Postdoctoral position – Fabrication of a patch for diabetes treatment by 3D bioprinting

A postdoctoral position in ‘Development of a patch by 3D bioprinting for diabetes treatment’ starting in April 2021 (negotiable) is open in the Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanosciences in close collaboration with the Laboratory of Experimental Surgery (Prof. Pierre Gianello) of the University of Louvain (UCLouvain) and the Pig for Life S.A. company.

With 463 million people suffering from diabetes worldwide in 2019, diabetes emerges as a major public health problem. Besides tough medical treatments leading to severe side effects, grafting of encapsulated pig islets emerges as a possible approach to treat durably the patients. However, most of the encapsulation processes used up to now for in vivo application preclude the long term function of islets. Moreover, the amount of insulin secreted by pig islets is much lower than for human islets. In this context, the aim of the postdoctoral project is to develop a new hydrogel patch entrapping pig islets to restore insulin secretion in diabetic patients. 3D bioprinting will be used to produce a highly defined patch structure in order to preserve the islet survival and function and to ensure efficient insulin secretion in response to surrounding stimulation. Moreover, super-secreting pig islets obtained from transgenic pigs produced by Pig for Life company will be used to reach the insulin dose required to treat human patients. The objective of the project is notably to develop a robust fabrication process allowing to prepare patches with reproducible characteristics and insulin secretion activity as well as a highly defined geometry and robustness for in vivo application. The insulin secretion activity, as well as the mechanical resistance in both in vitro and in vivo conditions, will be investigated in collaboration with our partners.

The successful candidate will design and conduct research experiments to optimize the fabrication of the patch and will be involved in the in vitro experiments to test the activity of the patch in close collaboration with the partners involved in the consortium. The job requires the ability to assist the principal investigators in establishing priorities to ensure efficient work progression, ensure liaison with other collaborators to guarantee success of the project, write high-quality reports, present results in an attractive way, and contribute to the daily management of the lab.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Benefits

This position is funded for 1 year (renewable). The monthly salary after tax deduction is in the range of 2200 € (depending on the candidate’s experience).

Additional comments

The research will be led in the Bio and Soft Matter (BSMA) division of the Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanosciences (IMCN) in close collaboration with the Laboratory of Experimental Surgery (Prof. Pierre Gianello) of the University of Louvain and the Pig for Life S.A. company, under the supervision of Prof. Karine Glinel. A large part of the activities developed in BSMA covers scientific topics as diverse as biosensing and biointerfaces, surface science and biomaterials for applications in medicine. These lines of research are supported by a strong expertise in synthesis, nano/microfabrication and processing, as well as in the characterization of surfaces, materials and devices. IMCN/BSMA lab provides direct access to techniques such as TEM, SEM, fluorescence microscopy, XPS, XRR, ellipsometry, profilometry, AFM, SIMS, contact angle goniometry, 3D bioprinting, rheology and cell culture facilities.

REQUIREMENTS

Offer Requirements

• REQUIRED EDUCATION LEVEL

  Engineering: PhD or equivalent

• REQUIRED LANGUAGES

  ENGLISH: Excellent

Skills/Qualifications

- Knowledge and prior experience in hydrogels and polymer physical chemistry.

- Competences in 3D bioprinting and in cell culture is a plus.

- Autonomous, team spirit, excellent interpersonal skills

- The candidate should be determinate and result oriented.

- Strong organizational and project management skills

- Skills in leading, coordinating and/or supervising the work of others

- The ability to work effectively with people of technically diverse backgrounds

- Strong written and oral communication skills.

- Good command of French is a plus.

Specific Requirements

The candidate must hold a PhD in Polymer or soft matter science or biomedical engineering or closely related field, with an affinity for tissue engineering and a demonstrated record of personal achievements. In addition, he/she has to have a good command (writing and speaking) of English or French, French being a plus. The applicant should submit a curriculum vitae including at least two references, a statement of his/her research activities and interests and a list of his/her publications.