PhD Studentship - Reducing the Failure Fate of Hip Replacements and the Associated Costs to the NHS

Short info about job

Detail information about job PhD Studentship - Reducing the Failure Fate of Hip Replacements and the Associated Costs to the NHS. Terms and conditions vacancy

Value of Award: The studentship will cover UK/EU tuition fees, and provide a stipend of at least £14,553 per year. Additional funding will be provided by the Industry sponsor to support the placement position.

Number of awards: 1

Start date and duration: October 2017 (3.5 - 4years)

Overview

An opportunity has arisen for a prospective PhD student to work on an exciting research project at Newcastle University. Our research goal is to make a replacement hip last for the full lifetime of every patient. However, considering the vast numbers of hip replacement operations the NHS undertakes (~100,000 per year in the UK with nearly 1 million performed worldwide in total) even a modest improvement of longevity would benefit thousands of patients every year, and save a significant proportion of the £50 million spent on failed hip implants by the NHS per year.

The hip replacement operation consists of removing the diseased hip bones and cartilage and replacing these with metal, ceramic and polyethylene components. The polyethylene cup is cemented into the pelvis, pressed into the cement by the surgeon and left to set in position. Recent work by the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle has highlighted a key problem of loosening at the hip cup cement layer and the bone beneath. Working with Zimmer Biomet, the aim of the research project is longer-lasting replacement hip joints, reduced costs for the NHS, and improved outcomes for patients, plus valuable knowledge transfer for all orthopaedic stakeholders. The crux of the problem is cement loosening at the bone interface – design of test rigs, simulation and testing of these failure mechanics will be a significant part of the research.

See the studentship project description (me042) for more information.

Sponsor

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)Zimmer Biomet Healthcare UK Ltd

Name of supervisor(s)

Doctor Philip Hyde, School of EngineeringProfessor David Deehan, Freeman and Royal Victoria Infirmary Hospitals.Doctor David Swailes, School of Engineering.Mr. Kenneth Rankin, Faculty of Medical Sciences.Doctor Robert Bigsby, Director of Development, Zimmer Biomet UK.

Eligibility Criteria

You should have an upper-second-class Honours degree or higher, in mechanical engineering, or a related subject.

The award is available UK/EU applicants only. Depending on how you meet the EPSRC's eligibility criteria, you may be entitled to a full or a partial award.

How to apply

You must apply through the University's online postgraduate application system. To do this please 'Create a new account'.

All relevant fields should be completed, but fields marked with a red asterisk must be completed. The following information will help us to process your application. You will need to:

• insert the programme code 8090F in the programme of study section
• select 'PhD School of Mechanical Systems and Engineering (full time) - mechanical and systems engineering' as the programme of study.
• insert the Studentship code ME042 in the studentship/partnership reference field.

You must also attach a CV, certified copies of degree certificates and transcripts, a personal statement describing relevant experience (maximum 2 pages), 2 references and proof of eligibility (eg passport or residence permit).

Contact

Doctor Philip Hyde. Email:[email protected], School of Engineering