Bacteria meet materials! From biomineralization to carbonate-based living materials | |
Natural calcium carbonate is produced through a complex process determined by chemical, biological, physical, and anthropological factors whereas synthetic calcium carbonate is obtained by easy chemical protocols. Although the synthetic approach seems attractive due to the short synthesis time and control over the mineral microstructure, the reactants and products of this reaction can be toxic and thus being an unsustainable process. On the other hand, a bioinspired method based on mineralization induced by soil bacteria emerges as a sustainable alternative to synthesize calcium carbonate in a controlled manner. Biomineralization is a natural process that harnesses the biological and biochemical mechanisms of microorganisms to induce the precipitation of minerals intra or extracellularly. The polymorphs of bacterial-induced calcium carbonate are dictated by the chemical composition of the medium used for the culture of mineralizing bacteria as previously described. Despite biomineralization is already being exploited in the development of applications such as self-healing concrete, bio bricks, bio cement, among others, it remains still challenging to predict the resulting polymorph and control over the structural properties of the calcium carbonate based on the biological feature of the system. | |
Revolutionize at-home diagnostics | |
Join our interdisciplinary student project to transform at-home diagnostics! Work on cutting-edge technology, boost sensitivity, engineer tests for seamless home use, and develop targeted disease detection. Help us to shape the future of healthcare. | |
Living materials as an alternative to antibiotics to fight against pathogen infections. | |
Wound infections present a significant challenge in healthcare, and traditional treatments involving antibiotics can lead to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Probiotics (i.e. the "good bacteria") have been studied widely for their potential antimicrobial effects and use in wound treatment as an alternative to antibi-otics. They have been reported to enhance wound healing, produce antimicrobial substances, disrupt biofilm, and restore the microbial balance in wounds. In this project, we aim to combine the benefits of probiotics and hydrogels to form a so-called "living hydrogel": i.e. a hydrogel with organisms inside. The living hydrogel can not only fulfill the function of a normal wound patch but also deliver the therapeutic factors secreted by the encapsulated probiotics to fight against pathogen infection and also promote wound healing. | |
Mechanophores for advanced wearable strain and pressure sensors | |
The goal of the project is to synthesize and characterize a number of small molecules capable of acting as mechanophore addition to various polymers. These polymers would then be used as wearable strain or pressure sensors. | |
Advancing Single-Molecule Sensing for Protein Sequencing | |
In this project, you will have the opportunity to contribute to the development and optimization of a single-molecule sensor designed for the detection, identification, and sequencing of important biomolecules such as DNA and proteins. The sensor technology is built upon the principles of microfluidics, nanofabrication, and machine-learning data analysis. It is an excellent fit for students who possess skills and a strong interest in these fields and are eager to engage in an interdisciplinary project with significant potential impact. | |
Develop microfluidics for at-home blood testing | |
Collaborating with a dynamic startup, you will work on designing, manufacturing, and testing microfluidic devices to quantify biomolecules associated with chronic inflammation, heart attacks, and tropical diseases. | |
Human Organoid-on-Chip to Study Rare Bone Disease | |
To date, there is still very limited progress in developing organoid models for human musculoskeletal tissues such as bone. A major challenge is reconstructing the native bone microenvironment which is structurally and functionally complex. In this project, we leverage interdisciplinary advances in tissue engineering and microtechnologies to generate a microengineered bone-organoid-on-chip platform for both fundamental and translational research in medicine. | |
Development of a gastric delivery system for micronutrient supplementation using advanced manufacturing techniques | |
Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is one of the most widespread nutritional deficiencies worldwide, increasing the risk for disability and death for more than two billion people. Iron supplements are needed for prevention of iron deficiency, especially among infants, children and pregnant women, and for correction of IDA in all affected individuals. Conventional iron supplements, commonly cause nausea, epigastric discomfort and other gastrointestinal side effects that lead many individuals to discontinue and avoid their use. In this project, gastric resident systems (GDSs) will be produced using advanced manufacturing approaches (e.g., 3D printing) and the resulting release kinetic of the bioactive compounds will be characterized. Based on the results, different GDSs 3D design, formulations, and combination of active compounds will be tested. | |
Formulating and testing a photo-reversible resin for coating various surfaces | |
Photo-reversible chemistries have opened new possibilities especially in the field of biomedical engineering and our lab has contributed to this process by research on hydrogels based on various dynamic chemistries. We now want to adapt one known and working photo-cleavable linker in a system that is based on organic solvents rather than water. This would allow for the use of the material in a wide range of industrial applications including the digital printing of temporary masks during surface treatments. | |
Master Project: Chemical Reservoir Computing | |
