PhD student in Bioprinting

Published: 2021-01-28

Uppsala University is a comprehensive research-intensive university with a strong international standing. Our ultimate goal is to conduct education and research of the highest quality and relevance to make a long-term difference in society. Our most important assets are all the individuals whose curiosity and dedication make Uppsala University one of Sweden’s most exciting workplaces. Uppsala University has over 45,000 students, more than 7,000 employees and a turnover of around SEK 7 billion.

The Department of Medical Cell Biology at Uppsala University has a strong and international research environment with over 100 scientists, including around 25 PhD students, 30 postdocs and researchers and 20 professors.

Duties/Project description: Bioprinting of defined extracellular matrices containing cells represents a novel approach to create tissues, and 3D-bioprinted tissue models will in the future likely replace many existing 2D cell culture models currently used in academia and industry. Further, bioprinting of tailor-made cartilage and bone implants containing patient-specific cells has the potential to greatly improve reconstructive surgery. The goal of this project is to develop and use 3D bioprinting to create cartilage and bone constructs using clinically relevant human chondrocyte cell lines and osteoblast cell lines. Bioprinted constructs will also be generated where materials are included to provide unique properties to promote cell function. Bone and cartilage tissue constructs will initially be evaluated in vitro where fluidic technology will be used to enable long-term cell culture, and live imaging performed to evaluate cell viability and tissue construct stability and remodeling over time. Large scale-imaging will be performed of construct arrays, together with a variety of cellular, biochemical and mechanical end point analyses, to generate data on the functionality and robustness of the developed constructs.

The project will be carried out within the BioTrib Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Innovative Training Network, which is a recently started EU-funded project coordinated by the University of Leeds. The BioTrib program is dedicated to training early-stage researchers to provide them with the technical and innovation skills to develop advances in the performance of natural and artificial joints. The network consists of 5 core universities in Europe, and another 11 partner organisations from academia and industry. The successful candidate will be based in Associate Professor Johan Kreuger’s research group at the Dept. of Medical Cell Biology at Uppsala University.  The position includes secondments to other partners in the consortium.

The successful candidate will engage in research work and doctoral studies. Other duties at the department, i.e. administration and teaching, may be included in the employment up to a maximum level of 20%.

Requirements: As a candidate for this position, you should have a Master’s degree (MSc) in Molecular Biotechnology Engineering, or an equivalent degree. You should be ambitious, productive, and have a passion for science and technology. Personal qualities, ability to work independently and at the same time be able to interact with other researchers both nationally and internationally is very important. Very good communication skills in written and spoken English according to Uppsala University’s guidelines is required.

To be employed as a PhD student, the applicant must be accepted in the postgraduate program. Information concerning doctoral education, requirements and rules of admission can be found at http:// www2.medfarm.uu.se/utbildning/forskarniva/. The length of the study period for full time employment is a maximum of four years.

The eligibility criteria for this Marie Sklodowska-Curie ITN PhD student position are as follows:

• The applicant must, at the date of recruitment, be in the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers and not have been awarded a doctoral degree. This is measured from the date when they obtained the undergraduate degree.
• The applicant must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting beneficiary for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the recruitment date. Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays, and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not taken into account.

Rules governing PhD students are set out in the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5, §§ 1-7 and in Uppsala University's rules and guidelines http://regler.uu.se/?languageId=1.

Salary: According to local agreement for PhD students.
 
Starting date: 01-09-2021 or as otherwise agreed.

Type of employment: Temporary position according to the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5 § 7.

Scope of employment: 100 %

For further information about the position please contact: Johan Kreuger, 018-471 4079, johan.kreuger@mcb.uu.se.

Please submit your application by 30th of April 2021, UFV-PA 2021/282.

Are you considering moving to Sweden to work at Uppsala University? If so, you will find a lot of information about working and living in Sweden at www.uu.se/joinus. You are also welcome to contact International Faculty and Staff Services at ifss@uadm.uu.se.

Please do not send offers of recruitment or advertising services.

Submit your application through Uppsala University's recruitment system.