Leanne Sijgers Email & Phone Number

• Contributing to the development of a remote healthcare system by investigating various digital biomarkers of hearing performance.• Investigating electrophysiological and psychophysical markers of auditory processing. • Examining bioimpedance measurements for monitoring postoperative tissue reactions.• Optimising signal processing strategies for cochlear implant users.• Performing research on a novel prosthesis aimed at treating hearing loss and tinnitus.• Developing a predictive model of hearing performance with an auditory prosthesis.• Supervising PhD and MSc students with medical, technical and biological backgrounds. • Managing a collaborative InnoSuisse project with industrial partner Advanced Bionics.

As a PhD student at the Otolaryngology department, I investigated the use of electrophysiological and electrical impedance measurements for intra-operative monitoring during cochlear implantation. Nowadays, many cochlear implant recipients have residual acoustic hearing prior to receiving their implant. My research concerned the monitoring of electrode placement and the cochlea's hair cells' functionality, with the aim to prevent trauma and preserve hearing functionality. Overall, I:• Performed electrophysiological measurements during cochlear implant surgery and developed support vector machine and random forest classifiers to predict surgical outcomes. • Developed electrical impedance measurements to predict cochlear implant electrode placement and investigated these measurements in a laboratory study using linear mixed models. • Wrote four first-author publications for scientific journals and presented at 20 conferences. • Initiated collaborations with St. Thomas’ and Oslo University Hospital and Cambridge University.• Contributed to writing grant applications and teaching university courses.

Assessed the mechanisms behind a new diagnostic method for chronic pain.• Modelled an A-delta nerve fiber with complex morphology and ion channel dynamics. • Simulated the model’s excitation threshold changes following electric stimulation.

Stäfa, Canton Of Zürich, Switzerland

Investigated non-linear artefacts (idle tones and limit cycles) during digital-to-analog conversion in hearing instruments. • Discovered the artefacts’ origin by performing numerical analysis and mathematical modelling of the Sigma-Delta-Modulator’s non-linearity.• Proposed improvements to the DAC’s architecture.

• Designed and taught a course on biomedical technology for junior high school students at “Het Greijdanus College” in Zwolle• Project work including teaching, assisting in the student lab and guiding technology events for high school students

Assisted during tutorials and laboratory sessions of the courses Biomedical signal analysis, Matlab, Signal acquisition and processing, Ultrasound imaging, Anatomy, Medical sensors and measurement systems, Physics of the ear, and Cell biology.

Saalbach, Austria

Field hockey instructor at Enschedese Hockey Vereniging (Aug. '08 - Aug. '09)Ski instructor at Skischüle Fürstauer, Saalbach, Austria (Dec. '14 - Mar. '15)

Tutored high school students in the courses mathematics, physics and English language.

Phd., Neuroscience

Research on cochlear implants and auditory electrophysiology. Courses in neuroscience and data science as part of the Neuroscience Center.

Msc., Biomedical Engineering, Neural & Motor Systems, 8.4

Focus on bioelectricity, neurophysiology & signal analysis

Bsc., Technical Medicine, 8.0

Activities and Societies: DHC Drienerlo, S.V. Paradoks, AIESEC TwenteThesis: ‘Stimulation of the phrenic and vagus nerve to influence.

Pre-University Education, Nature, Technology And Health, Bilingual Stream, 8.4