Flinders and MaxM Industry PhD Scholarship: Biomedical Engineering

Change lives and change the world with impactful PhD research co-funded by Flinders and MaxM.

Flinders University and MaxM are offering an Industry PhD Scholarship to undertake innovative research to develop a medical device platform technology to support home-based rehabilitation.

MaxM is a local medical device start-up company who are developing a platform technology to support home-based rehabilitation. The Medical Device Research Institute and MaxM have previously worked together to develop sensors for measuring rehabilitation progress, and they are now looking to expand this to a digital therapeutics platform.

MaxM’s first product is a skate package for lower-limb rehabilitation. The package includes a skate device for assisted active motion and resistance training, a watch which acts as a sensor for range of motion, a software app that tracks rehabilitation progress and provides feedback to the clinician and patient, and a cloud-based data storage solution.

The PhD student will investigate whether the MaxM skate sensor accuracy can be improved using machine learning techniques. The student will also investigate the extension of the platform to different joints, loading paradigms, and rehabilitation protocols. The student will also investigate the inclusion of devices and sensors for strength training and assessment. The final product will be a therapeutics platform using AI to inform clinical decision and rehabilitation programs.

The Flinders Industry PhD Scholarship also includes an internship of at least 60 full-time equivalent days, agreed to in written form within 18 months of candidature, undertaken and completed prior to completion of the PhD, during which you will be embedded with the industry partner team, developing your network, and gaining insight into the everyday research practices of an industry-leading/service driven organisation.

This Scholarship offers:

• A minimum of $35,000 per annum tax free, for up to 4 years
• The Plus Program: Gain experience of rigorous, leading-edge research in a business context through regular training sessions
• Being surrounded by peers from the three SA Universities working on complementary projects offering mutual support, peer to peer learning
• Access to academic and industry expertise through joint supervision
• The opportunity to manage a complex research project and respond innovatively to challenges
• A collaborative research community where you can enhance your skills and build your network to progress your research career. 

To be eligible for the Scholarship you will need:

• to be an Australian citizen, New Zealand citizen, an Australian permanent resident or have, or are eligible to apply for, a relevant international visa; and
• meet Flinders University PhD admission requirements – an Australian Honours degree Class 1 or 2A or equivalent qualification (at least AQF Level 8), or evidence of equivalent research experience, such as refereed publications or significant experience as a lead researcher; and
• Scholarship recipients are expected to take up their studies as soon as practicable within a timeframe specified by the Office of Graduate Research in consultation with the industry partner, up to maximum of 3 months from the time of acceptance of the scholarship.  In exceptional circumstances and with approval of the industry partner and the University, this time may be extended to 6 months.
• Scholarship recipients are expected to attend all the Plus Program sessions per annum for the duration of their enrolment in the Program, and other activities deemed a required Plus Program activity.

It is desirable for applicants to also have:

• A background in Engineering, Software or Data analysis
• A passion for application of technology to aid in rehabilitation
• Experience in running clinical trials is a bonus