Access profile

Given the multidisciplinary nature of the scientific field of the programme, there are a wide range of degrees that qualify applicants for admission. For the near future, the applicants considered most suitable for admission to the doctoral programme in Biomedical Engineering will be bachelor’s degree holders with a scientific and technological background who have completed a master's degree in Biomedical Engineering or one related to the scientific field of the programme. In addition to this academic background, it is considered important that applicants have certain personal characteristics—namely, an interest in the research projects carried out within the framework of the programme; critical and analytical skills; initiative and perseverance in their academic work; the ability to work in a team; and the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

Output profile

Doctoral candidates who complete a doctoral degree will have acquired the following competencies, which are needed to carry out quality research (Royal Decree 99/2011, of 28 January, which regulates official doctoral studies):

a) A systematic understanding of the field of study and a mastery of the research skills and methods related to the field.
b) An ability to conceive, design or create, put into practice and adopt a substantial process of research or creation.
c) An ability to contribute to pushing back the frontiers of knowledge through original research.
d) A capacity for critical analysis and an ability to assess and summarise new and complex ideas.
e) An ability to communicate with the academic and scientific community and with society in general as regards their fields of knowledge in the manner and languages that are typical of the international scientific community to which they belong.
f) An ability to foster scientific, technological, social, artistic and cultural progress in academic and professional contexts within a knowledge-based society.

The award of a doctoral degree must equip the graduate for work in a variety of settings, especially those requiring creativity and innovation. Doctoral graduates must have at least acquired the personal skills needed to:

a) Develop in contexts in which there is little specific information.
b) Find the key questions that must be answered to solve a complex problem.
c) Design, create, develop and undertake original, innovative projects in their field.
d) Work as part of a team and independently in an international or multidisciplinary context.
e) Integrate knowledge, deal with complexity and make judgements with limited information.
f) Offer criticism on and intellectually defend solutions.

Finally, with respect to competencies, doctoral students must:
a) have acquired advanced knowledge at the frontier of their discipline and demonstrated, in the context of internationally recognised scientific research, a deep, detailed and well-grounded understanding of theoretical and practical issues and scientific methodology in one or more research fields;
b) have made an original and significant contribution to scientific research in their field of expertise that has been recognised as such by the international scientific community;
c) have demonstrated that they are capable of designing a research project that serves as a framework for carrying out a critical analysis and assessment of imprecise situations, in which they are able to apply their contributions, expertise and working method to synthesise new and complex ideas that yield a deeper knowledge of the research context in which they work;
d) have developed sufficient autonomy to set up, manage and lead innovative research teams and projects and scientific collaborations (both national and international) within their subject area, in multidisciplinary contexts and, where appropriate, with a substantial element of knowledge transfer;
e) have demonstrated that they are able to carry out their research activity in a socially responsible manner and with scientific integrity;
f) have demonstrated, within their specific scientific context, that they are able to make cultural, social or technological advances and promote innovation in all areas within a knowledge-based society;
g) have demonstrated that they are able to participate in scientific discussions at the international level in their field of expertise and disseminate the results of their research activity to audiences of all kinds.

Number of places

25

Duration of studies and dedication regime

Duration
The maximum period of study for full-time doctoral studies is three years, counted from the date of admission to the programme to the date of submission of the doctoral thesis. The academic committee of the doctoral programme may authorise a doctoral candidate to pursue doctoral studies on a part-time basis. In this case, the maximum period of study is five years, counting from the date of admission to the programme to the date of submission of the doctoral thesis. For calculating these periods, the date of admission is considered to be the date of the first enrolment for tutorials, and the date of submission the moment in which the Doctoral School officially deposits the doctoral thesis.

For full-time doctoral candidates, the minimum period of study is two years, counted from the date of an applicant's admission to the programme until the date on which the doctoral thesis is deposited; for part-time doctoral candidates it is four years. When there are justified grounds for doing so, and the thesis supervisor and academic tutor have given their authorisation, doctoral candidates may request that the academic committee of their doctoral programme exempt them from the minimum period of study requirement.

The calculation of periods of study will not include periods of absence due to illness, pregnancy or any other reason provided for in the regulations in force. Students who find themselves in any of these circumstances must notify the academic committee of the doctoral programme, which, where appropriate, must inform the Doctoral School. Doctoral candidates may also temporarily withdraw from the programme for up to one year, and this period may be extended for an additional year. Doctoral candidates who wish to interrupt their studies must submit a justified request to the academic committee of the doctoral programme, which will decide whether or not to approve the request. Each programme will establish conditions for readmission to doctoral studies.

Extension
If full-time doctoral candidates have not applied to deposit their thesis by the end of the three-year period of study, the academic committee of the programme may authorise an extension of up to one year. In exceptional circumstances, a further one-year extension may be granted, subject to the conditions established by the corresponding doctoral programme. In the case of part-time doctoral candidates, an extension of two years may be authorised. In both cases, in exceptional circumstances a further one-year extension may be granted by the Doctoral School's Standing Committee, upon the submission of a reasoned application by the academic committee of the doctoral programme.

Dismissal from the doctoral programme
A doctoral candidate may be dismissed from a doctoral programme for the following reasons:

• The doctoral candidate submitting a justified application to withdraw from the programme.
• The maximum period of study and of extensions thereof ending.
• The doctoral candidate not having enrolled every academic year (unless he or she has been authorised to temporarily withdraw).
• The doctoral candidate failing two consecutive assessments.
• The doctoral candidate having disciplinary proceedings filed against him or her that rule that he or she must be dismissed from the UPC.

Dismissal from the programme implies that doctoral candidates cannot continue studying at the UPC and the closing of their academic record. This notwithstanding, they may apply to the academic committee of the programme for readmission and the committee must reevaluate them in accordance with the criteria established in the regulations.

Organization

• Giraldo Giraldo, Beatriz F.

