The Institute of Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine at the University of Twente, Netherlands has openings for three PhD student positions for the project MIRIAM.

Research project description
Needle insertion is one of the most common minimally invasive clinical procedures. It is used for diagnosis, localized drug delivery, and tissue sample removal from tumours deep within the body. These procedures are often performed under the guidance of magnetic resonance (MR) images. For effective medical diagnoses and treatments, the needle must reach its intended target. However, tissue inhomogeneity, organ deformation, and physiological processes cause the needle to deviate from its intended path. In order to increase the targeting accuracy of needles and improve clinical outcomes, the goal of this research project is to develop: (more…)

In the coming six years (2010-2015) ISIS has made available special funds to build an integrated interdisciplinary thematic profile area which focuses on lslam and Muslim societies. One of the main aims is to integrate and mobilize the knowledge and expertise in the field.

The Ph.D. candidates will be appointed at the participating university with which the supervisor is affiliated.

The positions are 1,0 fte for 4 years (or 0,8 for 5 years).

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In this project you will develop devices for the generation of molecular hydrogen and electrical energy from streaming water using the streaming potential. By coupling the generation of electricity to the generation of hydrogen in one process, we aim to increase efficiency as well as provide energy in an alternative storable form.

In your Ph.D. project you will be using nanochannels and nanoporous membranes. It will specifically be your task to optimize the pore wall surface to obtain maximal mechanical-to-electrical conversion efficiencies. You will have to identify the optimal wall material and investigate the influence of different chemical functionalizations. For example, there have been reports that the generation efficiency will strongly increase when the liquid slips past the walls, because this decreases the hydrodynamic resistance. Part of your work will therefore be to chemically functionalize the channel walls to introduce liquid slip. At the same time energy generation will increase with pore surface charge density, which is also influenced by the surface functionalization. Influencing the surface charge density will therefore be another goal.

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ISIS ( Inter-university School for Islamic Studies) is a national research institute for the study of Islam and Muslim societies, in which eight Dutch universities participate. Leiden University is administratively responsible for ISIS.

Description
5 PhD positions in the profile area Islam and Muslim societies
vacancy number: 10-113

In the coming six years (2010-2015) ISIS has made available special funds to build an integrated interdisciplinary thematic profile area which focuses on lslam and Muslim societies. One of the main aims is to integrate and mobilize the knowledge and expertise in the field.
The Ph.D. candidates will be appointed at the participating university with which the supervisor is affiliated.

(more…)