Agent-based modelling for improved control of tissue engineered products

Cell therapies are having a big impact on healthcare. Many products are more suited to scale-out to multiple sites than to scale-up in one big site and some need to be used straightaway when the process ends. Scaling out requires very good process reproducibility and control using closed systems to prevent infection. Excellent understanding of the process behaviour is needed to allow manufacture with confidence at multiple sites and to design processes that are forgiving of local variations in control. The Project will examine an existing manufacturing process that is currently operated at small-scale and will interrogate the data available to provide improved understanding and increased process confidence using agent-based models.

Cell-cell interactions give rise to properties that cannot be predicted simply by analysing the final product. This is especially true for engineered tissue and aggregates of mixed cells where the communication between the cells can set up non-homogeneous environments.

There is freedom for a suitable candidate to explore the use of different modelling methods including cellular automata and multivariate data mining to build their own predictions for validation in real-world manufacturing. The right candidate will have a ‘can-do’ attitude and will be interested in adopting a hands-on approach to the options available and to designing, demonstrating and applying their own solutions to a real-world challenge.

Loughborough University is a top-ten rated university in England for research intensity (REF2014) and an outstanding 66% of the work of Loughborough’s academic staff who were eligible to be submitted to the REF was judged as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’, compared to a national average figure of 43%.

In choosing Loughborough for your research, you’ll work alongside academics who are leaders in their field. You will benefit from comprehensive support and guidance from our Graduate School, including tailored careers advice, to help you succeed in your research and future career.

Find out more: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/supporting-you/research/

Entry requirements
Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 Honours degree (or equivalent) in Biochemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Applied Mathematics or a related subject. A relevant Master’s degree and/or experience in one or more of the following will be an advantage: Bioprocessing, Analytical Chemistry, Mathematical Modelling, Statistical Process Control, Data Mining. The opportunity would also suit a researcher with demonstrable ability to apply their knowledge to new areas and the motivation to transfer to manufacturing research. Track record in kinetics or metabolic studies is desirable.

All applications should be made online at http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/apply/research/.  Under programme name, select ‘Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering’.

Please quote reference number: NM1512162