• Casals Gelpi, Alicia
• Ginebra Molins, Maria Pau
• Ginjaume Egido, Merce
• Giraldo Giraldo, Beatriz F.
• Jane Campos, Raimon
• Riu Costa, Pere Joan
• Tost Pardell, Dani

• Department of Automatic Control (PROMOTORA)
• Department of Computer Science
• Department of Electronic Engineering
• Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy
• Institute of Energy Technologies

Agreements with other institutions

• University of Zaragoza (https://estudios.unizar.es/estudio/ver-doct?id=7098): public inter-university agreement.
• Technical University of Madrid (http://www.upm.es/internacional/): exchange of professors, collaboration on content, student mobility. Launched in January 2005, open-ended.
Public

The research groups involved in the programme have a wide network of collaborations that enrich the student experience. Many doctoral students undertake periods of mobility thanks to these collaborations. The programme maintains well-established collaborations with various centres where doctoral students have completed research stays to work on their theses and obtain a European Doctorate mention.
The acceptance of students by collaborating centres is verified on their applications for mobility grants. Collaborating centres:
• MIT, USA
• Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy
• Oxford University
• Lund University
• Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, Germany
• Kingston University, UK
• Polytechnic University of Turin, Italy
• University of Porto, Portugal
• Centre for Online Health, Australia
• University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Biomedical Engineering Research Centre (CREB), Barcelona
• Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona
• Biomedical Research Networking Centre in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN)
• University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
• University of Michigan, USA
• National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Automation (INRIA), France
• Biomechanics Institute of Valencia, Polytechnic University of Valencia (IBV-UPV)
• Institute of Bioengineering, Miguel Hernandez University, Elche.
• Theoretical Chronobiology Unit, Free University of Brussels, Belgium
• Institute for Mechanics of Materials and Structures, Vienna University of Technology
• Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology
• University of Valladolid
• Department of Bioengineering, Institute of Industrial Automation – CSIC, Madrid
• Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
• KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
• Department of Medical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences, Jena, Germany
• Galeazzi Orthopaedic Institute, Milan, Italy
• Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico
• Laboratory of Engineering of the Neuromuscular System and Motor Rehabilitation (ISiN), Polytechnic University of Turin, Italy
• University of Technology of Compiègne, France
• Faculty of Computing, Information Systems and Mathematics, Kingston University, UK
• LTSI, University of Rennes 1, France
• Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona

Access profile

Given the multidisciplinary nature of the scientific field of the programme, there are a wide range of degrees that qualify applicants for admission. For the near future, the applicants considered most suitable for admission to the doctoral programme in Biomedical Engineering will be bachelor’s degree holders with a scientific and technological background who have completed a master's degree in Biomedical Engineering or one related to the scientific field of the programme. In addition to this academic background, it is considered important that applicants have certain personal characteristics—namely, an interest in the research projects carried out within the framework of the programme; critical and analytical skills; initiative and perseverance in their academic work; the ability to work in a team; and the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

Access requirements

Applicants must hold a Spanish bachelor’s degree or equivalent and a Spanish master’s degree or equivalent, provided they have completed a minimum of 300 ECTS credits on the two degrees (Royal Decree 43/2015, of 2 February)

In addition, the following may apply:

• Holders of an official degree awarded by a university in Spain or any other country in the European Higher Education Area, pursuant to the provisions of Article 16 of Royal Decree 1393/2007, of 29 October, which establishes official university course regulations, who have completed a minimum of 300 ECTS credits on official university degrees, of which at least 60 must be at the master's degree level.
• Holders of an official Spanish bachelor’s degree comprising at least 300 credits, as provided for by EU regulations. Holder of degrees of this kind must complete bridging courses unless the curriculum of the bachelor’s degree in question included research training credits equivalent in value to those which would be earned on a master's degree.
• Holders of an official university qualification who, having passed the entrance examination for specialised medical training, have completed at least two years of a training course leading to an official degree in a health-sciences specialisation.
• Holders of a degree issued under a foreign education system. In these cases, homologation is not required, but the UPC must verify that the degree certifies a level of training equivalent to an official Spanish master's degree and qualifies the holder for admission to doctoral studies in the country where it was issued. Admission on this basis does not imply homologation of the foreign degree or its recognition for any purpose other than admission to doctoral studies.
• Holders of a Spanish doctoral qualification issued under previous university regulations.

Note 1: Doctoral studies entrance regulations for holders of an undergraduate degree awarded before the introduction of the EHEA (CG 47/02 2014)

Note 2: Governing Council Decision 64/2014, which approves the procedure and criteria for assessing the fulfilment of academic admission requirements for doctoral studies by holders of non-homologated foreign degrees (CG 25/03 2014)

Admission criteria and merits assessment

Criteria for admission to the programme include the following:

• Particular consideration will be given to personal contact with the student based on interviews, questionnaires or exercises aimed at assessing their suitability for the programme and motivation.
• Other factors, such as knowledge of languages and previous research experience, will also be considered.

Selection criteria and weighting
To give priority to applicants who meet all of the entry requirements, admission criteria will be weighted as follows:
• Academic record: 50%.
• Personal contact and interview: 25%.
• Motivation: 5%.
• Knowledge of languages: 10%.
• Experience and research: 10%.
The body responsible for admission of students is the Joint Programme Studies Committee for the doctoral degree in Biomedical Engineering of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and the University of Zaragoza. In accordance with the collaboration agreement between the two universities, this committee may authorise the programme coordinators at each university to assume responsibility for the admission process.

Training complements

The academic committee for the programme may require that doctoral students pass specific bridging courses. In such cases, the committee will keep track of the bridging courses completed and establish appropriate criteria to limit their duration. Bridging courses will provide research training, but in no case may doctoral students be required to enrol for 60 or more ECTS credits. The natural pathway for entry to the doctoral programme is via the master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering. Graduates of this master’s degree are not required to take any bridging courses.

