Research Assistant in Hydrocephalus Research

This highly interdisciplinary research project builds on previous and ongoing work carried out in close collaboration with neurosurgeons from the University Hospital Zurich, biomedical engineers and veterinarians from the University of Zurich, and international collaborators. We aim to develop a profound knowledge base for hydrocephalus and a novel treatment for hydrocephalus patients.

Hydrocephalus is a severe and common condition that occurs in many different forms from childhood to old age. The disease presents with an enlargement of the brain ventricles, presumably due to a mismatch of secretion and resorption of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Patients exhibit symptoms such as mental disorders, gait disturbance, and incontinence. It is usually treated by lifelong therapy with shunts that drain CSF from the brain ventricles into the abdomen. This technology is seventy years old, and the disease is still not well understood.

We intend to extend an in vitro setup to reproduce dynamics that we have measured in healthy sheep.

In this way, we would like to achieve an understanding that allows us to better characterize functional patterns of CSF disorders. Moreover, test scenarios are to be mapped on the test bench with which current and future shunts are to be tested.

The position of Research Assistant includes the following tasks:

• numerical modeling of the dynamics of the various body compartments and their interplay
• incorporating a numerical model on the existing test bench
• adjusting testing protocol, numerical model and hardware to account for sheep dynamics
• running tests with novel devices
• data processing and analysis

You will have:

• a Master of Science degree from a recognized university (or close to completion) in electrical engineering, biomedical engineering, or physics
• a passion for practical and theoretical work following a systematic and sound approach in a medical application
• strong interest in working in a highly interdisciplinary environment
• a background in signal and data processing, modeling, applied artificial intelligence, and machine learning
• curiosity, open-mindedness, and good communication skills
• proficient oral and written English skills

We are a highly motivated research group, offering an excellent research infrastructure and environment, as well as a competitive salary and benefits.