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.
Plasma Ion Trap Mass Spectroscopy
Ion Traps are used in chemistry as high resolution analyzers. Their hyphenation to a plasma source offer much more flexibility of ionization. This new platform needs to be investigated.
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.
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.
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.)
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.
Responsive ultrasound contrast agents for molecular imaging
Ultrasound imaging with contrast agents such as microbubbles and nanodroplets is a promising tool to diagnose and monitor diseases at the molecular level. In our lab, we are interested in detecting soluble molecular targets such as proteases in vivo. To achieve this, we aim to modify the acoustic properties of microbubbles in response to protease activity by altering their shell properties using tight peptide-crosslinked networks.
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 dioxode (CO2) 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
Influence of polymer length on end-group reactivity
Polymer networks are made by cross-linking polymer chains at their ends by means of a chemical reaction. While the properties of used reactions are usually very well characterized for small molecules, little is known about how the presence of a polymer chain and its length affect this reaction. In this project, we aim to study this, mostly experimentally, but also including a theoretical approach. We propose to start with boronic ester chemistry, which has been already characterized in literature and in our lab. the reactants will be functionalized on linear PEG chains. We plan on studying both the thermodynamic and kinetic parameters.
Investigating Mechanotransduction of Wound Healing within a Tissue-Mimetic Macroporous Biomaterial
We aimed to design a biomaterial suitable for 3D, in situ stiffening to mimic changes to the dermis during fibrosis and wound healing. By adapting Methacrylated Hyaluoronic Acid (MeHA), a material previously used for 2D in situ studies, to create a 3D macroporous gel comprised of fibrous microgels, we hypothesize we will be able to dynamically increase matrix stiffness without increasing cell confinement, allowing us to identify new mechanotransduction pathways involved in fibrosis and wound healing, specifically myofibroblast activation and macrophage polarization.
Single-cell Encapsulation for RNA Sequencing
This project focuses on understanding the metabolism of bacteria exposed to an enzymatic inhibitor. By employing microfluidic systems, we aim to perform a single-based encapsulation in hydrogel beads to be exposed to inhibitors. Using FACS-based sorting and bulk sequencing, bacteria in hydrogel beads will be sorted and the RNA from pool or individual beads will be extracted for sequencing. We aim to create an RNA sequencing protocol for sorted hydrogel beads containing bacteria to analyze the total gene expression profiles of our candidates.
Conductive polymer pattern deposition for smart textile applications
The goal of the project is to develop a simple and versatile method for production of robust conductive patterns on textile via deposition of conductive polymers. This technology will allow further development of wearable electronics for biomedical applications.
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.
Control of Microrobot For Cardiovascular disease
We developed a high-throughput microfluidic droplet-based process for the mass production of microrobots at a laboratory scale. We have successfully demonstrated the navigation of microrobots to the target lesion, and their enhanced thrombolytic performance has been validated within an emboli-on-a-chip micro¬fluidic system. Currently, we are planning ex vivo and in vivo experiments in a pig model to further evaluate the clinical potential of our approach.
PhD position in meta-biomaterials synthesis and 3D-printing
The Biomaterials Engineering (BME) group of Professor Xiao-Hua Qin is hiring a PhD student in advanced manufacturing of metamaterials.
Ingestible Therapeutics and Diagnostic Systems (Harvard I BWH I MIT - Current positions filled, open positions are now in 2026)
The Traverso lab is focused on translational medicine. Our main goal is to help people through the use of medicine and engineering. Research projects involve medical devices that can range from diagnostic, drug delivery, surgical, and implantable devices. Dr. Giovanni Traverso is a Physician-Scientist who is an Assistant Professor at MIT Mechanical Engineering, and an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and the Division of Gastroenterology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH). This position will require direct on-boarding and will be stationed at a satellite facility of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Cambridge, but will involve work with a multidisciplinary team from across the different MIT/Harvard/BWH institutions.
Wearable device for non-invasive assessment of fatigue
The goal of the project is to develop a wearable device capable of non-invasive measurement of human biomarkers related to performance and fatigue during exercise.
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.