Depending on their academic background, students admitted from other master’s degrees may be required to take subjects from the master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering as bridging courses (less than 60 ECTS credits). In all cases, bridging courses will provide research training and will be proposed by the Studies Committee based on each student’s curriculum vitae.

As in the case of admission decisions, the body responsible for determining what bridging courses a student must take will be the Studies Committee for the joint doctoral programme in Biomedical Engineering of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and the University of Zaragoza.

This decision will be based on the subjects the student took for their master's degree and the research area of their thesis. The Studies Committee for the programme will keep track of the bridging courses completed and establish criteria to limit their duration.
Depending on their previous academic training, students may be required to take some of the following subjects from the master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering:
• Fundamentals of Molecular and Cellular Biology
• Fundamentals of Biophysics
• Fundamentals of Physiology
• Fundamentals of Pathophysiology
• Fundamentals of Informatics and Communications
• Fundamentals of Mathematics
• Fundamentals of Physics
• Fundamentals of Circuit Theory, Electronics and Automatic Control
• Bioelectricity and Bioelectromagnetism
• Physiological Control Models and Systems
• Biomaterials
• Biomedical Devices
• Biomedical Imaging
• Biomedical Instrumentation
• Methods for Modelling and Simulation of Biosystems
• Biomedical Signals
• Statistical Analysis of Biomedical Data
• Advanced Analysis and Processing of Biomedical Signals
• Analysis and Visualisation of Medical Images in 2D and 3D
• Biomechanics
• Dosimetry of Ionising Radiations
• Clinical Engineering and Healthcare Models
•Tissue Engineering
• Hospital Engineering
• Microsystems and Nanobioengineering
• Development and Design of Biomedical Equipment and Systems
• Radiation and Human Health
• Medical Robotics
• Bioinformatics
• Fundamentals and Techniques of Instrumental Analysis
• Medical Informatics and Telemedicine
• Medical Radiophysics
• Wireless/FDTD/FEM Simulation Techniques for Biomedical Applications
Subjects from the master's degree linked to the programme have well-defined objectives, methodologies and assessment processes that will enable doctoral students to acquire the skills specified in the previous sections.

In any case, depending on a student’s academic background, the Studies Committee may make adaptations with respect to the bridging courses required.
Taking into account the doctoral student activity report, the Studies Committee for the programme may propose measures that complement those specified in these regulations, and which result in doctoral students who do not meet the specified requirements being excluded from the programme.

Enrolment period for new doctoral students

The enrolment period for new doctoral students will be in September.

More information at the registration section for new doctoral students

Enrolment period

After the first year, the enrolment period for doctoral students will run from September to mid-October.

More information at the general registration section

Procedure for the preparation and defense of the research plan

Doctoral candidates must submit a research plan, which will be included in their doctoral student activity report, before the end of the first year. The plan may be improved over the course of the doctoral degree. It must be endorsed by the tutor and the supervisor, and it must include the method that is to be followed and the aims of the research.

At least one of these annual assessments will include a public presentation and defence of the research plan and work done before a committee composed of three doctoral degree holders, which will be conducted in the manner determined by each academic committee. The examination committee awards a Pass or Fail mark. A Pass mark is a prerequisite for continuing on the doctoral programme. Doctoral candidates awarded a Fail mark must submit a new research plan for assessment by the academic committee of the doctoral programme within six months.

The committee assesses the research plan every year, in addition to all of the other activities in the doctoral student activity report. Doctoral candidates who are awarded two consecutive Fail marks for the research plan will be obliged to definitely withdraw from the programme.

If they change the subject of their thesis, they must submit a new research plan.

Formation activities

Activity: Tutorial.
Hours: 288.
Type: compulsory.

Activity: Complementary courses taught by visiting professors.
Hours: 18.
Type: optional.

Activity: Seminars on very specific research topics and lectures given by visiting professors or researchers.
Hours: 3.
Type: optional.

Activity: Workshops on the use of scientific tools in biomedical engineering.
Hours: 3.
Type: optional.

Activity: International mobility.
Hours: 480.
Type: optional.

Activity: Training in information skills.
Hours: 1.5.
Type: optional.

Activity: Research methodology.
Hours: 12.
Type: optional.

Activity: Innovation and creativity.
Hours: 8.
Type: optional.

Activity: Language and communication skills.
Hours: 18.
Type: optional.

Activity: Assessment based on doctoral student activity report (DAD) and research plan.
Hours: 4.
Type: compulsory.

Procedure for assignment of tutor and thesis director

The academic committee of the doctoral programme assigns a thesis supervisor to each doctoral candidate when they are admitted or enrol for the first time, taking account of the thesis supervision commitment referred to in the admission decision.

The thesis supervisor will ensure that training activities carried out by the doctoral candidate are coherent and suitable, and that the topic of the candidate’s doctoral thesis will have an impact and make a novel contribution to knowledge in the relevant field. The thesis supervisor will also guide the doctoral candidate in planning the thesis and, if necessary, tailoring it to any other projects or activities undertaken. The thesis supervisor will generally be a UPC professor or researcher who holds a doctoral degree and has documented research experience. This includes PhD-holding staff at associated schools (as determined by the Governing Council) and UPC-affiliated research institutes (in accordance with corresponding collaboration and affiliation agreements). When thesis supervisors are UPC staff members, they also act as the doctoral candidate’s tutor.

PhD holders who do not meet these criteria (as a result of their contractual relationship or the nature of the institution to which they are attached) must be approved by the UPC Doctoral School's Standing Committee in order to participate in a doctoral programme as researchers with documented research experience.

