PhD position in safe-by-design approaches for innovative medical implants

We are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic PhD candidate for the recently funded project DARTBAC : Dutch Antimicrobial Resistance Technology development and Biofilm Assessment Consortium.

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing problem worldwide. Preventive use of antibiotics contributes to this problem: when medical implants such as hip implants and pacemakers are placed, the patients receive antibiotics before and after the surgery to prevent bacterial infections. DARTBAC aims to reduce the use of antibiotics by developing innovative biomaterials that are antimicrobial via mechanical properties or via their surface, without using the traditional antibiotics.
The consortium consists of 9 Dutch universities, 9 companies (including 3 from abroad), knowledge institutes and the orthopedic association. DARTBAC is coordinated by dr. Chris Arts from Maastricht University Medical Centre.

Most partners focus on the development of innovative materials (bio-active glass, biomaterials with antimicrobial peptides, biomateials with different surface topografies). You will contribute to the safety testing of the materials. Your research will focus on understanding the relation between specific biomaterial properties and their potential toxicity. To be in line with the latest developments in the Green Deal and the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, the focus is on using biomaterials that are safe-by-design. This means that already during the product development phase, potential toxicity will be taken into account.
Such an approach is novel in the biomaterial field.

This PhD project will include:

Identifying the critical parameters that drive potential toxicity of an implant

Select and optimize assays to measure implant safety

• Biomaterial toxicity will be tested both in the presence and absence of bacteria, as these can influence the inflammation potential of implants
• Including identification and selection of reference materials

Development of a testing strategy to assess potential toxicity of implants at an early stage of product development

Evaluation of the testing strategy using case study materials from DARTBAC partners

• Including testing SbD options, e.g. different coating or surface topografies.

You will work in an interdisciplinary team with various types of expertise, e.g., material scientists, chemists, toxicologists, immunologists. In addition, you will have access to RIVM’s expert team on safe-and-sustainable-by-design. As a PhD student, you will be based at the Centre for Health Protection within the Department of Innovative Testing Strategies of the RIVM. The department consists of a group of 25 enthusiastic scientific researchers, technicians and PhD students. As PhD candidate, you will also regularly interact with other partners of the consortium.