"The greatest moment in my research was when I saw a scan of someone’s tongue muscles come to life. I have been working on a 3D model that uses scans to predict tongue function after tongue cancer surgery. Surgeons cannot always adequately predict the extent to which patients will be able to talk, swallow, or chew. That means that patients cannot make an informed decision on their treatment, which is why we are working on this model. I have completed the relatively new training Technical Medicine, which trains you to become a doctor as well as an engineer. Since completing my PhD research, I have been coordinating research and innovations in complex diabetes care in the hospital in Almelo and Hengelo. This involves apps that can measure blood sugar or exercise levels. An entirely different topic, but still within the field of medical technology.” Kilian will defend his thesis on December 18.
Read more about our research into the 3D-tongue (in Dutch)