The academic committee of the doctoral programme may approve the appointment of a PhD-holding expert who is not a UPC staff member as a candidate’s thesis supervisor. In such cases, the prior authorisation of the UPC Doctoral School's Standing Committee is required. A UPC staff member who holds a doctoral degree and has documented research experience must also be proposed to act as a co-supervisor, or as the doctoral candidate’s tutor if one has not been assigned.

A thesis supervisor may step down from this role if there are justified reasons (recognised as valid by the committee) for doing so. If this occurs, the academic committee of the doctoral programme will assign the doctoral candidate a new thesis supervisor.

Provided there are justified reasons for doing so, and after hearing any relevant input from the doctoral candidate, the academic committee of the doctoral programme may assign a new thesis supervisor at any time during the period of doctoral study.

If there are academic reasons for doing so (an interdisciplinary topic, joint or international programmes, etc.) and the academic committee of the programme gives its approval, an additional thesis supervisor may be assigned. Supervisors and co-supervisors have the same responsibilities and academic recognition.

The maximum number of supervisors of a doctoral thesis is two: a supervisor and a co-supervisor.

For theses carried out under a cotutelle agreement or as part of an Industrial Doctorate, if necessary and if the agreement foresees it this maximum number of supervisors may not apply. This notwithstanding, the maximum number of supervisors belonging to the UPC is two.

More information at the PhD theses section

Permanence

The academic committee of the programme may authorise an extension of up to one year for full-time doctoral candidates who have not applied to deposit their thesis by the end of the three-year period of study, in the terms outlined in the Academic Regulations for Doctoral Studies of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. In the case of part-time candidates, an extension of two years may be authorised. In both cases, in exceptional circumstances a further one-year extension may be granted by the Doctoral School's Standing Committee, upon the submission of a reasoned application by the academic committee of the doctoral programme.

A doctoral candidate may be dismissed from a doctoral programme for the following reasons:

• The doctoral candidate submitting a justified application to withdraw from the programme.
• The maximum period of study and of extensions thereof ending.
• The doctoral candidate not having enrolled every academic year (unless he or she has been authorised to temporarily withdraw).
• The doctoral candidate failing two consecutive assessments.
• The doctoral candidate having disciplinary proceedings filed against him or her that rule that he or she must be dismissed from the UPC.

Dismissal from the programme implies that doctoral candidates cannot continue studying at the UPC and the closing of their academic record. This notwithstanding, they may apply to the academic committee of the programme for readmission and the committee must reevaluate them in accordance with the criteria established in the regulations.

International Mention

The doctoral degree certificate may include International Doctorate mention. In this case, the doctoral candidate must meet the following requirements:

a) During the period of study leading to the award of the doctoral degree, the doctoral candidate must have spent at least three months at a respected higher education institution or research centre outside Spain to complete courses or do research work. The stays and activities carried out must be endorsed by the thesis supervisor and authorised by the academic committee of the programme. The candidate must provide a certifying document issued by the person responsible for the research group of the body or bodies where the stay or activity was completed. This information will be added to the doctoral student’s activity report.
b) Part of the thesis (at least the summary and conclusions) must be written and presented in one of the languages commonly used for science communication in the relevant field of knowledge, which must not be an official language of Spain. This rule does not apply to stays and reports in Spanish or to experts from Spanish-speaking countries.
c) At least two PhD-holding experts belonging to a higher education institution or research centre outside Spain must have issued officially certified reports on the thesis.
d) The thesis examination committee must have included at least one PhD-holding expert from a higher education or research institution outside Spain who was not responsible for the candidate’s stay abroad (point a) above).
e) The thesis defence must have taken place on UPC premises or, in the case of joint programmes, at the location specified in the collaboration agreement.

List of authorized thesis for defense

• MARTINEZ HERNANDEZ, MARINA: Promoting cardiac regeneration by biomimetic microenvironments
  
  Author: MARTINEZ HERNANDEZ, MARINA
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
  Department: (CEM)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 08/09/2023
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: ENGEL LOPEZ, ELISABET | MARTINEZ FRAIZ, ELENA
  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: SEMINO MARGRETT, CARLOS EDUARDO
       SECRETARI: AGUIRRE, AITOR
       VOCAL: RUIZ MEANA, MARISOL
  Thesis abstract: Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death in the world. The heart has a very limited regeneration capacity. Thus, following tissue damage ¿ e.g., myocardial infarction ¿, heart transplantation remains the only effective and curative treatment. Efforts are now focused on developing alternative therapies aimed at regenerating the injured myocardium. In situ tissue engineering holds great promise for the activation and promotion of endogenous regenerative programs. Particularly, metabolic reprogramming offers the opportunity to stimulate cardiac tissue in situ by controlling energy substrate availability.Employing metabolic reprogramming for guiding cell plasticity represents a promising approach for cardiac repair given that opposing and marked changes in cardiac metabolism and phenotype occur simultaneously. Notably, during fetal development, cardiac cells exist within a unique metabolic milieu characterized by low oxygen levels and high concentrations of lactate. In this environment, cardiomyocytes exhibit proliferative abilities and undergo hyperplasia. In contrast, adult cardiomyocytes are non-proliferative and primarily grow through hypertrophy. This is accompanied by the metabolic shift during fetal to adult transition, switching from glycolysis to lipid metabolism. Previous studies have demonstrated that exposure to exogenous lactate ¿ i.e., by mimicking the metabolic microenvironment of early development ¿ promotes cardiomyocyte proliferation and cell cycle progression. Still, these reports used immature cells, which do not have the same metabolism as adult tissue and thus may not mirror the in vivo response in a clinical setting.Therefore, in this thesis, we evaluated the effect of exogenous lactate on mature cardiac tissue by using different established in vitro and ex vivo models of adult myocardium. First, we evaluated the response of adult cardiac fibroblasts to lactate. Exogenous lactate alleviated inflammation and did not promote fibrosis. On the contrary, some anti-fibrosis signatures were reported in activated cardiac fibroblasts, including reduced migration and decreased myofibroblast activation.Then, we evaluated the effect of lactate in multicellular models, which comprised all cardiac cell types. These included in vitro living myocardial slices (LMS) and ex vivo isolated Langendorff hearts. Lactate maintained LMS alive for extended culture periods. Moreover, exogenous lactate significantly improved cardiac function of cryoinjured rat LMS and human (healthy and pathological) LMS. Particularly, analyses of gene expression revealed that lactate increases transcription of stemness-related, cell cycle, and cardiomyocyte structural genes. Furthermore, in a Langendorff mouse model of ischemia¿reperfusion injury, reperfusion with lactate improved functional recovery. Cellular death and infarct size were also reduced upon administration of exogenous lactate at the onset of reperfusion.Finally, we assessed the suitability of novel electroconductive bacterial cellulose materials (BC-Ppy) as cardiac patches. BC-Ppy displayed appropriate properties for cardiac applications, including electrical conductivities in the range of native cardiac tissue, and were biocompatible with cardiac cells. Importantly, BC-Ppy scaffolds promoted cell viability, attachment, and maturation of myoblasts towards a cardiomyocyte-like phenotype. Thus, BC-Ppy nanocomposites hold great promise as an appealing in vivo platform to locally deliver lactate through their combination with other lactate-releasing materials.Altogether, this thesis highlights the pro regenerative capabilities of lactate in various models of mature cardiac tissue. Consequently, here we support the prospective employment of exogenous lactate as a metabolic modulator for in situ cardiac regenerative therapies
  

