Ciência sem Fronteiras (Science Without Borders)
DCU PhD Project Template:
**Please use one form per project**
Please complete & submit to your Head of School by Monday 16th July
PI name & contact details:
School:
Dr. Bryan Mac Donald
E: bryan.macdonald@dcu.ie t:+353-1-700846
Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
Research Centre / group affiliation:
MEDeng Centre
Research group / centre website:
www.medeng.dcu.ie
PI website / link to CV:
http://webpages.dcu.ie/~macdonab/bmacd_cv_2012.pdf
Brief summary of PI research / research group / centre activity (2 or 3 lines max):
The MEDeng centre develops new knowledge in biomaterials science; experimental, theoretical and
computational mechanics; and bio-manufacturing processes. Our work is directed towards the
development of improved medical devices and implants.
Title & brief description of PhD project (suitable for publication on web):
“Fluid-Structure Interaction Analysis of Vascular Closure Systems”
There is currently little information available in published literature regarding the in service
behaviour of these devices. Any studies published to date have been highly limited and have not
helped to understand what may cause these devices to fail and what happens when these devices
fail. Clinical or in-vitro studies do not have the potential to provide much information of how the
interaction of the flowing blood, the implant and the vessel wall can combine and influence each
other and ultimately cause an implant failure. Advanced computational modelling techniques,
particularly fluid-structure interaction finite element analysis, have the potential to provide this
information and to offer an insight into possible clinical solutions and/or re-design of the closure
implants. The overall aim of this project is to remove the current ambiguities in the long term use of
vascular closure systems by clearly detailing the in service behaviour of these devices and hence
establish procedures for best practice when designing and fitting these devices.
Unique selling points of PhD project in DCU:
DCU projects should offer something that’s not available in Brazil – specific equipment, multi-disciplinarity,
aspects of structured programme, links with industry, placements, links with other research groups etc.
The expertise in this area already exists in DCU. DCU is one of the international leaders in this field.
There are also strong links with clinicians and surgeons to provide guidance and to test the tools
that this research will generate.
Name & contact details for project queries, if different from PI named above:
Please indicate the graduates of which disciplines that should apply:
Mechanical Engineering
Biomedical Engineering
Ciência sem Fronteiras / Science Without Borders Priority Area:
Please indicate the specific programme priority area under which the proposed PhD project fits- choose only
one (tick box):
Engineering and other technological areas
X
Pure and Natural Sciences (e.g. mathematics, physics, chemistry)
Health and Biomedical Sciences
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)
Aerospace
Pharmaceuticals
Oil, Gas and Coal
Renewable Energy
Minerals
Biotechnology
Nanotechnology and New Materials
Technology of prevention and remediation of natural disasters
Biodiversity and Bioprospection
Marine Sciences
Creative Industry
New technologies in constructive engineering
Please complete