Delivering medications in and through the lungs of patients, in the form of inhaled aerosols, is a particularly challenging task as 260K years of natural selection made the lungs a very good filter for particles and droplets spanning several orders of magnitude in size [1]. The complexity comes from many different factors: the self-affine (fractal) structure of the lung airways; the multi-phase nature of the air flow transporting solid particle or liquid droplets; the highly non-linear behaviour of the multi-phase flow; the multi scale nature of turbulence developing in the extra-thoracic airways (mouth/nose, throat and trachea); the size of the aerosol particles spanning a large range, from mm to nm; the physical and chemical transformation taking place in and on the transported aerosol particles as they travel into the patient lungs. Mathematical modelling and numerical simulations proved to be good tools to help the design of novel drug products for inhalation. Their development poses interesting challenging to researchers interested in classical and statistical mechanics, bio-engineering and computational sciences [2]. Besides understanding and optimizing the design of new drug products, the possibility to create virtual patient lungs, aka lung digital twins, offers the interesting long-term perspective to replace long and expensive clinical trials with their in-silico counterpart. The same is true for toxicology and pharmacokinetic studies, if lung simulations could be extended to animal models (e.g. rodents of various kind such as mice, rats and guinea pigs) [3].
Through the thesis activity , students will contribute to develop computational models to simulate aerosol transport and deposition in human lungs through stochastic/statistical algorithms [4].
They will learn basic concepts in lung physics and physiology and in designing of therapeutic aerosols.
Students will be trained to work according to the standard computational physics/engineering best practices running their simulations in the top European supercomputing facilities.
[1] Breath Taking, M.J.Stephen, Grove Press (2021)
[2] The mechanics of inhaled pharmaceutical aerosols. W.H. Finlay, Academic Press (2001)
[3] G.H. Spasov et al. Modeling and simulation of the human respiratory system Part 1: Computational fluid dynamics simulations and whole lung models, Inhalation Magazine (December 2024 issue)
G.H. Spasov et al. Modeling and simulation of the human respiratory system Part 2: Inhaler design, in vitro experiments and imaging, Inhalation Magazine (April 2025 issue)
[4] Spasov, G.H.; Cottini, C.; Benassi, A. A Monte Carlo-Based 3D Whole Lung Model for Aerosol Deposition Studies: Implementation and Validation, Bioengineering (2025), 12, 1
Knowledge of parallel computing and Lunix/Unix operative systems are also a plus.
Propension for team-working and communication.
During the thesis activities the student can be hosted in the Chiesi Farmaceutici R&D labs based in Parma, (Italy). However, given the computational nature of the thesis programming, a substantial part of the research activity can be conducted remotely.
Please specify the name of a professor willing to be your thesis supervisor.
For more information on the proposed research topics, please write at a.benassi@chiesi.com
Chiesi is an international research-focused biopharmaceutical group with 90 years’ experience, operating in more than 30 countries, with its Headquarter in Parma, Italy. More than 8,000 employees across the group are united by a singular purpose: promoting a healthier world for our people, patients, and the planet. This is what drives us as we research, develop, and market innovative drugs across our main therapeutic areas: Air, Care and Rare.
At Chiesi we are thinking generations ahead, driving sustainable innovation with purpose. This fosters a culture of reliability, transparency, and ethical behaviour at every level. As a Benefit Corporation and a certified B Corp, we have embedded sustainability in our bylaws and continuously measure our impact.
Diversity and inclusion are at the heart of who we are. We believe our differences make us stronger. We are a vibrant ecosystem of passionate, talented individuals united by strong values, each bringing unique perspectives that help us to continuously challenge the status quo for the better.
Chiesi Research & Development
Our R&D team represents a fundamental asset for the business. It is divided into integrated functional areas focusing on pipeline projects including discovery and preclinical research, global technical development, drug delivery technology, clinical development, regulatory affairs, pharmacovigilance, intellectual property, quality assurance, R&D project and portfolio management. Headquartered in the new purpose-built and fully integrated Research and Development Centre in Parma (Italy), the team also has important operations in Paris (France), Chippenham (UK), Cary (US), Stockholm (Sweden), Toronto (Canada) and Shanghai (China).
Chiesi is a research-oriented international biopharmaceutical group that develops and markets innovative therapeutic solutions in respiratory health, rare diseases, and specialty care.
The company’s mission is to improve people’s quality of life and act responsibly towards both the community and the environment. By changing its legal status to a Benefit Corporation in Italy, the US, France and Colombia, Chiesi’s commitment to creating shared value for society as a whole is legally binding and central to company-wide decision-making. As a certified B Corp since 2019, Chiesi is part of a global community of businesses that meet high standards of social and environmental impact. The company aims to reach Net-Zero greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions by 2035.
With 90 years of experience, Chiesi is headquartered in Parma (Italy), with more than 30 affiliates worldwide, and counts more than 7,500 employees. The Group’s research and development centre in Parma works alongside 6 other important R&D hubs in France, the US, Canada, China, the UK, and Sweden.
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