Last update: 04/10/2023 04:45:29.

List of lodged theses

• DE MIGUEL FERNÁNDEZ, JESUS: Control strategies for exoskeleton gait training after stroke: Understanding the importance of parameter tuning
  
  Author: DE MIGUEL FERNÁNDEZ, JESUS
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Mechanical Engineering (EM)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 29/09/2023
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: FONT LLAGUNES, JOSEP MARIA | LOBO PRAT, JOAN
  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: VAN ASSELDONK, EDWIN
       SECRETARI: OCAMPO MARTINEZ, CARLOS AUGUSTO
       VOCAL: MORENO SASTOQUE, JUAN CAMILO
  Thesis abstract: The control strategies implemented in exoskeletons play a crucial role in determining the interaction between the device and user. However, it is unclear what is the most suitable control strategy and settings that maximizes neural recovery. The main objective of this thesis is to find and contribute to solving the open challenges of the exoskeleton controllers for post-stroke gait training/rehabilitation.For this purpose, the barriers and opportunities of exoskeleton controllers are analysed first through a systematic review. We have identified that most of the exoskeleton-based training programs are limited to assistance and do not explore alternative types of training, like functional resistance training. There is a consensus on the fact that exoskeletons should promote the active participation of the patients by providing adapted assistance, and that one of the factors that hinders this requirement is parameter tuning. The tuning of the exoskeleton control parameters has shown to have a big impact on the training outcomes. However, there is a lack of systematic or automatic procedures to help clinicians in the selection of appropriate exoskeleton control parameter values. One of the reasons for this shortage might be the unknown relationship between the control parameters and the post-stroke gait biomechanics. In the other section of this review, we saw that little is known on the clinical efficacy of the exoskeleton control strategies due to the low homogeneity of the experimental protocols used. Engineers and therapists do not fully understand how to use exoskeletons effectively for post-stroke gait rehabilitation, since there are large number of unexplored combinations of control parameters, and there is still not solid evidence on which control strategies are more effective.To address these open challenges, we developed an ankle (ABLE-S) and a knee exoskeleton (ABLE-KS) that can provide time-adapted assistance through the whole gait cycle. The next Part of this thesis focuses on supplementing current evidence on the exoskeleton control strategies and validating alternative training methods. We carried out two clinical pilot studies with five (with ABLE-S) and six (with ABLE-KS) post-stroke participants. The comprehensive experimental analysis and protocols reveals that the exoskeletons were capable of correcting the main post-stroke knee and ankle impairments in comparison to walking without the exoskeleton. With the ABLE-KS, we also examined the use of a novel robotic training that combined assistance and resistance modes together with auditory feedback to improve peak knee flexion angle. Our preliminary findings suggest that the proposed training approach can produce similar or larger improvements in post-stroke individuals than other studies with knee exoskeletons that used higher training intensities and were only based on providing assistance training.The following Part examined the interaction between different levels of assistance of the ABLE-S and ABLE-KS and the gait biomechanics to guide the future design of adaptive control strategies. Results showed that variations of the plantarflexion peak torque magnitude and timing and the peak knee flexion torque affected a wider range of the analyzed gait metrics in comparison with the dorsiflexion peak torque magnitude, which did not show strong relationship with any of the outcome metrics. Moreover, we validated the feasibility of using shank-worn Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) for clinical gait analysis after stroke, and evaluate their preliminary applicability in designing an automatic and adaptive controller for the ABLE-KS knee exoskeleton. Finally, we performed an off-line validation of two machine learning models, i.e., linear regression and neural network, that accounted for variations of the maximum vertical displacement estimated by the shank-worn IMU to adapt the peak knee flexion torque of the ABLE-KS exoskeleton.
  
