* SERG PhD Opportunity [OPEN 2024] *

Human body measurement is an essential tool for life as we know it; from the trivial: such as the fit of the clothes you wear, to the critical: such as the prescribed dosages of your medical treatments. For all these applications we typically rely on simple body measures – lengths, breaths, areas – which are seldom based upon their accuracy but the absence of an alternative. Three-dimensional (3D) surface imaging provides an alternative method through which we can not only acquire anthropometrics but explore sophisticated methods of shape analysis.

The Morphology Research Theme based within the Sports Engineering Research Group at SHU are international leaders within the field of 3D imaging and advanced human body measurement. The origin of this research theme lies within elite sport biomechanical analyses and using 3D imaging for the design, modelling and simulation of sports equipment for improved performance. More recently, the Morphology Research Theme has been translating this knowledge into health and wellbeing applications, as discussed in this previous blog post. New research by this group has shown how shape analysis can reveal the potential for misclassification using existing body measures and improve the prediction of body composition, which could redefine how we conduct individual and population-level diagnostics within healthcare.

However, further research is required to further develop our current methodologies and apply them in practice. This funded PhD research programme will aim to develop automated processing algorithms capable of assessing the shape of the entire human body and investigate the diagnostic and predictive capabilities of these methods within health and wellbeing applications. The work conducted during this PhD will also contribute directly into several ongoing research projects, including:

• An internal research fellowship led by Dr Michael Thelwell investigating how advanced body measurement can improve chemotherapy dosing methods;
• A £1.6m UKRI Future Leaders Research Fellowship led by Dr Alice Bullas investigating new approaches for assessing the overall health of children;
• An international research collaboration with Leipzig University, investigating links between external body shape and cardio-metabolic health risk;
• Collaborative research with La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia investigating new ways of analysing the human foot shape to improve footwear and foot orthoses design.

Interested in applying?

We are offering a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) scholarship to explore the use of technology to support care pathways for joint replacement surgery. The GTA scheme aims to develop highly skilled postgraduate researchers who are well prepared to enter a career in academia or research. The GTA scheme is an opportunity for you to receive a 3.5-year full-time PhD scholarship at Sheffield Hallam University. While supporting the PhD research, you will carry out up to 180 hours of teaching or teaching-related activity per academic year, with the intention of providing opportunities to develop a rounded academic portfolio.

Interested applicants should be proactive, willing to learn and have a passion for health and wellbeing research. Experience of data analytics and data processing of large datasets using programming languages such as MATLAB, Python or C++ or software development would be desirable, but not essential.  

For further details on the research project, the scholarship and details of how to apply please follow this LINK or contact the lead supervisor – Dr Michael Thelwell m.thelwell@shu.ac.uk

To apply for the GTA scholarship, you will need to complete and submit an application form here along with a detailed 1,500-word research proposal addressing the project title.

The closing date for applications is Wednesday 15th May 2024 at 12:00 GMT.