Solvothermal synthesis of high-performance metal ferrite nanoparticle for biomedical application
Metal ferrite nanoparticle are gathering increasing attention for usage in biomedical applications such as for drug delivery or diagnostics. Their large versatility is thereby enabled by adjusting various of their properties, such as magnetic response or surface design. Precise tuning of the nanoparticles magnetic properties and their reliable reproducibility, however, still remains a challenge by this day. In this project we aim to systematically investigate varying synthesis parameters in the solvothermal synthesis of different metal ferrite nanoparticles. We aim to establish a reliable protocol for large scale production of particles displaying exceptionally strong magnetic response while also enabling precise control over their displayed magnetic hysteresis.
Optimize Hydrogel Performance for Cartilage Replacement
The Laboratory of Orthopedic Technology at ETH Zurich is currently optimizing the manufacturing process for a novel joint implant. We are looking for a master's student who is passionate about medical devices and polymer science to join our team for a semester project or master's thesis. Project Focus: The selected candidate will work on optimizing the performance of a hydrogel material that is a key component of the cartilage replacement implant. The project will involve: • Investigating polymer synthesis and formulation techniques to enhance hydrogel performance. • Developing testing protocols to evaluate the hydrogel’s effectiveness in mimicking natural cartilage behavior.
Engineering the microstructure of bacterial cellulose for sustainable applications
In this project, you will advance the state-of-the art of sustainable materials. You will work with bacterial cellulose and use techniques to control and characterize its structure across scales!
Atomically small catalysts for chemical gas sensors
Catalysts with their size ranging from nanoparticles to single-atom catalysts will be produced, and their chemical gas sensing performances will be evaluated.
“Pulling” nanoparticles out of dopant-supersaturated oxide nanoparticles
Nanoparticles will be drawn out from dopant-supersaturated metal oxides, with tunability in their distribution and size. The catalytic performances of the nanoparticle catalysts will be closely examined
Smart colloidal bananas: Let's curve it up!
In this project you will learn how to synthesize shape-responsive colloidal bananas and explore their unique liquid crystalline phase behaviour. We will work with hydrogels, elastomers and liquid crystal elastomers, and mainly used confocal microscopy and image analysis techniques to characterize the range of beautiful phases these particles form.
Master Thesis: Building a 25 MHz NMR spectrometer
A Master project starting in Autumn/Winter 2024/2025 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.
Conductive thread modification for wearable strain sensors
The goal of the project is to modify commercially available conductive yarns to improve their operational properties for potential employment in novel garment-embedded sensors for human motion detection.
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.
Metal-support interactions for chemical sensing via catalytic oxidation
Heterogeneous catalysis and chemical sensing are surface-controlled processes extensively studied over supported metal oxide nanoparticles. Their properties arise from the complex interplay between the added metal and support, which occurs on two, intimately related, levels: electronic and geometric. Unravelling these interactions is key to the identification of the most favourable active site speciation, governing catalyst reactivity.
Machine Learning-Assisted Design of Biopolymer-Based Hybrid Materials
Discovering optimal composition of bio-based compounds and process conditions to achieve specific properties is a complex, multifaceted problem that requires extensive domain knowledge and intuitive insights. It can be effectively addressed by combining experimental design, optimization techniques and machine learning. The project will be carried out in the Cellulose & Wood Materials Laboratory at Empa Dübendorf and is aimed at exploring the material design space more effectively by leveraging advanced machine learning algorithms.
Machine Learning-Assisted Design of Biopolymer-Based Hybrid Materials
Discovering optimal composition of bio-based compounds and process conditions to achieve specific properties is a complex, multifaceted problem that requires extensive domain knowledge and intuitive insights. It can be effectively addressed by combining experimental design, optimization techniques and machine learning. The project will be carried out in the Cellulose & Wood Materials Laboratory under supervision of Dr. Gustav Nyström and Dr. Mark Schubert at Empa Dübendorf and is aimed at exploring the material design space more effectively by leveraging advanced machine learning algorithms.
Synthesis of elongated silica nanoparticles
The objective of this project is to synthesize monodisperse solutions of elongated silica nanoparticles following established recipes. The nanoparticles will be analyzed with electron microscopy and their mode structure will be studied in optical traps operated in high vacuum.
