Smart Functional Materials for Assisted Living

Applications are invited for a PhD studentship starting in September 2025, supervised by Professor Charl FJ Faul (School of Chemistry, University of Bristol).

Smart Functional Materials for Assisted Living

We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled student to join a dynamic team working on the synthesis and application of smart functional materials for mobility assistance and digital healthcare technologies. This role supports the University of Bristol and the School of Chemistry in the £14 million EPSRC-funded project, “The VIVO Hub for Enhanced Independent Living” (www.thevivohub.com), co-led by Professor Charl F. J. Faul (faulresearchgroup.com). The VIVO Hub aims to create a user-guided intervention platform, integrating digital and robotic technologies to support older adults and people with disabilities in maintaining their mobility, physical health, and mental well-being at home.

Your project will contribute to the development of smart materials-enabled mobility assistance technologies to address urgent healthcare needs, including mobility restoration, management of conditions such as venous insufficiency and orthostatic hypertension, and the prevention of falls. It will leverage the multi-disciplinary expertise of the VIVO team and patient/stakeholder partners, developing innovative approaches that enable older adults to live independent lives.

You will work alongside a multidisciplinary team and contribute to the development of novel functional polymeric and smart materials for healthcare interventions, with a specific focus on the synthesis of responsive materials for mobility assistance. You will join a large funded research project led by the University of Bristol, in collaboration with numerous partners, including the Song laboratories (UCL), the NHS, leading UK and international research institutions, and industry leaders like Meta Reality Labs, Ottobock, and the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland.

The selected applicant will join regular VIVO Hub network meetings, engage and learn from leading professors, clinicians and a team of 17 research and technical staff across multiple disciplines including soft robotics, materials engineering, biomechanics, bio-interfacing, and healthcare.

Candidate Requirements

Applicants must have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class UK first degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in chemistry or in a related discipline (materials science or engineering)

How to Apply

Please make an online application for this project at the following page How to apply nearmejobs.eu Study at Bristol nearmejobs.eu University of Bristol.

Funding

A full studentship will cover tuition fees, a training support fee and a stipend (£20,780 p.a. in 2025/26, updated each year) for 3.5 years.

Getting in Contact

We encourage you to make an informal enquiry to Prof. Charl FJ Faul (charl.faul@bristol.ac.uk) if you have any queries or would like to discuss project. Please ensure that your email subject line reads “PhD Application Enquiry – Vivo Hub”.