CRPH welcomes students with a biomedical engineering, or technical medicine background. We are eager to supervise a wide range of assignments within the scientific, clinical and translational scope of our staff members. In order to assure a perfect match with the individual expertise and interest of members of our group scientific topics should be chosen accordingly, so that all students can maximally benefit from the supervision of CRPH staff members.
For Technical Medicine students it is important that they are in the Medical Sensing & Stimulation track.
For Biomedical Engineering students it is important that they are in the Physiological Signals and Systems track.
Regarding the course list (https://www.utwente.nl/en/bme/education/vakkenlijsten-2022-2023.pdf) there are some courses from the elective options that are relevant for our group. Biological Control Systems (#7) is compulsory to do a project within CPRH. Depending on your interests, this can be supplemented by a choice of the following courses:
#14 Mathematical methods
#15 Nonlinear Dynamics
#17 System Identif. Parameter Estim. and ML
#18 Machine Learning I
#19 Biophysical Fluid Dynamics: The Respiratory System
If you are interested in a specific assignment or wonder whether we could act as a supervisor, we invite you to learn more about our team and publication list and eventually schedule an appointment with a CRPH team member via our office manager (c.j.holkenbrink@utwente.nl) to discuss all possibilities.
Master assignments
Modelling and control of VA-ECMO using in vitro phantoms
Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is a life-support therapy used in patients with severe cardiac and/or pulmonary failure. The goal of this project is to investigate the complex interaction between the human body and the VA-ECMO. The student will develop an in vitro patient setup by creating patient-specific aortic phantoms and connecting them to a high-fidelity hydraulic simulator capable of reproducing physiological pressure and flow conditions. This advanced in vitro system will be used to explore novel monitoring and control strategies aimed at improving VA-ECMO therapy. A previous example of the set up can be found here (link).
Extending a multiscale heart model with cellular calcium kinetics
Project goal: The objective of this thesis is to design and implement a new computational module that extends our existing model. The student will develop a module to simulate calcium kinetics. This will involve using the model's calculated sarcomere length as an input to predict the corresponding intracellular calcium concentration. The aim is to investigate how changes in sarcomere stretch (a mechanical signal) modulate calcium levels and the related behaviour of contractile proteins like actin and titin. This extension is a critical step toward modelling the cellular-level feedback loops that drive long-term changes in the heart.
Generation of intensive care unit (ICU) virtual patient cohorts
Hemodynamic management of ICU patients is complex and strongly influenced by mechanical ventilation and patient disease. The aim of this thesis is to develop a virtual patient population representing an ICU cohort, characterized by a common pathology, using an existing in-silico physiological model of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. The aim is to gain insights into cardiopulmonary interactions, and variability in hemodynamic stability across critically ill patients.
Current Students
Ing. Mike de Haan Bsc
Master Biomedical Engineering, Medical Device Design, University of Twente
Master of Medicine, Leiden University·
Aviation (Master + BSc)
Contact: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-de-haan1214/
Duration: January 2026 - July 2027
Assignment
Congenital heart defects with single-ventricle physiology are treated with the Fontan procedure, in which a vascular graft directs systemic venous blood to the pulmonary arteries. Current grafts are often undersized and stiff, contributing to elevated venous pressures and congestion. My assignment is to develop a CT-based Fontan mock circulatory loop to evaluate the hemodynamic performance of an expandable graft.
Collaborating partner
Leiden University Medical Centre – Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Committee
Prof. Dr. Ing. J. Arens (Chair)
Dr. Ir. L. Fresiello MEng (Technical supervisor)
Prof. Dr. M.G. Hazekamp (Clinical supervisor)
Dr. F. Rijnberg (Clinical supervisor)
Ir. V.C. Zut (Technical supervisor)
Dr. E. Groot-Jebbink (External supervisor)
Daan Imholz
Technical Medicine, Medical Sensing & Stimulation, University of Twente
Biomedical Engineering, Physiological Signals & Systems, University of Twente
Contact: https://nl.linkedin.com/in/daan-imholz-0479a11b9
Duration: December 2024 - May 2026
Assignment
Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) has the potential to enable advanced diagnostic and therapeutic interventions on donor lungs, expanding the donor pool and improving the outcome following transplantation. My research focuses on the optimization of EVLP ventilation-perfusion interactions using computational modeling to increase donor lung preservation and quality.
Collaborating partner
University Medical Centre Utrecht – Anesthesiology & Intensive Care Unit
Committee
Prof. Dr. D.W. Donker (Chair)
Drs. S.A. Braithwaite (Medical supervisor)
Dr. L.M. van Loon (Technical-medical supervisor)
Dr. Ir. F.H.C. de Jongh (Technical supervisor)
Drs. B.J.C.C. Sweep (Process supervisor)
Prof. Dr. Ing. J. Arens (External member)
For our former master student assignments look at this page.