PhD candidate: developing microfluidic organ-on-chip devices of the heart
University of Twente
State University (Netherlands), Browse similar opportunities
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State University (Netherlands), Browse similar opportunities
Covid-19 comes with a range of symptoms – from a sore throat and the loss of taste to more serious ones like lung failure. But how can doctors predict how serious the disease will be when it first manifests?
To that end, the University of Twente is participating in a pan-European research program led by EPFL in Switzerland called Digipredict. The goal of the program is to develop a ‘digital twin’ that can detect serious complications in Covid-19 patients (and beyond), employing breakthrough technology in the fields of artificial intelligence, smart patches and organs-on-chips.
In this European multidisciplinary consortium, you will be working on the development of ‘physical avatars’ of patients by developing microfluidic organ-on-chip devices of the heart that integrate patient samples. By linking the data from these physical avatars with data from clinical measurements, we will generate an accurate picture of how the disease is progressing in a patient and how well chosen treatments are working.
We have an existing prototype of a fully stem cell-derived heart-on-chip with integrated vasculature for use in the project. You will primarily work on further development of this prototype in terms of microfluidic automation, parallelization and dynamic perfusion, but will also be expected to carry out biological experiments in which you will culture stem cell-derived tissues in the device and treat them with cytokines and drugs.
You will work as a PhD candidate at the Applied Stem Cell Technologies (AST) group within the Faculty of Science and Technology at the University of Twente in Enschede, the Netherlands. You will collaborate with the BIOS/Lab on a Chip group of the faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, and will be supervised by Dr. Andries van der Meer and Prof. Albert van den Berg. Your first responsibility will be to carry out the research project, but you are also encouraged to acquire teaching experience. We support you to broaden your knowledge by joining international exchange programs, by participating in national and international conferences and workshops and by visiting industrial companies, research institutes, and universities worldwide.
You will be appointed on a fulltime position for four years, with a qualifier in the first year, within a very stimulating scientific environment. The university offers a dynamic ecosystem with enthusiastic colleagues. Salary and conditions are in accordance with the collective labor agreement for Dutch universities (CAO-VSNU).
Send your application before February 14, 2021, and include:
For more information about the position, please contact Dr. Andries van der Meer, andries.vandermeer@utwente.nl
About the department
The AST group belongs to the Faculty of Science and Technology. At AST, we believe that we can achieve amazing goals in the field of stem cell technologies and have a direct impact on healthcare. We work on the engineering of functional tissues from human stem cells, and we integrate them in microfluidic organs-on-chips to mimic the function of real human organs. To achieve our goals, we work on innovation of stem cell culture and differentiation, microfabrication, microfluidics, bioprinting and sensing technology.
TNW Faculty (Faculty of Science & Technology)
The Faculty of Science & Technology (Technische Natuurwetenschappen, TNW) engages some 700 staff members and 2000 students in education and research on the cutting edge of chemical technology, applied physics and biomedical technology. Our fields of application include sustainable energy, process technology and materials science, nanotechnology and technical medicine. As part of a people-first tech university that aims to shape society, individuals and connections, our faculty works together intensively with industrial partners and researchers in the Netherlands and abroad, and conducts extensive research for external commissioning parties and funders. Our research has a high profile both in the Netherlands and internationally and is strengthened by the many young researchers working on innovative projects with as doctoral candidates and post-docs. It has been accommodated in three multidisciplinary UT research institutes: Mesa+ Institute, TechMed Centre and Digital Society Institute.
As an employer, the TNW Faculty offers jobs that matter. We equip you as a staff member to shape new opportunities both for yourself and for our society. With our Faculty, you will be part of a leading tech university that is changing our world for the better. We offer an open, inclusive and entrepreneurial climate, in which we encourage you to make healthy choices, for example, with our flexible, customisable conditions.
University of Twente (UT)
University of Twente (UT) has entered the new decade with an ambitious, new vision, mission and strategy. As ‘the ultimate people-first university of technology' we are rapidly expanding on our High Tech Human Touch philosophy and the unique role it affords us in society. Everything we do is aimed at maximum impact on people, society and connections through the sustainable utilisation of science and technology. We want to contribute to the development of a fair, digital and sustainable society through our open, inclusive and entrepreneurial attitude. This attitude permeates everything we do and is present in every one of UT's departments and faculties. Building on our rich legacy in merging technical and social sciences, we focus on five distinguishing research domains: Improving healthcare by personalised technologies; Creating intelligent manufacturing systems; Shaping our world with smart materials; Engineering our digital society; and Engineering for a resilient world.
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