VC International Scholarship in The Influence of Compressibility on the Dynamics of Encapsulated Microbubbles

Outline

Thin-shell encapsulated microbubbles (EMBs) are gas-filled microbubbles encased in a stiff albumin or flexible lipid shell. They have been shown to improve the performance of biomedical procedures such as ultrasound contrast imaging, targeted drug delivery and sonoporation.

The viscoelastic fluid will be modelled using models such as the Oldroyd B model while the properties of the shell are accounted for through the dynamic boundary condition at the bubble surface.

An interdisciplinary approach combining models for cell mechanics with bubble dynamics will provide insights into the deformation of cellular entities subject to cavitation flow and to enhance drug delivery via coated microbubbles. Ultrasonic cavitation is one of the most effective cleaning agents. For example, it is used to clean and to disinfect surgical instruments in hospitals. There is a wide range of other biomedical applications that will benefit from the computational models developed in this project.

What is funded

This is a 3 year scholarship covering:

- overseas tuition fees;

- annual stipend (£15,285 for 2020/21);

- research consumables, training, conference travel.

Duration

3 years, subject to satisfactory progress

Start Date: 1 October 2020.

Eligibility

A 2:1 or above Honours undergraduate degree or a master’s degree, in Mathematics or a related subject. Applicants for whom English is not their first language must demonstrate their proficiency by obtaining an IELTS score of at least 6.5 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each skills component.

Applicants must:

- be nationals of (or permanently domiciled in) the world’s Least Developed and Other Low Income Countries based on the DAC list of ODA Recipients 2020. See

http://www.oecd.org/dac/financing-sustainable-development/development-f…

- meet the academic criteria;

- be liable to pay overseas tuition fees;

- not have been awarded another scholarship covering both tuition fees and stipend

How to Apply

Applicants should submit an application for postgraduate study via the online application service http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research/programmes/programme/mathematics

In the research proposal section of your application, please specify the project title and supervisors of this project and copy the project description in the text box provided. In the funding section, enter VC International Scholarship