Organ on chip (OoC) is a game-changing approach in which human cells are cultured in microfluidic chips simulating and predicting the response of healthy and diseased human tissues. OoC has the potential to revolutionize today’s biomedical testing procedures that often involve ethically challenged animal testing and, most importantly, lead to variable results. Despite its promise, OoC adoption is hampered by profound technical and functional limitations. In a multidisciplinary programme, engineers and biomedical researchers join forces with 25 end users to overcome these limitations by developing a novel, Standardized, open and Modular OoC Approach to Recapitulate Tissues (SMART OoC), see https://smartooc.nl/. The programme will develop and integrate a standardized microfluidic SMART docking plate into which chip modules can be plugged, technical chip modules for microfluidic actuation and sensing, readout technologies for multiparameter monitoring, and prototype tissue chip modules with 3D organ architectures and integrated tissue microenvironment. The functionality of the SMART OoC models will be demonstrated by inducing inflammation and testing drugs.

The MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine of Maastricht University invites applications for a 4-year PhD position on biomimetic microscaffolds for vascularized skin and intestinal OoC models within SMART OoC. We are looking for candidates holding a university master degree in bio(medical) engineering, biomedical technology or similar with already some experience in cell/tissue culture, tissue engineering (TE), biomaterials, TE scaffolds, microfabrication, microfluidics and/or organs on chips. Very good command of English in listening, speaking, reading and writing is essential. Our potential new colleague should have very good theoretical and good experimental skills, be creative/inspired, have good scientific writing skills, be highly motivated and ambitioned, and have a strong team spirit.

Fixed-term contract: 1+ 4 years.

The fully funded position is offered as a full-time position for 1 + 3 = 4 years, with an evaluation after the 1st year. The salary will be from €2.541 ,- gross per month in the first year up to €3.247 ,- gross per month in the fourth year, according to the currently effective salary scale for doctoral candidates in the Collective Labour Agreement of the Dutch Universities (CAO). On top of this, there will be an 8% holiday and an 8.3% year-end allowance. 

The terms of employment of Maastricht University are set out in the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO). Furthermore, local UM provisions also apply. For more information look at the website www.maastrichtuniversity.nl > About UM > Working at UM.

Maastricht University

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 22,000 students and about 5,000 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 Science and Engineering, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience. 
For more information, visit www.maastrichtuniversity.nl.

MERLN Institute

The MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine of Maastricht University, see http://merln.maastrichtuniversity.nl, is associated to its Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences. MERLN is focused on developing innovative technologies to advance the field of repair and regeneration of functional tissues and organs. The Micro Tissue Engineering group within the MERLN department of Instructive Biomaterials Engineering approaches this by blending advanced micro- and nanotechnologies with tissue engineering, a combination which is expected to allow so far unprecedented spatiotemporal control over cells and tissues.