The DBE (Developmental BioEngineering) group seeks a qualified candidate for a Postdoctoral position for a project that aims to develop smart in-situ crosslinking hydrogels, capable to locally deliver therapeutics to the heart.
Cardiovascular diseases are the primary causes of death and disability worldwide; especially
myocardial infarction, which is the consequence of coronary artery occlusion. In this project, we aim at developing hydrogel-based adhesives for topical application to the heart. These materials will locally release active principles capable of providing a better recovery to the heart muscle after coronary artery bypass graft surgeries or intracoronary stents implantation.
Your role in this project will initially be to synthesize in-situ crosslinking hydrogels, with defined mechanical and bioadhesive properties, and presenting encapsulated active principles. You will then optimize the biomaterial formulations to achieve sustained release of those therapeutics, and you will quantify this process by various (molecular) techniques. Moreover, together with researchers at TU Eindhoven, you will test the biological properties of these materials in vitro. Furthermore, in collaboration with researchers at University of Campinas (Brazil), you will test the performance of these biomaterials in an ex-vivo setting.
This Postdoc position is part of a larger 5-year binational project, funded by the Dutch Science Organization (NWO) and the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP). The project is conducted in close collaboration between the University of Twente and TU Eindhoven in the Netherlands, and the University of Campinas in Brazil as well as various industrial and societal partners. Short internship periods overseas are envisioned as part of the program.