Job Information
Organisation/Company: University of Bordeaux
Department: LIRYC - Electrophysiology and Heart Modeling Institute (L'Institut de Rythmologie et Modélisation Cardiaque)
Research Field: Engineering » Biomedical engineering
Computer science » Modelling tools
Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)
Positions: PhD Positions
Application Deadline: 30 Sep 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Brussels)
Country: France
Type of Contract: Temporary
Job Status: Full-time
Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?: Horizon Europe - MSCA
Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number: 101312147
Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?: No
Offer Description
Project Description
Catheter ablation is an established treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF), yet a significant proportion of patients experience arrhythmia recurrence and require additional procedures. One of the major challenges is the limited understanding of how the atrial substrate evolves over time and how these changes influence treatment outcomes. Improved methods are needed to identify patients at risk of recurrence and to support more personalised treatment planning.
Research objectives: This project aims to develop new approaches for understanding the progression of atrial fibrillation and predicting outcomes after ablation therapy. The doctoral candidate will:
- Construct personalised digital twin models of the atria from cardiac MRI/CT and high resolution electrical data.
- Model structural and electrical remodelling using machine learning techniques to reconstruct missing or incomplete anatomical information and to analyse how structural and electrical remodelling evolve over time from longitudinal data.
- Predict therapy response to investigate how changes in atrial anatomy, electrophysiology and tissue characteristics influence the response to pulsed field ablation and other AF therapies and identify biomarkers that predict recurrence.
- Personalise rhythm management by combining digital twins with longitudinal clinical data to estimate when repeat interventions may be required and determine which patients are most likely to benefit from more extensive treatment strategies.
- Wearable ECG recordings and other remote monitoring data will also be incorporated to provide additional insight into disease progression.
Data and resources: The project will make use of MRI/CT and ECG datasets collected from patients undergoing AF treatment at the University of Bordeaux, supplemented by data from the UK Biobank and other CDTnet partners. Ultimately, the research aims to improve understanding of AF progression and support the development of more personalised approaches to rhythm management.
Planned Secondments
- University of Oxford, United Kingdom (1 month): training in advanced medical image analysis techniques.
- University of Zaragoza, Spain (1 month): training in electrocardiogram processing and signal analysis.
- Corify, Spain (2 months): training in non-invasive electrophysiological mapping and the characterisation of atrial fibrillation substrate.
- Medtronic Bakken Research Center, Netherlands (1 week): exposure to Holter monitoring and advanced electrogram analysis technologies.
Where to apply
Website: https://www.cdtnet.eu/apply-now
Requirements
Research Field: Engineering » Biomedical engineering
Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent
Specific Requirements
Desirable Project-Specific Qualifications and Skills
The candidate should possess a Master’s degree in a relevant field such as Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Medical Technology, Physics or Cardiovascular Science.
We are looking for a motivated candidate with an interest in cardiac modeling and clinical translation with the following skills:
- Knowledge of cardiac electrophysiology to tune and parameterise cardiac digital twin models
- Setting up simulations and running them on high performance computing facilities
- Machine learning to tune models, and perform risk prediction
- Image analysis to characterize cardiac tissue and remodelling
- Python programming to automate tasks and analyse results
MSCA Eligibility Requirements
- Have not lived or worked in France for more than 12 months in the 3 years before recruitment
- No prior doctoral degree
- Eligible to enrol in the PhD programme at the Université de Bordeaux
Languages: ENGLISH
Level: Excellent
Additional Information
Website for additional job details: https://www.cdtnet.eu/
Work Location(s)
Number of offers available: 1
Company/Institute: University of Bordeaux
Country: France
City: Bordeaux
Street: LIRYC
Contact
City: Bordeaux
Website: https://www.u-bordeaux.fr/en
E-Mail: edward.vigmond@u-bordeaux.fr
CDTnet@kcl.ac.uk