VIRGINIE PAPADOPOULOU

Research Interests

My longer term ambition is to lead a research group focused on tailoring engineering techniques for the monitoring of human physiological adaptations to extreme environments. Immediate research targets add to the understanding of the cardiovascular pathological threshold and associated inflammatory response to circulatory bubble dynamics which can lead to sickness. This is of relevance to technical where the majority of accidents happen well within the recommended guidelines, as well as pilots and astronauts.

Education

2011 - current PhD “Computational and experimental techniques towards optimising the cardiovascular of hy- perbaric decompression stress caused by circulatory bubble dynamics” Ultrasound Imaging Group, Bioengineering Department, Imperial College London Supervisors: Dr M. Tang, Dr R. Eckersley, Prof. Karapantsios and Prof. Balestra.

2007 - 2011 MSci (Hons) Physics with Theoretical Physics, Imperial College London Overall grade 2:1

Research Experience

2015 - Current Research Assistant, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London EPSRC-funded: Development of a prototype 3D contrast enhanced ultrasound imaging system for in vivo evaluation

2012 - 2014 Early Stage Researcher, PHYPODE project Environmental & Occupational Physiology Lab. Haute Ecole Paul Henri Spaak, Brussels, Belgium • Extensive experience acquired in statistical methods for physiology and epidemiology; extensive use of Stata & GraphPad statistical packages • Hands-on experience with physiological research methodology: organisation and participation in field experiments, practical training sessions with echocardiography, echo-doppler recordings, flow-mediated dilation measurements and cognitive function assessment (PEBL & CFFF) • Advanced use of Excel incl. Visual Basic for macros in collaborative projects

2011 - Current PhD Candidate, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London • Independently established international collaborations • Thoroughly reviewed literature and defined PhD aim as the development of three tools for the design of a new decompression algorithm aiming to limit decompression stress • Laboratory skills: experience acquired from designing a novel experimental set-up from scratch during the research secondment, including PID control & optical automated data acquisition • Experience with image processing techniques for feature extraction on clinical ultrasound medical videos (automated bubble counting on echocardiographies in MatLab) • Experience with MatLab, incl. design of GUI to develop a platform for decompression calculations • Mathematical modelling: procedure optimisation for SCUBA diving; modelling of bubble growth physics

Awards & Distinctions

2014 • IC open access fund award for invited review paper “Circulatory bubble dynamics: from physical to biological aspects” published in Advances in Colloid and Interface Science • Publication “The use of portable 2D echocardiography and "frame-based" bubble counting as a tool to evaluate diving decompression stress” in quaterly journal Diving and selected as “feature publication” (open access fee waiver)

2013 • COST Grant “Short Term Scientific Mission” (€2000, MP1106-14810), Topic: “Modeling decompression induced bub- ble growth, role of viscosity and ex-vivo tissue surface” at the Aristotle University, Thessaloniki • IC Trust Travel Grant to present at the IEEE UFFC Conference in July 2013 in Prague

2012 • Marie Curie Research Fellow • COST Grant “Short Term Scientific Mission” (€1500, MP1106-11432): To design a set-up and collect data for the “in- vestigation of bubble formation and growth on tissues during decompression" at the Aristotle University, Thessaloniki • EUBS Student Travel Grant to attend the EUBS conference in Sept 2012 in Belgrade • Runner-up “Best Demonstrator 2011-2012”, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London • Awarded the AAAS/Science Program for Excellence in Science

1 Teaching Experience

Invited lecturer for UG year 1 course “PHYSICS II: Introduction to Medical Physics” (47h, ~150 students, in French) • Haute Ecole Paul Henri Spaak, Belgium (Feb 2014 – Current) Basics of wave mechanics, Fourier; Doppler, sound waves, ultrasound imaging & therapy; electricity, magnetism, EM spectrum; photoelectric effect & photons; molecules, atoms & nuclei; X-ray imaging & CT, X-ray therapy; radioactivity; gammacamera & PET imaging; MRI imaging Supervision of student projects, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London • MEng thesis “3D contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging flow visualisation”: 2014-2015 • MEng thesis “Development of a hand-free 3D ultrasound imaging with a 2D scanner and positioning system”: 2014-2015 • UROP “A new way to model ultrasound contrast agent oscillations in microvessels based on an infinite mirror image method”: Summer 2014 • MSc thesis “Analysis of real diving profiles using a MatLab decompression calculation platform”: 2013-2014 • MSc thesis “Automated Counting of Venous Gas Emboli in Post-SCUBA Dive echocardiography”: 2012-2013 Supervision of student projects, Haute Ecole Paul Henri Spaak, Belgium • Master thesis “Nemo 33 experiments”: 2015-2016 • Master thesis “HRV and CFFF changes during and after parachute jumping in experienced skydivers”: 2014-2015 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London • “Statistics and Data Analysis” for MSc students (~90 students; MatLab exercises): 2011-2012 • “Programming I” for 1st year Undergraduates (~100 students; programming language: C): 2011-2012

