Post-Doctoral Position in Computational Biomechanics - Development of a Micro-Mechanical Model of Aortic Dissection Initiation and Propagation – 24 months fixed-term contract

JOB ENVIRONMENT:

Institut Mines-Télécom is the leading public group of engineering and management Grandes Écoles in France. Consisting of eight public graduate Grandes Écoles and two subsidiary graduate schools, Institut Mines-Télécom leads and develops a rich ecosystem of partner schools, economic, academic and institutional partners, key players in education, research and economic development.

Mines Saint-Étienne, a graduate school of the Institut Mines-Télécom, is responsible for education, research, innovation, industrial transfer and scientific culture dissemination. With 2,500 students, 500 staff and a budget of €50m, it has 3 campuses dedicated to the industry of the future, health and well-being, and digital sovereignty and microelectronics. It is ranked in the top 15 graduate engineering schools in France and the top 500 universities worldwide.

The 2023-2027 strategy of Mines Saint-Etienne is in line with that of Institut Mines Telecom. It aims to:

• · Support the ecological, digital and generational transitions and educate the people involved
• · Support national and European sovereignty in microelectronics and digital technolog

To support this strategy, it is recruiting a post-Doctoral Position in Computational Biomechanics.

SAINBIOSE

The SAINBIOSE Unit (SAnté Ingénierie BIOlogie Saint-Etienne) combines researchers from Jean Monnet University, Mines St Etienne, the French Blood Establishment, and the Saint-Etienne University Hospital, focusing on osteo-articular biology, soft tissue mechanobiology, and hemostasis-thrombosis. It hosts 48 permanent researchers and 37 technical staff, organized into two teams, and trains 58 PhD students. Over the last five years, it has produced 100 annual publications, filed 6 patents, developed 3 software tools, and launched 2 startups. The "Soft Tissue Biomechanics" group is led by Pr. S. Avril, and focuses on numerical, clinical, and experimental studies on the mechanical behavior of biological tissues and their interactions with medical devices. The lab includes experimental equipment such as uni- or bi-axial tensile machines, optical field measurement tools and microscopy devices. Their research is backed by a strong academic network, both nationally and internationally, and they collaborate regularly with companies like Thuasne, Sigvaris, and Medtronic.

CONTEXT

This post-doctoral fellowship is part of the ADRIS (Aortic Dissection Risk from Internal Structure) project, funded by the ANR and starting in 2025. Aortic dissection is one of the most prevalent catastrophic cardiovascular events. The ADRIS (Aortic Dissection Risk from Intramural Structure) project aims to predict the risk of type A aortic dissection in patients by analyzing both the intramural structure of the aorta and biomarkers from blood samples. The project follows a four-step process: characterizing tissue rupture risk through mechanical testing of ex-vivo human tissue, understanding the role of micro-defects in the onset of dissection using synchrotron X-ray tomography, developing a multi-scale biomechanical model of the dissection process, and analyzing biomarkers to correlate with mechanical properties and defect density. This integrated approach will enable probabilistic prediction of dissection based on the structure and composition of the aortic wall.

By combining these experimental and computational findings, ADRIS aims to create a clinical scoring system that can predict aortic dissection using readily available medical data. The project will provide clinicians with a tool to better assess dissection risk, supporting decision-making for patient monitoring and treatment. Additionally, the ADRIS project will enhance the understanding of the biochemical and mechanical processes involved in aortic dissection, with the potential to advance medical imaging techniques and influence future technological developments in cardiovascular healthcare.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

We are seeking a postdoctoral fellow to develop a micro-mechanical model of aortic dissection initiation and propagation. The main objectives will include integrating patient-specific data (imaging, mechanical testing) and microstructural features into a predictive model, simulating dissection risk under realistic physiological conditions. There are some interesting challenges to overcome during this project:

• Identifying which structures contribute to the initiation of rupture and delamination of medial layers in the aorta and determining appropriate modeling techniques.
• Accounting for the complex mechanical response (ex: anisotropy, non-linearity) and variability in the different components of the model.
• Designing an efficient model at an appropriate scale that can be used for parametric analyses.
• Translating this model for use in clinical practice using model order reduction techniques and correlations with clinically available data gathered during the project.

