PhD position to develop an engineered corneal transplant
Empa, Materials Science and Technology
Veröffentlicht:
29 März 2025Pensum:
100%Vertragsart:
Festanstellung- Arbeitsort:St. Gallen
Job-Zusammenfassung
Die Empa, eine ETH-Domain-Forschungseinrichtung, begeistert sich für Materialwissenschaften.
Aufgaben
- Entwicklung eines optisch transparenten, ingenieurgemachten Hornhauttransplants.
- Zusammenarbeit mit einem interdisziplinären Team von Wissenschaftler:innen.
- Synthese und Charakterisierung von DNH für den Einsatz in Transplantaten.
Fähigkeiten
- MSc in biomedizinischer Technik, Polymerchemie oder verwandtem Bereich.
- Erfahrung mit Hydrogelen und Zellkulturarbeiten.
- Ausgezeichnete Kommunikationsfähigkeiten in Wissenschaft.
Ist das hilfreich?
Materials science and technology are our passion. With our cutting-edge research, Empa's around 1,100 employees make essential contributions to the well-being of society for a future worth living. Empa is a research institution of the ETH Domain.
PhD position to develop an engineered corneal transplant
The Laboratory for Biointerfaces performs material-related research and focuses on understanding, characterizing and steering interactions of biomolecules, bacteria and human cells at surfaces for materials-based healthcare solutions.
Your tasks
An insult to the cornea - if untreated - eventually leads to corneal opacification and blindness. Around 90 % of the cases occur in developing countries, and most of these cases would be preventable with appropriate treatment. We are therefore developing an optically transparent, engineered corneal transplant based on a double network hydrogel that eliminates not only the need for donor tissues, but also for sutures by simply adhering directly to corneal tissues under wet conditions.
In the frame of this project, you will work with a team of scientists with backgrounds in chemistry, cell biology and microbiology as well as with clinical partners on the development of engineered corneal transplant to treat corneal ulcers. You will synthesize and characterize the properties of the DNH, tune its properties and subsequently bioprint cell-free and cell-based engineered cornea transplats using state of the art facilities and equipment.
Your profile
- MSc degree in biomedical engineering, polymer chemistry, materials science or a related field
- Enthusiastic and curious personality
- High motivation to work in an interdisciplinary project
- Experience with hydrogels and cell culture work
- Excellent skills at science communication (verbal and written)
Our offer
- A highly stimulating research environment in the Empa laboratories in St. Gallen
- Easy access to outstanding infrastructure and equipment
- An experienced project team with (clinical) partners in Switzerland and the Netherlands
- Support to present work at scientific conferences and to publish in high quality journals
- Support for personal development
This position is immediately available (with a desired start no later than September 2025) with a planned project duration of four years.
We live a culture of inclusion and respect. We welcome all people who are interested in innovative, sustainable and meaningful activities - that's what counts.
We look forward to receiving your complete online application including a letter of motivation, CV, certificates, diplomas and contact details of two reference persons. Please submit these exclusively via our job portal. Applications by e-mail and by post will not be considered.