Resin with a Twist: Photoreversible Material for Digitally Printed Films
Create a next-gen resin that switches from solid to liquid using light! Dive into synthesizing, testing, and refining this unique material with exciting potential in the watch industry and beyond. Ideal for a chemistry or engineering student ready to explore the full journey—from lab synthesis to real-world application. Join us to make light a game-changer in material science!
Technician (60-100%)
Prof. Christoph Messner’s lab in Davos is looking for an enthusiastic candidate to join our team at the Precision Proteomics Center at the Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), affiliated with the University of Zurich as a Technician (60-100%). At the Precision Proteomics Center, we develop and apply cutting-edge, mass spectrometry- based technologies to analyze clinical samples (body fluids, tissues, cells) to identify new biomarkers and disease mechanisms that will contribute to the next generation of personalized treatments. The position is available for an immediate start and will be contracted until the end of 2026, with the possibility of extension.
Machine Learning-Assisted Design of Biopolymer-Based Hybrid Materials
Discovering optimal composition of bio-based compounds and process conditions to achieve specific properties is a complex, multifaceted problem that requires extensive domain knowledge and intuitive insights. It can be effectively addressed by combining experimental design, optimization techniques and machine learning. The project will be carried out in the Cellulose & Wood Materials Laboratory under supervision of Dr. Gustav Nyström and Dr. Mark Schubert at Empa Dübendorf and is aimed at exploring the material design space more effectively by leveraging advanced machine learning algorithms.
Master’s Thesis Opportunity: Cutting-Edge Research in Nanoscience for Biomedical Imaging
Are you passionate about interdisciplinary, cutting-edge research that pushes the boundaries of biomedical technology? Join our team to develop material-based solutions for advanced biomedical applications! Our lab has recently pioneered a groundbreaking synthesis method to precisely control the chemical and optical properties of 2D copper tetrasilicate nanosheets. With outstanding fluorescence in the near-infrared (<900 nm), these nanosheets are paving the way for innovative applications in fluorescence imaging and sensing, driving a renewed excitement in nanoscience.
Master’s Thesis Opportunity: Advancing Infection Theragnostics through 2D Materials
Are you ready to dive into interdisciplinary, innovative research at the forefront of infection theragnostics? Join our team to design advanced materials that could revolutionize the way infections are detected and treated! Our lab is focused on synthesizing and optimizing the surface chemistry of 2D materials to address pressing challenges in infection control and diagnostics. This project offers a unique chance to develop materials that can be engineered to detect, target, and treat infections effectively.
Gene/Nucleic Acid Delivery, Brigham and Women's Hospital
Gene therapies have the potential to enable the treatment of multiple currently uncurable 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 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. We currently have openings for applicants who are interested in doing research in gene delivery. The outstanding candidate(s) will assist investigators in the Traverso Laboratory at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) to develop novel nonviral gene delivery platforms (i.e., lipid and polymer-based nanoparticles for nucleic acid delivery). The research is completely wet lab work, where the work will consist of molecular biology, in vitro experiments, in vivo experiments, and/or polymer chemistry. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, so apply early for the greatest consideration.
Point-of-Care Sensor for Urinary Iodine
The goal of the project is to develop a cheap and disposable sensor capable of determination of iodine levels in human urine for early diagnostic purposes.
Investigating the influence of surface impurities in metal oxides for chemical looping
Perovskites are promising oxygen carrier materials, able to release a significant proportion of their lattice oxygen to the environment under relevant conditions. Provided the material is phase-pure, this release is reversible. However, the presence of surface impurities may impact the release and uptake rates of oxygen of the material. This thesis aims to understand the impact of surface impurities on these rates, by investigating their surface concentration and nature using advanced material characterisation techniques, and evaluating the oxygen release and uptake rates using thermogravimetry.
Development of a Novel Metal Sulfide Sensor for Breath Analysis
Breath analysis is a non-invasive method to detect biomarkers like acetone, which provides an insight into your metabolism. Existing acetone sensors often require high operating temperatures, limiting their integration into compact devices. This project focuses on developing a room-temperature acetone sensor using metal sulfides, a promising material for such applications. The sensor will be fabricated, characterized, tested with breath samples, validated using mass spectrometry, and finally integrated into a device platform for practical use.