Throughout the project, you will collaborate with a consortium of researchers in biomechanics, biology, X-ray tomography, as well as clinicians, including cardiac and vascular surgeons.

Figure 1: Micro-CT image of the aortic lamellar structure (left, from Brunet et al., 2023) and a conceptual model illustrating how mechanical damage could be reproduced (right).

Research objectives and methodology :

1. Development of a micro-mechanical model. The postdoctoral fellow will identify which structures contribute to the gradual delamination of medial layers in the aorta. He will consider different FE-based modeling techniques involving fracture mechanics such as the phase-field approach. This model will be used for parametric analyses and reduced-order modeling.

2. Model calibration and validation. The parameters of the model will be calibrated against original synchrotron X-ray tomography data obtained during this project on human tissue. Validation of this model will be evaluated thanks to its ability to reproduce the layer-scale dynamics of dissection (initiation location and crack propagation path obtained from s-CT) as well as macro behaviour such as critical pressure and tensile strength.

3. Development of an aortic dissection risk score. A Reduced-Order Model will be built relating the influential input parameters to the quantity of interest, so as to evaluate the risk of dissection for realistic ranges of parameters. Finally, the most important features of the model will be incorporated in an dissection prediction risk score.

Requirements

PROFIL SOUGHT:

• Recent PhD in Biomechanics, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
• Strong background in finite element modeling (preferably using software such as Abaqus or FEniCS)
• Experience in fracture mechanics (ex Phase-Field approach)
• Previous experience with sensitivity analysis and reduced-order models is a plus
• Fluent communication in an international background and ability to work in an interdisciplinary team

WHY JOIN US:

Institut Mines-Telecom is characterised by:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m39m6hdNC48

• A scientific environment of excellence
• A group with entities throughout France

Mines Saint-Etienne is distinguished by:

• A privileged working environment with a high student supervision rate and a high environment rate (support and back-up functions)
• First-rate experimental and digital resources
• Significant contract research activity (€11m/year in Research and Innovation contracts), mainly with industrial partners
• 25% international students, Member of the T.I.M.E. network and the EULIST European University
• A centre for scientific, technical and industrial culture - La Rotonde - which is unique in France, and which has a major impact on society (> 50,000 visitors per year)
• Pleasant workplace, easily accessible by public transport and close to motorways
• Public transport costs reimbursed up to 75% (subject to conditions)
• Sustainable mobility package
• Staff committee that subsidises sports, leisure, cultural and social events and activities
• The possibility of partial remote working
• 49 days annual leave

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Recruitment conditions:

• Fixed-term contract for a period of 24 months
• Desired start date: May-June 2025
• Remuneration will be set according to the candidate's profile, based on the rules defined by the Institut Mines Télécom's management framework
• Full time
• Position based in Saint-Étienne
• • For internal use:
    
  •  Category II - Job P - Post-doctorant according to the Management Framework

The position is open to all, with accommodation available on request for candidates with disabilities.

The job is open to civil servants and/or the general public.

All applications may be subject to an administrative enquiry.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE :
Candidates are invited to submit the following documents:
· Detailed CV with a list of publications, and a copy of your diplomas
· Cover letter highlighting relevant experience and motivation for the research project
· Contact information for at least two academic references

On the Recruitee platform no later than 16/03/2025 :

https://institutminestelecom.recruitee.com/o/post-doctoral-computational-biomechanics-development-of-a-micromechanical-model-of-artic-dissection-initiation-and-propagation


For further information:

For further information about the position, please contact:

Baptiste PIERRAT - Research Engineer, PhD

Email:

baptiste.pierrat@mines-stetienne.fr

For all administrative information, please contact:

Milica PETKOVIC– HR Administrator

Email: milica.petkovic@emse.fr

Tel: + 33 (0)4 77 42 02 08

Useful links:

https://www.mines-stetienne.fr/

https://www.imt.fr/

Protecting your data:

https://www.mines-stetienne.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Informations-des-candidats-sur-les-traitements-de-donn%C3%A9es-personnelles.pdf