Relevant Training - Internships

Research placement (3 months) • Multiphase Dynamics Group, Aristotle University, Greece; supervised by Prof. Karapantsios (Nov 2012, Jan & Oct 2013): Development of new experimental set-up for real-time optical acquisition studying of bubble growth & density on tissue surfaces during de- compression with temperature control; data acquisition from animal ex-vivo fat and muscle tissues; experimental analysis and modelling work. Industrial placements (15 days) • Seabear Diving Technologies, supervised by Dr. Arne Sieber, PhD (June 2013; Labin, Croatia): Lectures on sensor technology, technology and electrical engineering principles for ECG measurement; presentation on IP protection and patent strategy; hands-on workshops analyzers and sensors; full-face mask training; pilot data gathering with ECG and blood pressure prototype devices underwater; dive equipment testing (new computers and head-up displays on full face masks and regulators); design of questionnaire for equipment ease-of-use, incl. statistical analysis results & report with all results. • , supervised by Giovanni Distefano (June 2013; Rapallo, Italy): Visits and presentations from all manufacturing, design, moulding, assembly testing and quality control departments of Mares (both for dive computers and other equipment); presentation on Horizon2020; hands-on workshop and certification in Equipment Servicing; and dry-suit underwater testing. Hyperbaric chamber hospital placements (1 month) • Queen Astrid Military Hospital Hyperbaric Medical Centre, Belgium; supervised by Dr P. Germonpré, MD (Apr - June 2013 part-time): Included discussion about real DCS Cases treated at Queen Astrid Military Hospital; debate on differential diagnoses; visit of hyperbaric centre. • Sharm El Sheikh Hyperbaric Chamber, Egypt; supervised by Dr Adel Taher, MD (Dec 2012): Hyperbaric Chamber Attendant course; diver examinations; recompression chamber operation theory and practice with role-playing scenarios. Internship (2 months) • Lesbos Scuba Oceanic Diving Centre, Greece (August 2009 & 2010)

Relevant Training - Courses & Workshops

Physiopathology of decompression (PHYPODE) workshops • Treatment of (27/09/2013 – 28/09/2013; Reunion Island, France): Lectures in treatment & remote location incident management; discussions around clinical decision algorithms, use of adjunctive medication and different gases in treatment • Risk Factors (05/12/2013 – 08/12/2013; Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt): Lectures on DCS risk factors, preconditioning, accelerated decompression, dive computer design, IT for dive data collection; applying for academia jobs in different European countries; echocardiography field training and dive equipment field testing during diving activities • Field data collection and Research (25/09/2012 – 02/10/2012; Lago D’Orta, Italy): Lectures in decompression modelling & biological statistics methodology; theory and practice of echocardiography, echo-Doppler recordings, Flow Mediated Dilation measurements & Critical Flicker Fusion Frequency cognitive function assessment

2 Relevant Training - Courses & Workshops (cont.)

Diving Medicine courses • - Level 1 (16/04/2013 – 06/06/2013; Charleroi, Belgium): European College of Baromedicine & Université Libre de Bruxelles course for medical doctors (special prerogative) • Diver Medic Course (26/11/2010 – 28/11/2010; St John’s and Elizabeth Hospital, London): London advanced first aid training for diving emergencies in remote locations Other independent learning courses • Stanford OpenEdx “Environmental Physiology” course (13/01/2014 – 15/03/2014): Prof. Anne L. Friedlander “EP101: Your Body in the World: Adapting to Your Next Big Adventure” • Harvard School of Public Health Edx “Biostatistics and Epidemiology” course (15/10/2012 – 18/01/2013): Prof. E. Francis Cook & Prof. Marcello Pagano “PH207x: Health in Numbers: Quantitative Methods In Clinical & Public Health Research” SCUBA diving & instructor professional qualifications • PADI instructor (# 262426): renewed & authorised to teach (Aug – Nov 2012; completed part time) • EFR Instructor in primary & secondary care and care for children, authorised to teach (Nov 2012; completed part time) • DAN Instructor (# 457758) for the courses: Basic Life Support Provider - First Aid Provider - Advanced Oxygen Provider - First Aid Provider - Hazardous Marine Life Injuries Provider - On-Site Neurological Assessment Provider - Automated External Defibrillation Provider - Aquatic Oxygen Provider

Professional Memberships

• UKSBA member - UK Space Biomedicine Association (2014 - Current) • IPEM member - Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (2013 - Current) • IEEE member - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (2013 - Current) • UFFC member - Ultrasonics Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control Society (2013 - Current) • IOP associate member - Institute Of Physics (2013 - Current) • MCAA member - Marie Curie Alumni Association (2013 - Current) • COST MP1106 - European COST Action Network “Smart and Green Interfaces: from single bubbles and drops to industrial, environmental and biomedical applications” • EUBS member - European Underwater and Baromedical Society (2012 - Current)

References Available Upon Request

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