The brain is the world's most amazing computer and runs entirely on chemical reactions. The vision of the EU Project CORENET (https://corenet-horizon.eu) is to deploy complex chemical reaction networks (CRNs) as computing unit to process information. Fully automated hardware and multifunctional reactors initiate and control chemical reactions by changing composition and steering the evolution of the CRN. As a result, a large number of products is being generated and analyzed. | |
Crafting a Photo-Cleavable Crosslinker: Enhancing Watch Design with Chemistry | |
Embark on a journey with the Swiss watch industry, renowned for its dedication to handcrafted excellence. Together, we're delving into the realm of advanced materials to enhance the art of watchmaking. Our focus lies in developing a groundbreaking photo-cleavable crosslinker, a key player in the application of resins onto watch dials as temporary masks during surface finishing. Join us in pioneering the fusion of craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology! | |
Improving lithium battery lifespan by investigating cathode interphase | |
Li batteries are highly important as this technology is applied for various applications such as mobile phones and electric vehicles. Environmental impact from used battery is critical as there are currently no viable solutions to effectively recycle the degraded batteries. Therefore, the longevity of Li battery lifespan is highly important towards sustainability. The life cycle of batteries highly depends on the kind of protection layer formed on positive and negative electrodes. EQCM-D (electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring) is an effective technique as it allows the direct simultaneous measurement of the mechanical and electrochemical properties of the electrode surface layer during cell operation and provides unique insights into the structure-function relationships of interphases in Li batteries. Lithium battery cathode interphase can be effectively studied by using EQCM-D. The cathode particles can be coated on quartz crystal sensor to study the cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI). Thin cathode coating is an important aspect when it comes to analyzing CEI as the thickness of the electrode on quartz crystal needs to be below 60 nm. The consistency and the thickness has to be reproducible as EQCM-D experiments typically need many trials of experiments. The cathode sensitivity from air atmosphere also add additional challenges to have consistent coating on quartz crystal. * This project doesn’t require high-level chemistry knowledge. Only basic chemistry knowledge is required. | |
Fully Automated Evaluation of Raman Spectra in a Self-Driven Thermodynamics Lab | |
This thesis focuses on fully automating the evaluation of Raman spectra in a self-driven thermodynamics lab to accelerate the development of sustainable chemical processes or novel heat pump concepts. By integrating Machine Learning (ML) with advanced spectral evaluation algorithms, the aim is to achieve complete lab autonomy. The methodology combines data-driven and physically-based approaches, including synthetic spectrum generation for ML training. | |
Microfluidic Brain(neuron) on chip | |
Do you want to play with microfluidics,microfabrication, iPSCs, neurons and microscopy, and help to understand brain development using tailored Organ-on-Chip? Do you also want to integrate the biosensor and bioelectrodes into the chips? Then this might be the right student project or internship for you! (Technical interest is necessary, but also non-engineering students can apply.) | |
Small-molecule supramolecular hydrogelators for hydrogel engineering | |
The study of small-molecule supramolecular hydrogelators (SMSHs) is of great interest, both fundamental and applicative. Their self-assembly most often leads to the formation of fibrillar structure and can be used as a model for the fibrillation of biologically-relevant entities, also their ability to form gels with tunable mechanical properties suggest many promising materials-related applications. In this context, aminoacid-based SMSHs (AA-SMSHs) have a special relevance because of opportunities offered e.g. in terms of biocompatibility and biomimetics, as well as in terms of variety of molecular design possibilities. Usually, the sol-gel behavior of AA-SMSHs is pH-dependent thanks to the presence of one or more pH-responsive groups, especially carboxylic acid –COOH ones. For these reasons, pH-responsive SMSHs (aminoacid-based and non) have been and still are the subject of intense investigation. Nevertheless, their behavior is far from being completely understood. | |
Learning, Predicting and Control Diffusion via Optimal Transport | |
The stochastic diffusion equations ruling the dynamics of particles at the micro- and nano- scale are captured by energy-minimizing dynamics when observed macroscopically, i.e., at a population level. This framework encompasses, for instance, single cells perturbation responses to chemical, genetic or mechanical stimuli, gene expression and cell differentiation. Recent advances in the theory of optimal transport and optimization in the Wasserstein space have created unprecedented opportunities to tackle these and other problems at scale. This active research area provides an excellent playground for exploring advanced mathematical concepts, deploying sophisticated learning and optimization algorithms, and solving open problems in biology, medicine, and various other fields. The project can be both theoretical and applied, and can include topics on optimization, optimal transport, deep learning, and biology. The project can be tailored to the preferences and experiences of the student. | |
Assessing the innovation potential of electrochemical direct air capture | |
