PhD in Aortic Biomechanics and Personalised Hypertension Treatment

Overview

Welcome to Maastricht University! Did you know that your aorta is not just a passive tube, but also an active player in regulating your blood pressure? Are you fascinated by how blood vessels adapt their mechanical properties to control cardiovascular function? Join us in exploring the biomechanics of the aorta and its crucial role in personalising hypertension treatment.

PhD in Aortic Biomechanics on the ACTIVATE Project

• Our goal: To investigate the functional role of aortic contractility in antihypertensive treatment and develop digital twin models for personalised medicine.
• Your colleagues: You will join the Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), part of the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML). Within the Department of Biomedical Engineering, you'll work in a close-knit, multidisciplinary team of PhD candidates, postdocs, and professors committed to open collaboration and scientific excellence.

Hypertension affects 1.3 billion adults worldwide and is the leading modifiable risk factor for premature death. Current treatment follows a one-size-fits-all approach, leaving 49% of treated patients with suboptimal blood pressure control. The ACTIVATE project aims to achieve a breakthrough by developing a digital twin platform that explicitly considers the physics and physiology of the entire circulatory system, to predict individual responses to different antihypertensive drugs.

As a PhD candidate, you will focus on characterising the mechanical contractility of the aorta through cutting-edge experimental biomechanics. You'll use planar biaxial testing to capture how the aorta responds to various vasoactive stimuli, working with both porcine and human tissue samples. Your experimental data will form the foundation of computational models that integrate arterial mechanics with whole-body cardiovascular function, ultimately enabling personalised treatment selection for hypertension patients.

You will also be involved in a clinical study used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the digital twinning approach.

Your project bridges experimental biomechanics, computational modelling, and clinical medicine. You'll collaborate closely with colleagues from Cardiothoracic Surgery and Internal Medicine, and international partners in Belgium and the United States, working together to translate fundamental insights into tangible health solutions.

• Conduct ex vivo and in vivo studies on aortic tissue biomechanics and composition.
• Work with colleagues at Maastricht University Medical Centre+ (MUMC+) and other hospitals to obtain human aorta samples.
• Plan, organise, and run a clinical study — involving e.g., applying for medical ethics approval, patient recruitment, coordination, and helping with measurements.
• Develop (together with other team members) computational models to integrate your experimental findings.
• Collaborate closely with biomedical engineers, clinicians, and basic scientists.
• Contribute to a multidisciplinary, international research community focused on cardiovascular health and digital twin technology.

We’re not looking for check boxes; we’re interested in who you are and what you bring. Do you recognise yourself in this?

• Academic background – You hold a master’s degree (or equivalent) in Biomedical Engineering, Biomedical Sciences, Medicine, or a related field.
• Laboratory/clinical experimental expertise – You have experience with (or strong interest in) mechanical testing, tissue biomechanics, or experimental/clinical physiology.
• Curious and critical mindset – You’re eager to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and discover how things work.
• Affinity with biomechanics – You’re motivated by the intersection of biology, physics, and engineering.
• Collaborative spirit – You enjoy working with colleagues from different disciplines and value diverse perspectives.
• Perseverance and enthusiasm – You’re initiative-taking, committed, and motivated to push your research forward.

Dutch language skills are an advantage because of the engagement with patients and clinicians.

• A 12-month contract with the prospect of a three-year extension, based on…