Postdoctoral Positions
There are currently no openings. See funding pointers below:
PhD studentships
Check the funding opportunities below. If you are eligible for one of these or have alternative funding, contact the group leader with your CV and research proposal.
Current PhD opportunity: Soft Robotics and Haptics for Urological Surgical Training
deadline: 17th of November 2025
how to apply: send a cover letter + CV and any other documents to Antonia.Tzemanaki@bristol.ac.uk
Bladder cancer is the 10th most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide, with more than 614,000 new cases each year. In the UK alone, it causes around 5,600 deaths annually. Early diagnosis is critical: patients with localised disease have a far greater chance of cure compared to those diagnosed at a metastatic or late stage. Currently, cystoscopy is the gold standard for diagnosis and monitoring, but the procedure is invasive and carries potential risks. Training new surgeons in this technique is essential, yet conventional training methods can expose patients to complications and are limited in accessibility.
To address this, the Bristol Robotics Laboratory and the University of Bristol, in collaboration with North Bristol NHS Trust, are pioneering the development of smart anatomical simulators (phantoms) that use soft materials, tactile sensors, and robotics.
We are seeking a highly motivated PhD student to join this interdisciplinary project. The research will focus on designing and developing a sensorised urological simulator featuring a physical bladder phantom capable of replicating the forces encountered during cystoscopy. By integrating soft tactile sensors and haptic feedback in teleoperation, the simulator will provide surgeons with a realistic sense of touch, creating a safe, high-fidelity training platform that matches or exceeds current clinical training standards.
This project offers the opportunity to work at the intersection of robotics, medical simulation, and healthcare innovation, under the joint supervision of Dr Antonia Tzemanaki, Prof. Andrew Conn, and Mr Joe Philip. The successful candidate will gain expertise in soft robotics, haptics, and surgical training technologies, while contributing to a project with real-world clinical impact.
