RECH903 PhD Studies and Research Funding

Assignment 1

CHIDIAC Antony
M2 advanced mechatronics
2022-2023
PhD position:

PhD student position in multiphase fluid dynamics: cavitation bioeffects, a research project that will
take place in ETH Zurich which is a public research university in Switzerland, this doctoral study is
supervised by Professor Outi Supponen and is supposed to last a maximum of 4 years.

Project background:

Transdermal drug delivery, delivering drugs across a patient’s skin, can be done via low-frequency
ultrasound via the process known as sonophoresis. This allows for larger molecules that struggle to
passively diffuse across the skin, to reach the blood circulation thanks to sound-induced mechanical
effects.

Cavitation is generally suspected to be a major mechanism allowing for the localized, transient and
reversible disruption of the outermost layer of the skin which typically represents the most difficult
layer to penetrate. However, the exact cavitation effects such as localized jetting and acoustic
emissions in the process are currently unknown.

This project aims at comprehensively quantifying and decoupling these physical effects for transdermal
drug delivery. The research addresses questions in acoustic and cavitation properties of complex fluids
and the associated physics, and systematically investigates cavitation effects involved in the
acoustically mediated surface perforation through unique temporally and spatially resolved
experiments at the micro-scale, coupled with theoretical and numerical modelling.

This research is an international and interdisciplinary collaboration with biomaterials engineers with
an expertise on skin biomechanics.

Job description:

A PhD student will investigate cavitation effects in ultrasound-mediated transdermal drug delivery.
He will exploit the state-of-the-art of ultra-high-speed imaging, and design his experiments using
facilities available in the lab. He will support his experimental investigations with theoretical and
numerical acoustics and fluid dynamics models based on the existing codes of the lab.

He will be part of a collaboration with the Lab of Biomaterials Engineering at McGill University,
Montreal, Canada, which he is expected to visit during the project. In addition, the PhD student will
contribute to teaching and lab activities in the institute.

Requirements:

The student should hold a Master's degree in mechanical, biomedical, aeronautical or chemical
engineering, physics, material science or a related field. He should be curious, creative, open-minded
and autonomous, and have good communication skills, fluency in English and the willingness to fully
commit himself as a part of an international team. He should also have strong interests in experimental
fluid mechanics, multi-phase flows, acoustics, biomedical engineering, and similar. Experience in
experimental research is an advantage, but not necessary. However, he should be excited about the
prospect of working in a lab.

Funding information were not mentioned.

 ANTONY CHIDIAC
MASTER 2 STUDENT IN ADVANCED MECHATRONICS

+33 6 68 18 99 91
07 avenue du coteau, 74000, Annecy
antony.chidiac@etu.univ-smb.fr

PROJECTS
Quadrupled Robot
2022 | Arduino, inverse kinematics
Control a 12 DoF robot to navigate while keeping
balance.
RobotCup challenge
2021 - 2022 | ROS, SLAM, Lidar.
Work within a team. Simulate a mobile robot on
GAZEBO respecting the rules of "RobotCup small size
challenge", allow the robot to navigate autonomously
avoiding static and dynamic obstacles.
EDUCATION
Université Savoie Mont-Blanc Polytech Annecy-Chambéry
Master 2 Advanced Mechatronics (2021 - present)
Conservatoire nationale des arts et de métiers CNAM,
Beirut-Lebanon
Mechanical engineering diploma (2015-2021)
Daughters of charity school, Beirut-Lebanon
Baccalaureate - General sciences (2015)

Platform for analyzing the physical PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

parameters of a meeting room
2021 - 2022 | LoRa, IoT Baker
Collect data from sensors connected to loRa, visualize
the data on Jeedom and analyze it. Chevalier I Annecy I 2021 - Today
Teamwork, organization and responsibility.
Design of a hangar and an overhead
crane | CNAM Private lessons at home in Maths Physics and English
2020 - 2021 | Robot CAD Beirut, Lebanon I 2016 - 2021
Design of a double-girder overhead crane, make an Patience, adaptation, psychological approach, reliability.
adequate choice of sections, rollers, trolleys and
different motors to lift the load at the required speed. Touristic guide
Design of the hangar where the crane works.
Jeita grotto, Jeita Lebanon 2015 - 2018
Individual research projects Communication and language skills
Implementation of PID controller in line following
robot for better navigation
Determination of stress/wellbeing for humans:
LANGUAGES
technology and applications
French DELF B2
COMPETENCES English CERF C1
Arabic Mother language
CAD, Resistance of materials, project
management, robotics, fluid mechanics, heat
INTERESTS
transfer, finite elements.
Good communication skills, great autonomy, Guitar, traveling, litterature and meditation
excellent adaptation to changes, eager to
learn and deepen my knowledge.
Chidiac Antony
7 avenue du coteau
74000 Annecy
06 68 18 99 91
antony.chidiac@etu.univ-smb.fr

ETH Zurich
Rämistrasse 101 Zurich, Switzerland

Annecy, the 5th of January 2023

Object: applying for the PhD student position in multiphase fluid dynamics: cavitation bioeffects.
Dear,
Following my search for doctoral studies position on the academicpositions.fr website, I am sending you
today my application file for the PhD position in multiphase fluid dynamics: cavitation bioeffects.
Graduated in mechanical engineering at the "Conservatoire des arts et des métiers CNAM" university in
Beirut Lebanon, I developed a curiosity for the world of mechatronics and I decided to deepen my
knowledge and my studies and currently I am Master 2 student in advanced mechatronics at the University
of Savoie Mont Blanc Polytech Annecy le Vieux.

During my university studies, I carried out several individual research projects as well as in pairs and
teams. During these projects I acquired several skills such as autonomy, responsibility, teamwork, time
and task management. I have good analytical and creative skills. I am also proficient in languages, I have
a DELF B2 certificate in French and a CEFR C2 in English.
I was always interested in engineering related to the medical field, since it allows engineers to apply their
knowledge for a good reason, the fluid dynamics study for the cavitation bioeffects caught my attention
immediately, I think this project gives me the chance to improve in the research field, which is part of my
professional goals, as well as the opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary environment, of a highly
qualified academic level.
I will be honor to work in your reputed laboratory, which is very known for the international research
studies it leads, and its many collaborations all over the world. I am conscious of the commitment and
persistence required to produce the finest outcomes in this profession, and I am confident that my expertise
will enable me to do so.
I believe this is a fantastic chance for me to showcase my skills and pick up new ones, thus I'm hoping to
get chosen for this PhD post.
I appreciate your time and consideration and will be available for any additional information.
Best regard.

Antony Chidiac