Projects

PhD Candidate

To engage in our SNSF-founded project “VISION-EAR: VISualize Sound transmissION with dynamic phase-contrast micro-tomography of the human middle EAR”. This internationally unique research project will use synchrotron-based X-ray phase-contrast imaging (SR X-PCI) to visualize the movement of the ossicles in the middle ear in real time during acoustic stimulation. This interdisciplinary project will be led by ear and hearing scientists of the “Audition and Hearing Restoration” group at the Sense Research Center in Lausanne and at the CHUV, University Hospital of Lausanne. The project will be realized in close collaboration with the “X-Ray Tomographic Microscopy” group at the Swiss Light Source (SLS) at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and the Eaton Peabody Laboratory in Boston MA, USA.

Your tasks

The focus of this SNSF project is to image and visualize the transmission of sound from the tympanic membrane to the oval window in the human temporal bone specimens. The objectives of the PhD are to:

• Improve the design of the sound stimulation setup (sound insulation, dampening)
• Work in collaboration with the team to develop and refine the ultra-fast image acquisition protocols
• Participate and co-organize the synchrotron experiments (samples, beamtimes, …)
• Optimize the analysis pipeline using machine learning for image analysis
• Segment and perform the 3D analysis of the acquired datasets
• Describe quantitatively the micro-movements of the ossicular chain in healthy temporal bones
• Describe quantitatively the effects of reconstructive middle ear surgery on the biomechanics of the middle ear
• Translate the results into a clinical setting (reconstructive ear surgery, passive or active middle ear implants or prosthesis)

Your profile

• You must hold a master degree (or equivalent) in Biomedical engineering, Mechanical engineering or Physics.
• You should enjoy working in an interdisciplinary, multinational research environment and be a team player with good organizational skills. Regular travels between Lausanne and PSI will be necessary.
• You should have interest/basic knowledge in the biomedical field, good affinity with image processing and coding (Matlab / Python).
• Very good communication skills in English are also required.

We offer

A collaboration in a highly innovative and dynamic research group on hearing research beneficiating from the state-of-the-art investigation techniques. The PhD project will be based at The Sense Research Center and the CHUV (University Hospital Lausanne) in close collaboration between the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and the Eaton Peabody Laboratory in Boston (USA).

The PhD degree will be allotted from the University of Lausanne. Salary and conditions of employment are according to the rules of SNSF for PhD students.

Location: CHUV-UNIL (Lausanne)

Host Labs: Neuro-otology Unit from Prof. Lukas Anschütz

Contact (cc): lukas.anschuetz@chuv.ch.