Development of additively manufactured biomedical devices with enhanced functionality

Post summary
Applications are invited for the following a PhD studentship for the following project:
Development of additively manufactured biomedical devices with enhanced functionality
The Biotechnology industry is fast moving, and the pace of innovation within this space has been extraordinary since the initial inception of the development of next generation Biomedicines in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. Artesyn BioSolutions are at the forefront of the development of the next generation technologies supporting all the largest companies in the world operating in this industry through the provision of process control systems, up to and including full process systems for TFF (Tangential flow filtration) and Chromatography systems for the downstream processing of high tech medicines.
However, in addition to the supply of often bespoke process systems for the manufacture of medicines, Artesyn fundamentally develop and manufacture sub-components to their customers such as process control valves and product flow consumables.
The primary aim of this research is to develop a methodology to efficiently embed sensors and their associating tracking into disposable liner systems for the bio-pharmaceutical industry. Artesyn have developed a disposable liner system for biopharmaceuticals that can be used to quickly change from one medicine to another. The development of a disposably liner system has transformed the bio-pharmaceutical industry by reducing the cost and time to change between medicines. These systems use sensors and transducers; however, currently these are secondary to the system and require calibration and must be commissioned each time a process is changed over. This project will address this issue and will develop a methodology to fully embed sensors and transducers, along with their associated tracking along the flow path of the disposable liners. This will result in next generation process systems, providing added functionality.

Person specification
Qualifications
Essential
• Applicants should hold, as a minimum, a 2.1 Honours degree or equivalent, in Materials / Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering.
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
• Some knowledge on Additive Manufacturing processes, microstructural development in materials and analytical characterization techniques.
Desirable
• Some experience using additive manufacturing and analysis of additively manufactured parts.
Skills & Competencies
Essential
• Applicants whose first language is not English must submit evidence of competency in English, please see WIT’s English Language Requirements for details.
Desirable
• Good IT skills with some evidence of exposure in the use of equipment control/CAD/data analysis software packages.

Further information

For any informal queries, please contact Dr Ramesh Raghavendra at emails: [Email Address Removed] or telephone: +00353 (0) 51 845 648 or 00 353 87 9668547

For queries relating to the application and admission process please contact the Postgraduate Admissions Office via email [Email Address Removed] or telephone +353 (0)51 302883.

Website: www.wit.ie

Application procedure

Download the Research Postgraduate Application Form and return completed applications to [Email Address Removed], quoting WD_2020_18 in the email subject line. Please note that paper submissions will not be accepted.

The Institute may decide to interview only those applicants who appear from the information available, to be the most suitable, in terms of experience, qualifications and other requirements of the post.

WATERFORD INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER