Phd Position Development of Digital Twin Based Platform for Simulating Thrombectomy Procedures

Are you passionate to contribute to the future of in silico medicine?

We are looking for an enthusiastic PhD candidate to join a multidisciplinary project on improving minimally invasive stroke treatment using advanced computer simulations.

In this project, you will develop and apply in silico models to better understand how blood clots and medical devices interact during thrombectomy procedures. By combining medical imaging, computational modelling, and data-driven methods, the goal is to create virtual patient populations and simulation tools that can support safer, more effective stroke treatments and accelerate medical device innovation.

You will work in an academic environment at the interface of engineering, medicine, and industry, collaborating closely with industrial partners and clinicians. Your tasks will include developing and implementing numerical models, analysing and validating simulation results, and disseminating your work through publications and conference presentations.

More specifically, you will be responsible for developing an in silico platform generating virtual patient populations with comprehensive vessel and thrombus characteristics in collaboration with our industrial partner InSteps. In parallel, you will create a computational device evaluation platform featuring efficient models of stent retrievers and aspiration devices, leveraging Delft's expertise and the simulation capabilities of our second industrial partner, 4RealSim. Finally, you will integrate these platforms into a unified simulation environment for in silico clinical trials, enabling evaluation of thrombectomy procedures across diverse virtual patient cohorts with various devices and techniques in collaboration with our clinical partners from the Erasmus Medical Center.

The project described above is sponsored in the context of a public-private partnership, which implies that there will be a strong collaboration with our industrial partners and an emphasis on real world application of the tools described above.

You will be based in the CardioVascular Biomechanics Section, a research group within the BioMechanical Engineering Department, under the supervision of Prof. Frank Gijsen and Dr. Behrooz Fereidoonnezhad.

Job Requirements

Your Profile:

• Strong interest and/or experience in patient-specific computational modelling.
• Strong affinity with scientific programming.
• Experience with Finite Element analysis.
• MSc degree (completed or near completion) from a technical program such as (bio)mechanical engineering or similar fields.
• Proactive, collaborative mindset and good communication skills in English.

Please highlight your specific skills for this position explicitly in your motivation letter. Motivation letters that do not address any of these requirements will not be considered.

If you are passionate about advancing the field of in silico medicine and digital twin technology and contributing to the future of personalized treatment strategies, we encourage you to apply.

About TU Delft

Delft University of Technology is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

Faculty Mechanical Engineering

Research and education at the ME faculty focuses on fundamental understanding, design, production including application and product improvement, materials, processes and (mechanical) systems. ME is a dynamic and innovative faculty with high-tech lab facilities and international reach. It’s a large faculty but also versatile, so we can often make unique connections by combining different disciplines. This is reflected in ME’s outstanding, state-of-the-art education, which trains students to become responsible and socially engaged engineers and scientists. We translate our knowledge and insights into solutions to societal issues, contributing to a sustainable society and to the development of prosperity and well-being. That is what unites us in pioneering research, inspiring education and (inter)national cooperation.

Conditions of Employment

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1.5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2.5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from €3059 - €3881 gross per month, from the first year to the fourth year based on a fulltime contract (38 hours), plus 8% holiday allowance and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.

As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

Additional Information

For more information about this specific position, please contact Prof. Frank Gijsen (F.J.H.Gijsen@tudelft.nl) or Dr. Behrooz Fereidoonnezhad (b.fereidoonnezhad@tudelft.nl).