The COVID-19 pandemic has forced hospitals to adapt to new strict policies to stem the spread of the virus. Treatment options that could cause an increased risk for virus transmission are discouraged or prohibited. However, the alternative treatments are not always satisfactory for all patients, for instance in the case of aerosol treatment.
To continue this research Team VERO offers students the oppertunity to participate in this research project.
Bachelor student ready to start his/her BEP
Aim for this end project
This research project focuses on investigating and improving the efficacy of aerosol treatment for several nebulizing systems. This is approached by comparing several commercially available nebulization masks and systems, and measuring the delivered aerosol in a model patient. Eventually, this results in a recommendation of the best performing systems to the problem-owner.
An experimental setup including a lung simulator has been created during the first months of the pandemic. It is located in Vertigo on TU/e campus, and available for this project. The setup uses an aerosol monitor that counts aerosol particles to analyse aerosol deposition and size distribution in the lungs.
Methods
- Improve or adjust an experiment proposal, delivered by Team VERO,
- create a procedure to make a base measurement for airborne particles,
- streamline the experimentation procedure to deliver results quickly,
- perform experiments using face models for 3 age categories in the lab,
- perform appropriate data analysis, e.g. create a time dependent histogram of airborne particles,
- use literature or simulations to convert this histogram to effective aerosol deposition in the lungs
The full description for this BEP can be downloaded here.
If you wish to apply please fill in the form at the bottom of the page
Master student looking for an internship
Aim for this intership
Team VERO can also offer larger projects that may serve as internship or final master project. The exact nature of the project will depend on the disciplinary background of the student and will therefore be defined together with the student and his/her departmental supervisor.
Potentially, we may
- improve current measurements by reproducing realistic breathing behaviour of patients of various ages
- aim for more accurate, automated image analyses for aerosol measurements
- prototype new products / masks
- explore requirements for a commercial product, including for instance the willingness among clinicians to change their current standard approaches.
- performing measurements on actual persons (in (semi)clinical settings)
- perform measurements in clinical environments during current standard treatments
- explore alternative uses of this study, e.g. an application for anaesthesiologists in the operating theatre, where similar masks are used for adults. In this case, released aerosols contain higher concentrations of the actual drug that is administered, while the anaesthesiologist is situations relatively nearby and potentially inhales the drug.
The full description for this internship can be downloaded here
If you wish to apply please fill in the form at the bottom of the page.
Looking for a different role in our team?
If you would like to join our team in another role than offered please contact us so we can discuss your options.
Please fill in the form below.
TU/e Eindhoven
Matrix (Floor 1)
Building number 10
Het Kranenveld 12
Eindhoven
The Netherlands