We seek a postdoctoral fellow to join our interdisciplinary research team working in the field of regenerative medicine.

The focus of our research is the study and development of effective and affordable biomaterials for repair and regeneration of damaged or diseased organs and tissues. We are interested in understanding the interactions between biomaterials and biological systems, and then using this knowledge to design and develop new biomaterials that are able to harness the regenerative potential of the body. Our approach is materials science-driven but we also extensively use tools from other fields, in particular micro- and nanotechnology to accelerate the pace at which new biomaterials are developed and to further enhance our understanding of their interactions with cells and tissues.

 Specifically, the goal of this project is to develop a platform based on (droplet) microfluidics that is capable of high-throughput production and screening of ceramic and composite biomaterials for bone regeneration. 

The successful candidate will work together with two PhD candidates on setting up and validating the platform. The focus of the successful candidate will be on designing and establishing the microfluidic platform, and enabling imaging of the biomaterials synthesis process. The materials synthesis and (biological) screens will be the responsibility of the other two team members.

All candidates should have an engineering background and a PhD that shows their interest in biomedical engineering and regenerative medicine. They should have expertise in 2-3 of the following: 

• Microfluidics
• Biomaterials
• (Inorganic) chemistry
• Optical microscopy
• Electron microscopy

We are looking for creative thinkers who are prepared to take on highly challenging aims. The project will be very collaborative and interdisciplinary, and will suit an ambitious candidate who likes a fast-paced, but highly supportive environment. Excellent knowledge of scientific English for speaking, reading, and writing is required.

Fixed-term contract: 3 years.

The duration of the position and salary will be finalized upon selecting a candidate, but the expectation is for a 3 year (1+2) full-time position in Scale 10. On top of this, there is an 8% holiday and 8.3% year-end bonus given annually and candidates who need to relocate may be eligible for compensation. 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 (UM) is renowned for its academic teaching hospital and its innovative problem based learning (PBL) education, characterized by its small scale and student-oriented approach. With 16,500 students and 4,000 staff, UM offers a wide choice of academic programmes. The UM can easily call itself the most international university in the Netherlands, with 45% of the students and more than 30% of the staff coming from abroad.

http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/

Merln Institute for Technology Inspired Regenerative Medicine

The successful candidate will join the Department of Instructive Biomaterials Engineering in the MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine (http://merln.maastrichtuniversity.nl/content/instructive-biomaterials-engineering-ibe). The MERLN Institute is newly opened at Maastricht University. We are a collaborative, international, and interdisciplinary group with diverse expertise, including materials science, chemistry, cell biology and micro- and nanotechnology. We share newly renovated laboratory facilities with modern equipment. We have a long history as leaders in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine and are particularly well-known for our orientation towards translational research.

https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/search?keyword=merln