Developing realistic placental blood vessel phantoms for optimisation of ultrasound scans

Want to help women in pregnancy? Doppler ultrasound is an important diagnostic tool in the field of obstetrics allowing for clinicians to haemodynamics of the placenta during pregnancy. Monitoring placental circulation is essential for understanding fetal development and detecting complications such as fetal growth restriction and preeclampsia, which can have serious consequences for both mother and baby. Developing anatomical scale phantom blood vessels with materials that exhibit similar acoustic properties to the human body provides a pathway to optimize and refine doppler ultrasound usage for pregnancy.

This project will focus on developing phantom anatomical blood vessels to simulate placental blood flow for Doppler ultrasound experiments. The student will investigate and experiment with fabrication methods to create morphologically realistic vessel models that replicate the structure of placental vasculature. The project also involves evaluating various fluid compositions to mimic the flow dynamics of blood, enabling accurate ultrasound imaging and analysis. This work offers a unique opportunity to contribute to pregnancy-related research by advancing tools for studying placental blood flow, with implications for improving maternal and fetal health diagnostics.

• Instrumentation skills (Putting together mechatronic systems)
• Experimental skills (Planning and designing experiments)
• Some familiarity with cell biology & physiology
• Willingness to overcome problems and work with others on an scientific adventure

This project is eligible for funding but is subject to eligibility criteria & funding availability.

Page expires: 7th April 2026