• FARAHI, MARIA: US Signal and Image Monitoring and Diagnosis using Computer Vision and Deep Learning
  
  Author: FARAHI, MARIA
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Automatic Control (ESAII)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 29/09/2023
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: CASALS GELPI, ALICIA | ARANDA LÓPEZ, JUAN
  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: IVANOVA RADEVA, PETIA
       SECRETARI: FRIGOLA BOURLON, MANEL
       VOCAL: LLADÓ BARDERA, XAVIER
  Thesis abstract: This thesis presents a comprehensive investigation of the reliability and efficacy of Ultra-Sound (US) signals and images for remote monitoring and early diagnosis in medical applications. The main objective of this research is to explore methodologies for the extraction of features in US signals and images to be able to detect abnormalities or features for monitoring or as a first step for diagnosis. Both Computer Vision (CV) and Deep Learning (DL) techniques are investigated and compared. Another goal is to study the benefits of training a network in US data, which is scarce, from data from an environment with larger data sets to enhance pattern extraction in a data-scarce US environment. To address these questions, the research was divided into two parts. First, the analysis of US signals from a wearable device, thus allowing tele monitoring. Then, taking advantage of the experience in the processing of this kind of signals, the second part extends this research to the analysis of US images. In the first part, we evaluated the reliability of US signals for remote monitoring of the fetal heart rate in pregnant women. The methodology was evaluated by comparing the heart rate obtained from a pocket-sized wearable Doppler with those acquired with a cardiotocography device. The findings demonstrated the reliability of the US signals for remote monitoring. For the second part, the research focuses on the detection of some US features, using again simple US portable devices, to make extensive screenings possible, thus allowing an earlier diagnosis. We focusedon US images, specifically Lung UltraSound (LUS) images, to explore their diagnostic capabilities. By developing advanced algorithms, we successfully detected early stage signs in lung pathology, highlighting the potential of US images for early diagnosis, especially in emergency and overloaded situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic or extensive screening programs. Due to the limited amount of data available, a common problem in Deep Learning systems, we investigated the transfer learning approach by training a network on heart ultrasound data and tuning it for its application in the processing of LUS data. The results revealed that the tuned network outperformed the one directly trained on the limited LUS data, highlighting the benefits of training in more data-rich LUS environments. In the comparison between CV and DL techniques for US image interpretation, we found that CV techniques exhibited higher scores for feature extraction in LUS images. However, the potential for DL to perform as well as, or even better than computer vision techniques was evident, especially in applications with access to more reliable and diverse data. Overall, this study provides valuable information on the potential and limitations of US signals and images for remote monitoring and early diagnosis, paving the way for further advancements in the field of medical imaging and diagnostics.
  

Last update: 04/10/2023 04:30:30.

List of defended theses by year

• COMPANY SE, GEORGINA: Temporal and frequency differentiation of healthy and pathological lung tissue through minimally invasive electrical impedance spectroscopy.
  
  Author: COMPANY SE, GEORGINA
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Electronic Engineering (EEL)
  Mode: Article-based thesis
  Reading date: 03/07/2023
  Thesis director: NESCOLARDE SELVA, LEXA DIGNA | BRAGOS BARDIA, RAMON
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: SAIZ RODRÍGUEZ, FRANCISCO JAVIER
       SECRETARI: GARCIA GONZALEZ, MIQUEL ANGEL
       VOCAL: JULIÁN IBÁÑEZ, JOAN FRANCESC
  Thesis abstract: Respiratory diseases, along with heart diseases, are the most prevalent in the world. The acquisition of lung samples is essential for a correct diagnosis of the disease. For peripheral lesions it is not easy to access the sample and ensure that it is taken at the point previously identified using medical imaging techniques. By measuring bioimpedance, it is intended to evaluate differences in lung tissue according to its state (cancerous, fibrotic, pneumonic, healthy or emphysematous) in order to confirm the appropriate location for taking pathological samples. In order to obtain the highest differentiation between the different states of the tissue, first of all a study is carried out on the measurement method that allows a greater differentiation between healthy tissue and bronchial tissue. The possibility of implementing the 3-electrode method to replace the 4-electrode method, used in preliminary measurements, is evaluated, since it provides practical advantages. Subsequently, due to the great dispersion of the measurements within the same type of tissue among the different patients, the implementation of a calibration method, already used for cardiac applications, is studied. This method consists of using a measurement made in the main bronchus to calibrate the measurements of the lung parenchyma, thus reducing the effect of geometric differences between patients. Next, the thesis presents the global study on the differentiation between the different types of lung tissue with a population of 102 patients on whom 116 measurements have been performed. Finally, the implementation of Machine learning classification algorithms for the real-time classification of measurements is studied in a complementary way in order to help in the correct location of the bronchoscope to take samples of pathological tissue, thus improving the efficiency of bronchoscopy, with the limitations of the low number of measurements. The results of the different studies show that the 3- electrode measurements improve the differentiation and/or separation between tissues compared to the 4-electrode method. In turn, the calibration of the measurements using a sample taken from the bronchus decreases the intragroup dispersion and, consequently, increases the intergroup separation, which improves the differentiation capacity. On the other hand, the differentiation of the tissues (using the 3-electrode method and after the subsequent calibration of the measurements) evaluating the two most discriminatory frequencies, shows significant differences between those pathologies that entail an increase in tissue density (neoplasm, fibrosis and pneumonia) and those tissues that carry a greater amount of air in the lungs compared to the previous ones and/or destruction of tissue (healthy, emphysema). Thus, significant differences are found in the four impedance parameters analyzed [module (|Z|), phase angle (PA), resistance (R) and reactance (Xc)] between: neoplasm and pneumonia (p < 0.05); neoplasm and healthy tissue (p < 0.001); neoplasm and emphysema (p < 0.001); fibrosis and healthy tissue (p < 0.001) and pneumonia and healthy tissue (p < 0.01). There are also significant differences in |Z|, R and Xc between fibrosis and emphysema (p < 0.05) and in |Z| and R between pneumonia and emphysema (p < 0.05). Finally, after the implementation of different classification algorithms, the results show great accuracy when it comes to classifying and detecting a sample of neoplasm tissue, and allow separating some pathologies not detected with classical statistical methods.In conclusion, the implementation of bioimpedance measurements through bronchoscopy can improve clinical diagnosis, since it is capable of discriminating between different types of tissue in a minimally invasive way. However, for the combined use with Artificial Intelligence techniques, the number of measures should be increased for a greater training of the algorithms.
  

