Empa

PhD position to develop an engineered corneal transplant

St. Gallen, Switzerland

Unspecified

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Materials science and technology are our passion. With our cutting-edge research, Empa's around 1,100 employees make essential contributions to the well-being of society for a future worth living. Empa is a research institution of the ETH Domain.

The Laboratory for Biointerfaces performs material-related research and focuses on understanding, characterizing and steering interactions of biomolecules, bacteria and human cells at surfaces for materials-based healthcare solutions.

PhD position to develop an engineered corneal transplant

Your tasks

An insult to the cornea - if untreated - eventually leads to corneal opacification and blindness. Around 90 % of the cases occur in developing countries, and most of these cases would be preventable with appropriate treatment. We are therefore developing an optically transparent, engineered corneal transplant based on a double network hydrogel that eliminates not only the need for donor tissues, but also for sutures by simply adhering directly to corneal tissues under wet conditions.

In the frame of this project, you will work with a team of scientists with backgrounds in chemistry, cell biology and microbiology as well as with clinical partners on the development of engineered corneal transplant to treat corneal ulcers. You will synthesize and characterize the properties of the DNH, tune its properties and subsequently bioprint cell-free and cell-based engineered cornea transplats using state of the art facilities and equipment.

Your profile

MSc degree in biomedical engineering, polymer chemistry, materials science or a related field
Enthusiastic and curious personality
High motivation to work in an interdisciplinary project
Experience with hydrogels and cell culture work
Excellent skills at science communication (verbal and written)

Our offer

A highly stimulating research environment in the Empa laboratories in St. Gallen
Easy access to outstanding infrastructure and equipment
An experienced project team with (clinical) partners in Switzerland and the Netherlands
Support to present work at scientific conferences and to publish in high quality journals
Support for personal development

This position is immediately available (with a desired start no later than September 2025) with a planned project duration of four years.

We live a culture of inclusion and respect. We welcome all people who are interested in innovative, sustainable and meaningful activities - that's what counts.

We look forward to receiving your complete online application including a letter of motivation, CV, certificates, diplomas and contact details of two reference persons. Please submit these exclusively via our job portal. Applications by e-mail and by post will not be considered.