PhD Predictive human-based bone in vitro models for drug & biomaterial screening

Components of our immune system are present in every organ to defend us against diseases and to help restore and maintain tissue homeostasis. Studies in experimental animals have shown that different immune components also play an integral role in bone homeostasis, regeneration, and diseases. Although the importance of immunity in bone biology has been widely recognized, only a few studies have committed to translating this knowledge into predictive human-based in vitro models for drug and biomaterial screening. When developing 3D bone in vitro models with predictive value, the incorporation of relevant immune components is essential for creating in vitro bone models that accurately reflect healthy, diseased, and regenerating bone. In this project, you will advance current in vitro bone models by incorporating immune system components to create a functional in vitro bone model that can predict the treatment performance of drugs and bone graft biomaterials for patients with bone pathologies (e.g., osteoporosis, osteoarthritis). Additionally, you will take a step further by investigating the scalability of the in vitro bone model towards a model that conforms with Good Manufacturing Practices and can offer alternatives to current animal experimentation and potentially making animal studies redundant in the long run. To address this challenge, we are looking for a highly motivated candidate who is interested in working at the crossroads between the fundamental aspects of model development at Eindhoven University of Technology and the translational potential of this model in collaboration with the Smart Biomaterials Consortium (SBMC), a start-up company dedicated to supporting the development and clinical production of smart biomaterials.

About the group

You will be enrolled at Eindhoven University of Technology within the Biomaterials Design and Processing and the Orthopedic Biomechanics groups. Our mission is to develop novel treatment strategies for an aging and active population. We combine advanced biomaterials and manufacturing methods, such as Additive Manufacturing and Bioprinting, with in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo platforms, as well as engineering methods like high-resolution imaging and computational modeling. Our goal is to enhance understanding of musculoskeletal tissues and create regenerative treatments. We are part of the Regenerative Materials and Engineering cluster in the Department of Biomedical Engineering (https://www.tue.nl/en/our-university/departments/biomedical-engineering. The department offers Bachelor's and Master's programs linked to research areas such as Chemical Biology, Biomaterials, and Biomechanics, with over 800 students and 200 academic staff. Our inclusive, collaborative campus fosters connections and excellence in research and education.

SBMC enables entrepreneurs and academics to speed up developments of new biomaterials and biodegradable implants for biomedical applications (regenerative therapies) to improve patients' lives around the world. To achieve this mission, SBMC offers the high-quality infrastructure it has established for use as shared facilities (development facility & pilot production facility), as well as expertise (contract R&D). Additionally, SBMC organizes and coordinates the ecosystem of companies active in the value chain for bio- and biocompatible materials for life sciences, specifically regenerative medicine. SBMC is a one of the five pilotlines of the RegMed XB Pilot factory for regenerative medicine and has a focus on biomaterials and biodegradable implants. SBMC operates on a fee-for-service business model, offering services for the development and production of regenerative therapies within the scope of biomaterials.

We are accepting applications from enthusiastic and highly talented candidates who meet the following requirements:

• A master's degree (Second Cycle qualification) in Immunology, Biology, Biomedical engineering, Regenerative Medicine or a comparable domain.
• A solid background in bone biology and immunology.
• A strong interest in translational research.
• Experience with bone engineering, in vitro models and biomaterials is preferred
• Strong motivation to do excellent, original, translational research.
• Team player and able to work in a dynamic, interdisciplinary, and international context
• Excellent written and oral communication skills. Note that there is no Dutch language requirement.
• Motivated to develop your teaching skills and coach students. Motivated to make research results accessible and available for use by industry.

A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an interdisciplinary setting and within an international network. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance of the central train station. In addition, we offer you:

• Full-time employment for four years, with an intermediate evaluation (go/no-go) after nine months. You will spend 10% of your employment on teaching tasks.
• Salary and benefits (such as a pension scheme, paid pregnancy and maternity leave, partially paid parental leave) in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale P (min. €2,872 max. €3,670).
• A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%.
• Cutting-edge research focused on in vitro bone models and will receive innovative multidisciplinary and multisectoral training from experienced supervisors in both fundamental and translational research.
• Be part of an international team of biomaterials and bone research experts and a large network of PhD students.
• Working closely with the SBMC team and involvement in SBMC activities.
• High-quality training programs and other support to grow into a self-aware, autonomous scientific researcher. At TU/e we challenge you to take charge of your own learning process.
• An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care and sports facilities.
• An allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs.
• A Staff Immigration Team and a tax compensation scheme (the 30% facility) for international candidates.