About the project
Heart failure affects millions, yet personalised treatments remain limited. This project develops advanced computational models to simulate the progression of patient-specific heart function in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). It combines image-based fluid–structure interaction modelling and statistical emulation to improve diagnosis and enable more precise treatments.
You'll work with clinical imaging data, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT), to build detailed patient-specific models that capture both heart mechanics and blood flow through fluid–structure interaction approaches. These models will be used to estimate important physiological properties, including myocardial stiffness and filling pressures, in a non-invasive way.
A key part of the project will involve creating virtual patient cohorts to represent different HFpEF phenotypes and using these to investigate how patients may respond to various treatments through in-silico studies. To make these simulations more efficient, you'll explore the use of statistical emulators and machine learning methods, enabling faster predictions and supporting inverse modelling approaches for personalised parameter estimation.
The project offers training at the intersection of computational modelling, data science, and cardiovascular engineering, with access to state-of-the-art simulation tools and experimental platforms. Training will cover feature extraction, phenotype-specific analysis, and interdisciplinary collaboration between engineering and medicine.
The School of Engineering is committed to promoting equality, diversity inclusivity as demonstrated by our Athena SWAN award. We welcome all applicants regardless of their gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or age, and will give full consideration to applicants seeking flexible working patterns and those who have taken a career break. The University has a generous maternity policy, onsite childcare facilities, and offers a range of benefits to help ensure employees’ well-being and work-life balance. The University of Southampton is committed to sustainability and has been awarded the Platinum EcoAward.
