"PhD Studentship: Personalised 3D-Printed Insoles with Advanced Offloading Design and Integrated Sensors"

University of Birmingham

Placed On: 28th November 2025

Closes: 28th February 2026

1. Project overview:

Diabetic foot complications often arise from elevated plantar pressure and localised tissue stress. Current offloading insoles can provide some benefit, but they are typically generic and unable to address individual needs. With recent advances in additive manufacturing, there is an opportunity to develop more effective and personalised solutions for pressure redistribution and early risk identification.

This PhD project aims to design and develop personalised 3D-printed insoles with enhanced offloading performance and integrated sensing capability. The work will explore novel insole architectures to redistribute plantar pressure and improve comfort. To support continuous monitoring, sensing elements will be incorporated within the insole structure to capture changes that may indicate increased risk of skin breakdown.

The project will involve design and modelling, 3D printing and prototyping, mechanical testing, and evaluation of sensing performance in representative conditions. The successful candidate will gain experience in design, additive manufacturing, materials characterisation, and sensor integration, and will join an interdisciplinary research group with structured training and strong technical support. This project also offers strong potential for future development towards smart wearable health technologies.

2. Candidate profile

This project is ideal for candidates from Mechanical, Biomedical, Materials Engineering, or related disciplines. A strong motivation for interdisciplinary biomedical engineering research is essential. Applicants should hold (or expect to obtain) at least a 2:1 undergraduate degree, and a MSc/MEng is desirable.

3. How to Apply

Those interested should send a CV and personal statement to Dr Nasim Mahmoodi (n.mahmoodi@bham.ac.uk) via the above 'Apply' link.

Funding notes:

Funding is available on a competitive basis, and self-funded applicants or those with external scholarships are also welcome to apply.