Paul Hodges

Measurement and rehabilitation of the shoulder and upper limb

We are seeking up to two PhD candidates eligible for a UQ Graduate School Scholarship, Australia to undertake a PhD in the area of measurement of upper limb motion and use. The project is part of an Industrial Transformation Training Centre (ITTC) funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) and led by researchers at Queensland University of Technology and the University of Queensland. The centre aims to advance personalised surgical treatment of joints by integrating computer tools for pre-surgical planning and decision making, computer simulation systems and robot simulators for surgical training. Understanding the effectiveness of these treatments requires assessment and analysis of functional movements in clinical and real-world environments. The successful PhD candidate will use new sensor and/or robotic assessment technologies in conjunction with advanced motion capture systems to record shoulder and upper limb functional movements.

Project areas include:

• developing novel movement & muscle function assessments for the shoulder & upper limb;

• examining functional movements in people with shoulder or upper limb dysfunction or injury;

• developing new wearable & robotic technologies to optimise upper limb functional movement;

• developing new virtual / augmented reality technologies for rehabilitation.

The project requires a background in movement science, biomechanics, biomedical engineering or a related discipline. Experience in 3D motion analysis and electromyography is highly desirable.

The PhD student will be supervised by a team that may include Prof Paul Hodges, Prof Sandra Brauer, Dr Alejandro Melendez-Calderon, Dr Antonio Padilha Lanari Bo, Prof Graham Kerr. The PhD students will work in the labs of the UQ Professors as part of an interdisciplinary team with skills spanning rehabilitation, imaging, neurophysiology, physiology, motor control, biomechanics, and computational modelling. The student will collaborate with other students and researchers at Queensland University of Technology, University of Queensland and Neuroscience Research Aust.

Eligible candidates will be supported to apply for a UQ Graduate School Scholarship that provides a 3-year scholarship (with possible extension for 6 months if required) at a rate of $28,597 p.a. tax free. An additional top up of $8,000 p.a. tax free, will be provided for these projects. Due to international border restrictions, this opportunity is most suitable for onshore applicants.

Essential criteria: An undergraduate degree with first or second class division 1 Honours in movement science, biomechanics, physiotherapy, biomedical engineering, or a related discipline; eligibility for admission to the PhD program at The University of Queensland; knowledge of 3D motion analysis; excellent communication skills (written and verbal) in English.

Desirable criteria: Experience in rehabilitation science; biomechanics, and muscle physiology.

Real world measurement of spine and body movement

We are seeking a PhD student with a background in biomedical engineering and/or biomechanics to join our team to contribute to a body of work that aims to analyse movement of the spine and body in the real world. Projects will relate to measurement and analysis of movement to understand the relationship between movement and low back pain and to guide treatment.

Essential criteria: An undergraduate degree with first or second class division 1 Honours in movement science, biomechanics, physiotherapy, biomedical engineering, or a related discipline; eligibility for admission to the PhD program at The University of Queensland; knowledge of 3D motion analysis; experience with Matlab for data analysis; excellent communication skills (written and verbal) in English.

Applying new methods to understand pelvic floor function in men and women

We are seeking a PhD student with a background in biomedical engineering and/or biomechanics to join our team to work with our team to study the mechanisms of continence in men and women. We aim to apply new imaging methods and image analysis to better understand how continence is maintained and how this is impacted by surgery (e.g. prostatectomy in men) and ageing. The work will involve a multidisciplinary team to address this challenging issue.

Essential criteria: An undergraduate degree with first or second class division 1 Honours in movement science, biomechanics, physiotherapy, biomedical engineering, or a related discipline; eligibility for admission to the PhD program at The University of Queensland; experience with Matlab for data analysis; excellent communication skills (written and verbal) in English.