Nano-Enhanced Hydrogels for Probing Cellular Mechanotransduction

24 May 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

KU Leuven

Research Field

Chemistry

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

Belgium

Application Deadline

30 Aug 2024 - 23:00 (UTC)

Type of Contract

To be defined

Job Status

Full-time

Hours Per Week

To be defined

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

Cells continuously interact with their microenvironment, sensing and responding to mechanical properties and cues, which in turn regulate cellular behavior. This interaction is a bidirectional process; cells not only perceive mechanical signals but also actively remodel the extracellular matrix (ECM), aligning and densifying its fibers, which alters the ECM’s mechanical properties. This dynamic feedback loop between cells and the ECM is critical in many physiological and pathological processes, particularly in diseases such as lung fibrosis, where aberrant ECM remodeling leads to tissue dysfunction. Despite its recognized importance in tissue engineering, disease modeling, and regenerative medicine, fully deciphering the cell-ECM interplay remains challenging. This is partly due to the lack of precise tools to quantify the dynamic mechanical changes in the ECM at the micron and nanoscale. Our research aims to bridge this gap by employing passive and active microrheology. We plan to leverage the creation of advanced nanoparticles and the application of sophisticated microscopy techniques to investigate this phenomenon. By using synthetic biomimetic materials that mimic various ECM properties and engaging cells in different activation states, such as fibroblasts activated by TGF-β, we intend to observe and quantify cell-induced mechanical changes. It is anticipated that the insights gained from this research will not only elucidate the mechanisms underlying fibrosis but pave the way to understanding cell-ECM interaction in other diseases.

This project is part of a Global PhD partnership between KU Leuven and Melbourne University, where 2 PhD students will be involved. The goal of this joint PhD program proposal is to develop methods to probe and control the mechanical properties of synthetic ECMs at the subcellular scale, opening new research avenues for investigating mechanotransduction pathways in fibrosis. The project will combine advances in: (i) multi-functional, stimuli-responsive nanomaterials, leveraging expertise at the University of Melbourne (UoM); and (ii) biomimetic hydrogels, advanced optical microscopy and lung fibrosis disease models, leveraging expertise at KU Leuven (KUL). The PhD project for which KU Leuven is the home university will focus on the development of microrheology to probe cell-induced changes on the ECM.

Requirements
Additional Information
Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

KU Leuven

Country

Belgium

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://jobrxiv.org/job/ku-leuven-27778-nano-enhanced-hydrogels-for-probing-cel…

Contact

Website

https://susanarocha.github.io/

STATUS: EXPIRED