• FINOCCHIARO, MARTINA: Automatic hands-free visualization of a six degrees of freedom agent within a complex anatomical space
  
  Author: FINOCCHIARO, MARTINA
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Automatic Control (ESAII)
  Mode: Change of supervisor
  Reading date: 28/03/2023
  Thesis director: CASALS GELPI, ALICIA | CIUTI, GASTONE | HERNANSANZ PRATS, ALBERTO | MENCIASSI, ARIANNA
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: VALDASTRI, PIETRO
       SECRETARI: MARTIN RULL, ENRIC XAVIER
       VOCAL: GINÉS GIBERT, MARIA DELS ÀNGELS
       VOCAL: WURDEMANN, HELGE
       VOCAL: CIUTI, GASTONE
  Thesis abstract: Over the years, a continuous development of intraluminal procedures resulted in strong benefits for the patients. Reduced blood loss, lower risk of infections, diminished scaring impact and quicker recovery time are among the most valuable ones. However, these improvements imposed high mental and physical stress to the clinicians. In this context, the introduction of robotic technologies has resulted in notable improvements in terms of flexibility of the endoscopes and control stability, by designing multi-steerable snake like robots and endoscopic capsules. Robotic devices also introduced additional degrees of freedom (DOF) to control, as well as sensing information to process, posing the basis for a new framework of human-robot interaction. Therefore, in the context of intraluminal robotic surgery, the present research focuses on the human-robot interaction, aiming at investigating the optimal way to design Human Machine Interface (HMI) with multiple levels of assistance. Accordingly, a modular bio-engineering framework was designed and developed for the analysis, evaluation and comparison of different HMI for robot assisted endoluminal procedure (i.e., colonoscopy). The main component of the framework is a virtual simulator of the robotic colonoscopy procedure, developed using the SOFA. The simulator, endowed with 3D models of colons reconstructed from real patients' CT scans, realistically reproduces the anatomy and its performance during the robotic medical procedure in terms of timings, visual rendering and mechanical behaviour. Its open design allows to measure several metrics correlated with the quality of the procedure (e.g., force exerted on the intestinal walls, timings etc.) and of control (e.g., smoothness of trajectory). Therefore, the different HMI can be used to control the robotic endoscope in the virtual simulator and tested with user studies involving the endoscopists. This framework also comprises the use of wearable sensors to measure the cognitive load of the users through physiological data when testing the HMI in the simulation environment. Finally, a set of questionnaires were designed to be filled by the subjects after the tests for measuring their perceived physical and mental stress, and their overall impression on the interfaces. The framework was tested for the first time by 42 clinicians with the goal of deriving the optimal device for teleoperated control of robotic colonoscopes. To this end, a preliminary survey was driven among 71 endoscopists to derive the main characteristics and configuration of the control device desired by the final users. Accordingly, two selected systems were compared with the framework: an haptic serial-kinematic device and a standard videogame joypad. This users' test represented a first case study for the validation of the framework allowing to compare different HMI and derive their optimal features. Nevertheless, being the framework highly modular and open, is meant to be applied for the testing of different aspects of the HMI, both software and hardware e.g., types of feedback, control strategies etc. Indeed, the final goal of the framework, and more in general of the present thesis, is to extract insights, guidelines and metrics over the design of the next generation intraluminal robotic devices.
  

• PORE, AMEYA RAVINDRA: Surgical Subtask Automation for Intraluminal Procedures using Deep Reinforcement Learning
  
  Author: PORE, AMEYA RAVINDRA
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Automatic Control (ESAII)
  Mode: Change of supervisor
  Reading date: 27/07/2023
  Thesis director: CASALS GELPI, ALICIA | FIORINI, PAOLO
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: FICUCIELLO, FANNY
       SECRETARI: MARTÍNEZ MONTIEL, JOSÉ MARÍA
       VOCAL: MATHIS-ULLRICH, FRANZISKA
  Thesis abstract: Intraluminal procedures have opened up a new sub-field of minimally invasive surgery that use flexible instruments to navigate through complex luminal structures of the body, resulting in reduced invasiveness and improved patient benefits. One of the major challenges in this field is the accurate and precise control of the instrument inside the human body. Robotics has emerged as a promising solution to this problem. However, to achieve successful robotic intraluminal interventions, the control of the instrument needs to be automated to a large extent.The thesis first examines the state-of-the-art in intraluminal surgical robotics and identifies the key challenges in this field, which include the need for safe and effective tool manipulation, and the ability to adapt to unexpected changes in the luminal environment. To address these challenges, the thesis proposes several levels of autonomy that enable the robotic system to perform individual subtasks autonomously, while still allowing the surgeon to retain overall control of the procedure. The approach facilitates the development of specialized algorithms such as Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) for subtasks like navigation and tissue manipulation to produce robust surgical gestures. Additionally, the thesis proposes a safety framework that provides formal guarantees to prevent risky actions.The presented approaches are evaluated through a series of experiments using simulation and robotic platforms. The experiments demonstrate that subtask automation can improve the accuracy and efficiency of tool positioning and tissue manipulation, while also reducing the cognitive load on the surgeon. The results of this research have the potential to improve the reliability and safety of intraluminal surgical interventions, ultimately leading to better outcomes for patients and surgeons
  

• RODRÍGUEZ FERNÁNDEZ, ANTONIO: Clinical evaluation towards the development of a lower limb exoskeleton for people with spinal cord injury: from gait biomechanics to motor learning
  
