The PhD candidate will work in a multidisciplinary team together with academic and industrial partners and make an important contribution to the development of innovative commercial products in the field of ophthalmology. The two main parts of the work will be focused on (1) processing advanced (cell-laden) hydrogels and polymers as well as (2) micro-/nanofabrication, such as photolithography and UV/thermal nanoimprint lithography.

Corneal diseases are a major cause of blindness worldwide, resulting in a dramatic decrease in quality of life. Corneal (transplantation) surgery is the most common form to treat blindness and visual disability. Millions of people are denied access to this sight saving procedure due to a global shortage of donor tissue. Corneal (refractive) surgery may also treat refractive errors like presbyopia, which is present in more than fifty percent of the population. However, despite an increasing desire for spectacle and contact lens independence, corneal refractive surgery is not popular as a treatment for presbyopia. In our project ‘EyeSciTe’, we combine disruptive technologies in micro and nano engineering, material sciences and stem cell biology to develop artificial corneas and corneal lenses, which will revolutionize corneal transplantation and refractive surgery.

We offer a laboratory setting comprising a newly built clean room with top-notch equipment in the field of micro and nanofabrication (such as ultra-precision micromilling, hot embossing, microthermoforming, 2-photon polymerization/laser direct writing, UV/thermal nanoimprint lithography), material sciences and characterization lab, (3D) cell culture, and live cell microscopy. The work is highly interdisciplinary and will suit an ambitious candidate who likes a fast-paced, but friendly and collaborative international environment with new challenges and opportunities for growth.

At MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Department of Complex Tissue Regeneration (CTR), we are currently looking for a PhD student with a solid background in engineering or physics, and preferably with knowledge and expertise in micro- and nanotechnology. The aim of MERLN Institute for Technology-inspired Regenerative Medicine is to develop novel and challenging technologies to advance the field of tissue and organ repair and regeneration: http://merln.maastrichtuniversity.nl/.

The candidate must hold a MSc degree in Engineering, Physics, or equivalent, with a solid background in experimental work. The PhD candidate will work as part of a highly skilled team and should:

• have experience with working in a clean room

• have some experience in optical physics and/or micro-/nano-optics

• have experience with commonly used physical, chemical and/or structural analytical techniques for polymers and biomaterials characterization and processing

• has excellent organization, documentation and communication skills

• be comfortable with team work

Furthermore, the ideal candidate should have an intrinsic motivation for interdisciplinary research and experimentation with strong analytical and problem solving skills as well as good written and oral communication skills in English. Knowledge of Dutch is not necessarily required.

Fixed-term contract: 1 + 3 years.

For those unfamiliar with the Dutch PhD system, it is the norm to take 4 years to complete the laboratory work for the degree. PhD candidates are paid a salary (€2266 gross per month in first year to €2897 last year) and receive benefits along with an 8% holiday and 8.3% year-end bonus given annually. Candidates who need to relocate may be eligible for compensation. It is a full-time research degree, with only optional course work. The terms of employment of Maastricht University are set out in the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO-NU). Furthermore, local UM provisions also apply (see www.maastrichtuniversity.nl > Support > UM employees).

Maastricht University is renowned for its unique, innovative, problem-based learning system, which is characterized by a small-scale and student-oriented approach. Research at UM is characterized by a multidisciplinary and thematic approach, and is concentrated in research institutes and schools. Maastricht University has around 16,300 students and 4,300 employees. Reflecting the university's strong international profile, a fair amount of both students and staff are from abroad. The university hosts 6 faculties: Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Faculty of Law, School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience.

http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/

Research at the MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine is focused on developing novel and breakthrough technologies to advance the field of repair and regeneration of functional tissues and organs. Within MERLN’s department of Complex Tissue Regeneration (CTR – http://merln.maastrichtuniversity.nl/content/complex-tissue-regeneration-ctr), the focus is on the development of advanced macro-, micro- and nanobiofabrication technologies in combination with fundamental knowledge on biology and materials chemistry towards the engineering of complex tissues and organs.

http://merln.maastrichtuniversity.nl/content/complex-tissue-regeneration-ctr