Rapid emission reductions are needed so that the Paris Agreement's target to limit global warming to well below 2°C remains attainable. Pathways in line with this target presume a swift transition to low-carbon energy sources and – on top – the deployment of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies to remove historic emissions and compensate for emissions that cannot be completely eliminated. Direct air capture (DAC) with carbon storage offers a scalable, permanent, and relatively easily measurable, reportable, and verifiable CDR method. However, DAC technologies are still in their infancy and high costs have hindered large-scale deployment of DAC. While there are advantages to DAC in its potential to address emissions from distributed sources, the development and deployment of DAC systems has been limited by their high cost and energy requirements.[1] Most research and development has focused on solid sorbent and liquid solvent DAC, both of which use thermal and electrical energy. To overcome the high energy requirements of DAC systems using thermal energy, electrochemical DAC systems have been recognized as a promising alternative due to their potentially lower energy consumption at lower temperatures and pressures. [2] However, the technological maturity of electrochemical DAC systems is low, with most systems still at laboratory scale. It remains to be assessed how they compare with DAC systems using thermal energy. References: [1] doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2024.02.005 [2] doi.org/10.1039/D0EE03382K | |
Biomineralization of Hydrogels-Based Structures | |
Currently, the mineralization capacity of S. pasteurii is being exploited in developing construction materials in the form of bio-bricks and bio-cement. These materials are mostly compact structures with different degrees of porosity to increase the diffusion of nutrients through the material. Nevertheless, one recurrent challenge in biomineralized structures is the limited precipitation across the structure. | |
Advanced formulation and manufacturing of personalized sport supplements for increased absorption and bioavailability | |
Conventional pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products (e.g., sport supplements) provide limited control over the release of bioactive ingredients (AIs) and poor absorption and bioavailability. To grant a proper therapeutic effect and athletic performance, common products need frequent intake at high dosages. This scenario is associated with an increased risk of short and long-term complications that can affect the performance of athletes as well as compromise the health long-term. Recently, novel techniques (e.g., 3D printing) and biomaterial formulation have become available for personalized sport supplements. The high versatility, flexibility, and increase absorption resulting from such products, open the way for increasing performance in sport but also for health benefits to generic people by target physiological characteristics and needs of specific groups. | |
Mixing in the atmospheres of other worlds | |
To interpret new observations of exoplanets using telescopes, a better understanding of how gases at high pressures and temperatures mix in their atmospheres is required. The goal of this project is to develop more accurate models for mixtures of major gases in planetary atmospheres at extreme conditions and apply them to interpret recent spectra collected for sub-Neptune planets. | |
Co-Axial extrusion for biocementation | |
The project investigates the development of a co-axial extrusion methods for large-scale 3D printing bio-cementation structures. The extruded paste will host microorganisms such as S.Pasteurii, capable of precipitating calcite (MICP) to create bio-concrete structures. A robotic paste 3D printing platform will be used for the fabrication process; the bio-paste will be precipitated and calcified by the bacterial activity reinforcing the material. | |
Soft materials with active transitions in mechanical properties | |
Active and adaptive materials show exciting, new dynamic functionalities that far exceed those of classically passive materials. To enable these new functionalities, we follow a bio-inspired approach based on biochemical processes at the single-cell level. Thanks to these biochemical processes, individual cells can fulfill surprisingly complex tasks such as computing time or finding nutrients. Our goal is to transfer such processes to responsive hydrogels, so that we can locally trigger a chemical wave that self-propagates through the entire material and induces changes in mechanical properties. | |
Making Novel Porous Bacterial Cellulose Hydrogels for Sustainable Applications | |
Pressing challenges in climate change require the development of the next generation of renewable materials addressing cooling, CO2 capture and energy production. Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a very promising material to be used in a sustainable future as it is purer than plant-extracted cellulose and most importantly, it is produced in a sustainable and scalable way [1]. To exploit the use of BC as a functional material, such as heat insulators or filters, we need to develop robust methods to control their macrostructure. In this project, you will explore the combination of phase separation techniques [2,3] in bacterial cellulose hydrogels to tune the morphology of the phase. And study the optical and mechanical properties of the resulting novel materials. [1] Z. Wu, et al. ‘Insights into hierarchical structure–property–application relationships of advanced bacterial cellulose materials’, Advanced Functional Materials 33, 2214327 (2023). [2] Fernandez-Rico et al, ‘Putting the Squeeze on Phase separation’, JACS Au (2021). [3] Fernandez-Rico et al, ‘Elastic microphase separation produced robust bicontinuous materials’, Nature Materials (2023). | |
Master Thesis: Building a 25 MHz NMR spectrometer | |
A Master project starting in Spring 2023 is available in the group of Prof. Roland Riek, Laboratory for Physical Chemistry (D-CHAB). The student will build a 25 MHz Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometer. The spectrometer console will run on a compact board (SDR Lab, Red Pitaya) [1]. A permanent magnet will (10 x 10 x 10 cm3) generate a field of 0.6 T, corresponding to a 1H NMR frequency of 25 MHz. | |
The development of novel high-performance hydrogel materials | |