  Author: RODRÍGUEZ FERNÁNDEZ, ANTONIO
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Mechanical Engineering (EM)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 21/07/2023
  Thesis director: FONT LLAGUNES, JOSEP MARIA | LOBO PRAT, JOAN
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: RUPP, RÜDIGER
       SECRETARI: PÀMIES VILÀ, ROSA
       VOCAL: ROCÓN DE LIMA, EDUARDO
  Thesis abstract: People with spinal cord injury (SCI) may suffer lifelong sequels that influence every aspect of their lives, including motor and/or sensory impairment, difficulty breathing and/or swallowing, bladder/bowel weakness, and sexual dysfunction. In recent years, spinal cord medicine and research have advanced remarkably, thus, significantly extending the life expectancy of patients with SCI. Particular progress has been demonstrated in gait rehabilitation to reduce subjects' dependency since the majority of people with SCI have permanent paralysis of their lower limbs and are unable to stand or walk. Gait rehabilitation using robotic technology has grown quickly in the last twenty years due to its advantages over conventional therapy. Robot-assisted gait training allows for longer and more intense sessions while performing more accurate and continuous physiological movements, as well as reducing therapists' physical loads. Since their first clinical appearance 25 years ago, different rehabilitation robots for gait training have been developed. However, wearable exoskeletons for overground walking have recently gained popularity, primarily because they promote the user's active participation and allow ambulation at home and in the community setting. The ABLE Exoskeleton is a wearable lower limb exoskeleton developed over the last four years for gait rehabilitation and gait training of people with SCI in the clinical setting. Currently, the robotic device is ready for CE certification, before entering the market. The collection of scientific publications in this thesis shows, on the one hand, some of the main studies that provided the insights that allowed the ABLE Exoskeleton to evolve from a first prototype with two independent knee-actuated braces to a bilateral hip-knee-actuated exoskeleton for clinical intended use. On the other hand, this thesis presents initial research into integrating feedback systems to be used in conjunction with the wearable exoskeleton to facilitate the use and learning of the device. A systematic review of wearable exoskeletons for gait rehabilitation in people with neuromuscular impairments laid the foundations for the goal of developing the clinical exoskeleton. Next, we run a first experiment showing that including a passive lumbar module on a former prototype configuration, consisting of two independent knee-actuated braces, improved gait kinematics. This finding led to a new prototype which was compared in a randomized, crossover clinical trial against conventional knee-ankle-foot orthoses (KAFOs), the current standard of care for verticalization and gait ambulation in people with SCI. The robotic device proved to be safe and feasible for gait training in a clinical setting and allowed for a more physiological gait pattern than the orthoses. Yet, the energy cost of walking with the robotic device was as high as with the KAFOs. This result caused the addition of hip actuation and a new lumbar module with increased support to reduce the metabolic cost of walking. These new features resulted in the market version of the ABLE Exoskeleton, which is currently being tested in a clinical trial and is beyond the scope of this thesis. Simultaneously with the evolution of the exoskeleton, we investigated the role that feedback systems could have on the learning process of using the ABLE Exoskeleton. First, a vibrotactile feedback system for replacing the lack of somatosensation in people with SCI was developed based on a questionnaire of sensory feedback preferences in people with SCI. Second, we took a first step toward learning to control lower limb exoskeletons using immersive virtual reality (IVR) to explore which visual feedback elements and from which perspective can better support the motor learning of triggering steps in a virtual exoskeleton. These studies have laid the basis for the future application of feedback systems to improve motor learning and gait performance of ABLE Exoskeleton users.
  

Last update: 04/10/2023 05:01:11.

Research groups

• B2SLab-Bioinformatics and Biomedical Signals Laboratory
• BBT-Biomaterials, Biomechanics and Tissue Engineering
• BIOSPIN-Biomedical Signal Processing and Interpretation
• DRM-Dosimetry and Medical Radiation Physics
• GIE-Engineering Informatics Group
• GREC-Knowledge Engineering Research Group
• GRINS-Intelligent Robots and Systems
• GRUP ISI-Instrumentation, Sensors and Interfaces Group
• IEB-Electronic and Biomedical Instrumentation
• InSup-Surface Interaction in Bioengineering and Materials Science Research Group
• VIS-Artificial Vision and Intelligent Systems

Teachers

• Amat Girbau, Josep
• Aranda Lopez, Joan
• Ayala Vallespi, Maria Dolors
• Aymerich Martinez, F. Xavier
• Benitez Iglesias, Raul
• Bragos Bardia, Ramon
• Caminal Magrans, Pere
• Canal Barnils, Cristina
• Casals Gelpi, Alicia
• Casas Piedrafita, Jaime Oscar
• Duch Guillen, M. Amor
• Engel Lopez, Elisabet
• Español Pons, Montserrat
• Fernandez Chimeno, Mireya
• Fonollosa Magrinya, Jordi
• Font Llagunes, Josep Maria
• Frigola Bourlon, Manel
• Garcia Gonzalez, Miquel A.
• Ginebra Molins, Maria Pau
• Ginjaume Egido, Merce
• Giraldo Giraldo, Beatriz F.
• Gomis Roman, Pedro
• Jane Campos, Raimon
• Manero Planella, Jose M.
• Mañanas Villanueva, Miguel Angel
• Mas Moruno, Carlos
• Millan Garcia Varela, Maria Sagrario
• Montseny Masip, Eduard
• Nescolarde Selva, Lexa Digna
• Oñate Ibañez de Navarra, Eugenio
• Pallàs Areny, Ramon
• Pegueroles Neyra, Marta
• Perera Lluna, Alexandre
• Pla Garcia, Nuria
• Ramos Castro, Juan Jose
• Riu Costa, Pere Joan
• Rodellar Benede, Jose
• Rodriguez Rius, Daniel
• Rosell Ferrer, Javier
• Sobrevilla Frison, Pilar
• Sola Soler, Jordi
• Soudah Prieto, Eduardo
• Torres Cebrian, Abel
• Tost Pardell, Dani
• Vallverdu Ferrer, Maria Montserrat
• Vigo Anglada, Marc