Factory-on-a-chip: intelligent microrobots made from microfluidic technology
This Master's thesis/semester project focuses on the microfluidic fabrication of micromachines with multi-environmental responsiveness. The aim is to develop micromachines capable of adapting to various environmental cues. We envision that these micromachines will be used for complex tasks in biomedical and environmental applications.
Collagen volumetric (bio)printing
We are seeking a highly motivated graduate student with a background in mechanical engineering, chemistry, or biomedical engineering to join our interdisciplinary research team focused on advancing collagen volumetric printing (Master thesis level). Collagen, a major structural protein in the extracellular matrix, is integral to tissue engineering due to its biocompatibility and ability to support cell growth [1]. Traditional 3D bioprinting methods, such as layer-based or extrusion-based printing, are often hindered by long processing times, making them less suitable for cell-laden collagen printing. Volumetric printing, an emerging technology, offers a rapid method for constructing 3D collagen scaffolds [2]. However, this approach faces challenges in achieving high fidelity and resolution at the centimeter scale, primarily due to issues with energy contrast during the printing process, which can lead to overpolymerization and compromise the quality of the constructs [3]. Additionally, the resulting structures often have lower stiffness, risking mechanical integrity during post-processing [4]. This project aims to address these challenges by investigating biocompatible free radical photoinhibitors to enhance energy contrast and improve the fidelity of collagen volumetric printing, alongside strategies to strengthen the mechanical properties of the printed structures.
Advanced manufacturing of drug delivery systems
In this project, we will use advanced manufacturing to produce drug delivery systems that can be use several clinical challenges such as micronutrients anaemia and type 2 diabetes. Polymer formulation combined with advanced post-processing approaches will be used to scale up the production of drug delivery systems having specific release profile. In vitro studies will be performed to characterize the efficiency of the produced drug delivery systems.
Chemical composition of atmospheric aerosol particles from Greenland, the Arctic and the Alps
Global warming induces emissions changes in global ecosystems, for example changes to marine algal blooms, emerging terrestrial vegetation, increasing glacial dust or fires. At the same time human activities in the cryosphere cause emissions from traffic, domestic activities and animal herding. All these emissions change the composition of the atmosphere. As part of this project, you will have the option to analyse aerosol filter samples in the lab, collected during different (ongoing) campaigns, like the GreenFjord project's atmospheric cluster (https://greenfjord-project.ch/). The main task will be to analyse the freshly created data to understand the complex puzzle of atmospheric aerosol sources. You will use state-of-the art mass spectrometers to shed light into the chemical composition of aerosol particles. This work will be carried out at and with the team of the Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry at PSI, Switzerland.
Investigating Cellular Mechanotransduction of Wound Healing within a Macroporous Biomaterial
We aimed to design a biomaterial suitable for 3D, in situ stiffening to mimic changes to the dermis during fibrosis and wound healing. By adapting Methacrylated Hyaluoronic Acid (MeHA), a material previously used for 2D in situ studies, to create a 3D macroporous gel comprised of fibrous microgels, we hypothesize we will be able to dynamically increase matrix stiffness without increasing cell confinement, allowing us to identify new mechanotransduction pathways involved in fibrosis and wound healing, specifically myofibroblast activation and macrophage polarization.
Shaping Microrobots from Ferrofluid Droplets
We invite applications for a Master's thesis / semester project that focuses on the fabrication of microrobots with custom shapes. Using our developed droplet printing technique, this project will explore how different microrobot shapes, created by different magnetic fields and materials, influence their control behaviors in blood vessels. This research aims to advance biomedical technologies, particularly in targeted drug delivery and minimally invasive procedures.
EPR Spectroscopy (Prof. Gunnar Jeschke)
Our group of chemists, physicists, and technical staff works on understanding and controlling structure formation on length scales between 1 and 100 nanometers. The principal tool is electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR or ESR) spectroscopy with an emphasis on distance measurements in the nanometer range between spin probes by advanced pulsed techniques.
Fully funded PhD studentship in synthetic biology and gene editing (University of Cambridge)
Applications are invited for a fully funded 3.5-year PhD studentship in the field of synthetic biology and gene editing, based in the Department of Chemistry at Cambridge University under the supervision of Dr Julian Willis.
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.
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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