PhD candidate 'Hydrogels as Synthetic Extracellular Matrix'

We are looking for a PhD candidate 'Hydrogels as Synthetic Extracellular Matrix'. The aim of this project is to design predictive bone-healing-on-chip models as an alternative to traditional animal testing. To this end, we aim to design advanced in vitro models for bone defect healing that recapitulate both the dynamic viscoelastic nature of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and the spatial heterogeneity of cells in bone. Will you join our team?

Traditional pathways towards development of regenerative biomaterials require extensive in vivo animal testing. This traditional biomaterial design paradigm is increasingly ethically challenged in view of the large amount of sacrificed animals, while these models often fail to accurately predict the clinical response in human patients. Moreover, current in vitro methods also cannot reliably predict the clinical performance of these therapies, and often generate contradictory outcomes as compared to in vivo studies. This lack of predictability originates from the oversimplicity of in vitro models, which currently fail to recapitulate the complexity of the in vivo environment with respect to both extracellular and cellular components.

This position is funded by a Hypatia Tenure Track Grant (BoneChipPredict) of Radboud university medical center. BoneChipPredict will combine bottom-up biomaterial design and biofabrication strategies to develop predictive bone-healing-on-chip models. Subsequently, you will focus on bottom-up design of hydrogel biomaterials as synthetic ECM mimics for in vitro bone models. Ultimately, BoneChipPredict aims to deliver an alternative platform for evaluation of regenerative therapies, aiming to provide a new avenue for replacement of traditional animal testing.

Tasks and responsibilities

• To develop and characterize (supramolecular) hydrogels as synthetic ECM for bone tissue models.
• To investigate the fundamental relationship between composition, structure and functional (biological) properties of hydrogels.
• To investigate interactions between cells and hydrogel biomaterials for advanced bone-on-chip models at a fundamental level.
• To collaborate with the second PhD student to be appointed within the BoneChipPredict project as well as other PhD students and postdocs within the Regenerative Biomaterials group.
• To supervise BSc and MSc students and disseminate the obtained knowledge by scientific publications and presentations at (inter)national conferences.
• To contribute to translation of basic research towards advanced in vitro tissue models.