraduate Research Training Programme in Innovation in Digital Manufacturing and Design is part of TU Rise which is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Northern and Western Regional Programme 2021-27.