Identification of urogenital conditions from bladder flow patterns

Kidney diseases are the 11^th leading cause of death in Canada (Statistics Canada, 2022). To complicate matters, adverse conditions of the urinary system are often ‘clinically silent’, presenting no symptoms until their later stages. For example, kidney stones, affecting 1 in 10 Canadians (Kidney Foundation of Canada, 2020), can go unnoticed until patients are in excruciating pain. Moreover, patients with chronic kidney disease, affecting over 4 million Canadians (Kidney Foundation of Canada, 2023), can lose over half their kidney function before diagnosis. There is therefore a clear need to develop a systematic approach to diagnose abnormal urogenital conditions in their earliest stages.

From an engineer’s perspective, the urinary system is a fluid system and therefore urine transport is subject to the laws of fluid dynamics. In normal physiology, each kidney possesses a single ureter that transports urine to the bladder in discrete volumes via waves of muscular contraction (peristalsis). These discrete volumes of urine are ultimately ejected into the bladder in the form of pulsed ‘ureteral jets'. As a urogenital condition develops, it will incrementally impact the properties of the ureteral jets, the bladder and/or the urine and therefore incrementally distort healthy flow patterns within the bladder as it fills. Quantifiable changes in the bladder flow patterns can therefore serve as indicators for the presence of abnormal urogenital conditions.

Research objectives

We are seeking a highly motivated student to begin their doctoral studies in Fall 2025. This doctoral research project aims to study the fluid dynamics in the bladder under healthy and pathological conditions and to develop an approach to early diagnosis based on bladder flow patterns. The flow will be acquired experimentally (in vitro) using ultrasound (colour Doppler) and particle image/tracking velocimetry (PIV/PTV). The project is in collaboration with a urologist with whom bladder flow patterns will also be collected from patients (in vivo).

Why join us?

This PhD position comes with a competitive financial package and presents a unique opportunity to bridge engineering and medicine. You will join a dynamic and passionate team at the Laboratory for Fluid Mechanics and Applications (LFMA), where together we push the boundaries of fluid mechanics knowledge, analysis, and innovation. We use state-of-the-art experimental and numerical methods to explore complex and unsteady flows, from fundamental studies to real-world applications in aerospace, medicine, ventilation, and more. The LFMA possesses a recognized expertise in advanced post-processing and modelling methods applicable to a wide range of fluid flows.

How to apply?

Please provide a cover letter, a CV, and a recent transcript by email to Prof. Di Labbio. In your cover letter, you are invited to indicate any particular circumstances that may have impacted your professional career. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.