CSC-Funded PhD Position in Cardiovascular Deconditioning and Space Medicine

Politecnico di Torino invites applications for a fully-funded PhD position within the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (DIMEAS). The project focuses on developing and expanding a closed-loop, multiscale 0D-1D cardiovascular model to study how altered gravity and long-duration spaceflight affect systemic, cerebral, and ocular hemodynamics. The successful candidate will work under the supervision of Prof. Stefania Scarsoglio and Prof. Luca Ridolfi, analyzing physiological adaptations, evaluating countermeasures such as artificial gravity, and validating simulations against experimental and ground-based analogue data. Applicants are expected to hold a master's degree in a relevant scientific or engineering discipline and possess a strong background in mathematical or computational modeling.

• Develop and expand existing closed-loop, multiscale 0D-1D cardiovascular models to simulate altered gravity conditions.
• Incorporate gravity- and posture-dependent mechanisms, including venous collapse, lower-body negative pressure effects, and Coriolis forces.
• Evaluate model behavior using non-invasive physiological measurements from ground-based analogues such as head-down tilt and water immersion.
• Assess the physiological efficacy of potential countermeasures like artificial gravity and lower-body negative pressure.
• Formulate testable hypotheses to guide future experimental studies in space medicine and cardiovascular physiology.