Are you interested in designing novel hydrogel materials? We have a project available that focuses on formulating high-performance hydrogels for load-bearing applications. | |
Brigham and Women's Hospital: Nonviral Gene Delivery | |
Gene therapies have the potential to enable the treatment of multiple currently incurable diseases, but delivery of these therapeutic molecules to the target tissue continues to present a major obstacle to their success and clinical translation. Our lab at Brigham and Women's Hospital has invented multiple novel drug delivery strategies, multiple of which have begun to be evaluated in human clinical trials. We are currently working to develop next-generation gene delivery platforms to accelerate the translation of these potentially transformative therapies to the clinic. | |
Probing the two-state reactivity of iron-oxo complexes: computational and/or experimental studies | |
Spin states play a significant role in defining the structure, reactivity, magnetic and spectroscopic properties of any molecule. Access to multiple spin states opens exciting possibilities in catalysis, the development of electronic devices, and even quantum computing. Metal catalysts may have access to several spin states, thus giving more leverage for reactivity tuning. Two similar reactions can proceed via two distinctively different mechanisms if they occur on potential energy surfaces with different spin multiplicities. In addition, under certain conditions, a reactant can cross over onto a surface with different spin multiplicity, thereby providing low energy paths for otherwise difficult processes. Such behavior is called two-state reactivity (TSR). Although TSR plays an essential role in organic synthesis and biology, its detailed understanding is limited. | |
Masters project at PSI (SCD/LMS): Systematic correction of electronic self-interaction with Koopmans functionals | |
Investigate how best to unite Koopmans and Perdew-Zunger self-interaction corrections for electronic structure calculations. | |
Masters project at PSI (SCD/LMS): Combining Koopmans and Hubbard corrections for accurate band structures of materials | |
Investigate how best to unite Koopmans and Hubbard corrections for electronic structure calculations. | |
Project or thesis student, 60-100%, m/f/d | |
qCella, a deep tech startup from ETH Zurich, specializes in innovative materials for resistive heating applications. Their paper-thin, flexible heating mats aim to replace traditional heating wire technology in various products like car seats, clothing, and shoes. They are looking for master's students in Materials Science or Chemistry to contribute to product and material development, tackle research challenges with practical applications, design and conduct experiments, and analyze results. | |
Shaping the Future of SLS Printing: Temperature monitoring in SLS 3D printing for part quality | |
Selective laser sintering (SLS) is a powder bed-based additive manufacturing (AM) process for the layer-by-layer production of plastic components. Despite its advantages over other AM techniques, persistent process-related obstacles prevent its implementation beyond prototyping. For instance, parts cooling rate significantly impacts part quality, but there is no means to monitor nor adjust this during print. As suboptimal part cool down rates may lead to insufficient part performance, all printed parts must be inspected post print increasing production time & cost. Thus, advanced in-situ monitoring techniques are needed to track part cool-down rates to increase industry SLS adoption. One method to observe changes in part temperature is by using microwaves. Upon microwave exposure, the materials temperature-dependent permittivity can be measured without contact. The main limitation of this monitoring technique lies in the accuracy of temperature and permittivity measurements of the material. In this thesis, you will be involved towards the development of a microwave-based system for in-situ temperature monitoring. Your challenge will be to find a suitable dopant which improves the 3D-printed polymer part permittivity gradient over subtle changes in temperature. Common permittivity dopants such as BaTiO3 or SrTiO3 show initial promise, but their printability for implementation is required. | |
Characterization and investigating 2D skin disease model via biosensing and optical imaging | |
Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a unique group of autoimmune diseases. Researches have demonstrated that antibody-induced disruption of Dsg3 transadhesion initiates a signaling response in basal keratinocytes followed by loss of tissue integrity. The complexity of morphogenesis and tissue regeneration implies the existence of a transcellular communication network in which individual cells sense the environment and coordinate their biological activity in time and space. To understand the fascinating ability of tissue self-organization, comprehensive study of biophysical properties (cell topography and bioelectricity) in combination with the analysis of biochemical networks (signaling pathways and genetic circuits) is required. Together with the University of Bern and University of Lübeck, we aim to utilize the tools to study the topography and electrophysiology (cell potential, ion channel recording, localized ion detection, charges) of HPEK cells (human primary keratinocytes cells) to unravel the signaling pathways of the disease. We utilize optical imaging (fluorescence dyes) and biosensing tools (including the state of the art hs-SICM and electrical FluidFM setup) to study HPEK cells upon desmosome disruption. | |
Assay development for cancer diagnostics | |
You will develop a diagnostic test for testicular cancer. The focus of the project will be on creating the biochemical protocols for the test. The project is in collaboration with a prelaunch startup and a hospital (USZ). Therefore, it is ideal for motivated students who want to have a direct impact |
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