We are looking for a PhD candidate to investigate "Chemical Design of Viscoelastic Hydrogels for Biofabrication". This project aims to design hydrogel biomaterials that mimic various aspects of natural extracellular matrix (ECM) for engineering of human tissues through biofabrication strategies. Will you join our team?

Engineering of human tissues for regenerative medicine and in vitro tissue models requires control over ECM properties. Dynamic hydrogels that are formed based on non-covalent or dynamic covalent chemistry exhibit a great potential for replicating various aspects of natural ECM. While conventional hydrogels require large pores or degradable moieties to accommodate cellular activities such as cell migration, the use of reversible interactions in dynamic hydrogels renders these biomaterials adaptable for such cellular processes.

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, the PhD candidate will focus on bottom-up design of viscoelastic hydrogels as synthetic ECM mimics for development of in vitro models of bone healing. 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 design and characterize (supramolecular) hydrogel biomaterials (in collaboration with Eindhoven University of Technology).
• 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 another PhD student for bioprinting of in vitro bone tissue models, as well as with 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.

We are looking for a PhD candidate with a deep scientific curiosity, eagerness to work in a highly collaborative and multidisciplinary research team, and the ability to take initiative and work independently.

Furthermore:

• MSc degree in one of the fields of (bio)chemistry/chemical engineering, or materials science/engineering (or related fields).
• Experience in at least one of the following areas: biomaterials, hydrogels, and/or (supramolecular) chemistry.
• Experience with cell, spheroid and/or organoid culture is strongly welcomed.
• Strongly developed writing and communication skills in English.

Fixed-term contract: 4 years.

The preferred starting date for this position is 1 May 2022. Working at Radboud university medical center means that you are ahead of the curve and working together on the healthcare of the future. And there is more. Our secondary terms of employment are impressive. These are fully tailored to you thanks to our Employment Conditions Selection Model. At Radboud university medical center, you will be given trust, and you will take the responsibility to handle everything together. We provide annual courses, both professional and personal.

• In addition to your monthly salary and an annual vacation allowance of 8%, you will receive an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.
• If you work irregular hours, you will receive an allowance.
• As a full-time employee (36 hours per week), you are entitled to approximately 168 vacation hours (over 23 days) per year.
• Radboud university medical center pays 70% of the pension premium. You pay the rest of the premium with your gross salary.
• You get a discount on health insurance as well: you can take advantage of two group health insurance plans. UMC Zorgverzekering and CZ collectief.

In addition to our terms of employment, we also offer employees various other attractive facilities, such as childcare and sports facilities. Want to learn more? Take a look at the Cao UMC.

Are you joining us from abroad? Our International Office can assist you when moving to the Netherlands.

Radboudumc

You will be part of a multidisciplinary group of researchers led by Dr. Mani Diba (Assistant Professor). Our group is positioned within the Regenerative Biomaterials group, led by Prof. Sander Leeuwenburgh, and is located at the department of Dentistry of Radboud university medical center in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Our international and multidisciplinary research team is composed of researchers located in and outside Nijmegen consisting of materials scientists, polymer chemists, pharmacists, biologists, and dental and medical clinicians.

Research Institutes
At the moment there are more than 1,300 PhD candidates at our medical hospital. This number includes PhD candidates on our pay roll as well as external candidates (those employed somewhere else but researching on our premises).

• Radboud Institute for Health Sciences: ± 700
• Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences: ± 400
• Donders Center for Medical Neurosciences: ± 200

Read what it is like to do a PhD at the Radboud University Medical Center.

Radboudumc
Radboud university medical center is a university medical center for patient care, scientific research, and education in Nijmegen. Radboud university medical center strives to be at the forefront of shaping the healthcare of the future. We do this in a person-centered and innovative way, and in close collaboration with our network. We want to have a significant impact on healthcare. We want to improve with each passing day, continuously working towards better healthcare, research, and education. And gaining a better understanding of how diseases arise and how we can prevent, treat, and cure them, day in and day out. This way, every patient always receives the best healthcare, now and in the future. Because that is why we do what we do.

Read more about our strategy and what working at Radboud university medical center means. Our colleagues would be happy to tell you about it. #weareradboudumc