Project setting

The research will be conducted in the Department of Biomedical Engineering in Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) under the supervision of Dr. Nicholas A. Kurniawan. Dr. Kurniawan's research strives to make an impact on healthcare through an improved understanding of cell-matrix interactions and (multi)cellular sensing. His group is embedded within the Soft Tissue Engineering and Mechanobiology (STEM) group headed by Prof. Carlijn V.C. Bouten. The STEM group concentrates on the study of disease progression as well as on the engineering of soft tissues, aiming at the replacement of diseased or malformed tissues and the development of in-vitro model systems of developing tissues. The researcher will have access to the Cell and Tissue Engineering laboratory, a state-of-the-art research infrastructure operating at the international forefront of the engineering of living tissues.

PhD project

Cells constantly adapt their properties and behavior to their physical environment. At the same time, the extracellular matrix around the cells also adapts to accommodate cell activity. This highly dynamic feedback has been increasingly recognized to play a key role not only in tissue morphogenesis and function, but also a variety of diseases, from cardiomyopathies to cancer. However, attempts to study cell-matrix interactions have so far focused on static experiments. In this project, you will challenge this status quo by exploring ways to dynamically manipulate the biophysical and biomechanical properties of cells and the matrix on demand.

In the project, the successful candidate will develop innovative approaches to manipulate and monitor cell contractility as well as the physical features of the substrate materials (e.g., ligand distribution, topography) in 2D and 3D environments. You will work at the interface between biophysics, mechanics, smart materials, and bioengineering, by combining quantitative experiments and numerical simulations. Research conducted by the successful candidate will be part of greater and exciting effort aimed at developing a growing in-vitro toolbox for functional tissue engineering, organ regeneration, and disease models.



Requirements

We are looking for enthusiastic and talented candidates to join our growing and ambitious research team.

• The candidates should have a background in (bio)physics, (bio)chemistry, materials engineering, mechanical engineering, cell biology, or a related field.
• Demonstrable experience with cell and tissue culture, or computational simulations, or cross-disciplinary research is a plus.
• The candidate should be able to effectively communicate scientific ideas, foster collaborations, and have a capability for independent thinking. Moreover, the candidate should be able to work independently within a dynamic team and be proficient in written and spoken English.

We offer

• An exciting project in a dynamic and ambitious research group and University.
• An appointment on a full-time basis for a period of four years with a yearly evaluation.
• Support with personal development and career planning, including the possibility of attending a series of offered courses in addition to scientific education.
• Gross monthly salary in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement of the Dutch Universities.
• An attractive package of fringe benefits, including excellent work facilities, support in moving expenses and commuting expenses, pension scheme, extra holiday allowance 8% in May, end-of-year bonus of 8.3% in December, and excellent sports facilities.