PhD position on engineering of machine perfusion platforms for organ and tissue culture

PhD position on engineering of machine perfusion platforms for organ and tissue culture #

100%, Zurich, fixed-term ####

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The Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory (Prof. Mark W. Tibbitt) within the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering (D-MAVT) at ETH Zürich, Switzerland engineers and applies advanced polymeric materials and medical devices for a range of biomedical and industrial uses. The recent focus of the group includes the development of:

(i) rational design of dynamic polymer networks;
(ii) (bio)material processing;
(iii) organ perfusion and regeneration;
(iv) tools to study mechanobiology and cell-matrix interactions; and
(v) engineered drug delivery systems.

The lab is composed of a highly interdisciplinary and international team of motivated researchers. To expand on our expertise in machine perfusion device design and extend our platforms to new biological systems, we are recruiting a full-time (100%) doctoral candidate with a background in electrical or mechanical engineering, with an intended starting date on or after 01. September 2026.

Project background ##

The Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory has a long-standing research program in the engineering of ex situ organ perfusion systems, developed as part of the interdisciplinary Liver4Life project in collaboration with the University Hospital Zürich and the Wyss Zürich Translational Center. Over the past decade, the lab co-developed a normothermic machine perfusion platform that replicates key physiological functions - including pulsatile circulation, oxygenation, dialysis, and hormone and nutrient supplementation - to maintain organs viable outside the body for extended periods. This work culminated in world-first demonstrations of human liver preservation for one week ex situ [Eshmuminov et al. Nat. Biotechnol. 2020] and the first clinical transplantation of a liver treated and recovered in a perfusion machine [Clavien et al. Nat. Biotechnol. 2022]. In parallel, the lab has developed a compact machine perfusion platform for rat liver, enabling fundamental studies of organ metabolism, pharmacology, and perfusion biomarker discovery under controlled ex situ conditions.

Job description ##

• The Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory has a long-standing research program in the engineering of ex situ organ perfusion systems, developed as part of the interdisciplinary Liver4Life project in collaboration with the University Hospital Zürich and the Wyss Zürich Translational Center
• Over the past decade, the lab co-developed a normothermic machine perfusion platform that replicates key physiological functions - including pulsatile circulation, oxygenation, dialysis, and hormone and nutrient supplementation - to maintain organs viable outside the body for extended periods
• This work culminated in world-first demonstrations of human liver preservation for one week ex situ [Eshmuminov et al. Nat. Biotechnol. 2020] and the first clinical transplantation of a liver treated and recovered in a perfusion machine [Clavien et al. Nat. Biotechnol. 2022]
• In parallel, the lab has developed a compact machine perfusion platform for rat liver, enabling fundamental studies of organ metabolism, pharmacology, and perfusion biomarker discovery under controlled ex situ conditions
• This doctoral project will have two main thrusts. In the first, the student will develop expertise on the lab's existing machine perfusion platforms for human and rat liver
• This will include learning the engineering design, assembly, and operation of the perfusion hardware; developing improved control software and sensor integration for real-time monitoring of physiological parameters (pH, oxygen tension, glucose, lactate, pressure, flow); and supporting ongoing perfusion experiments in collaboration with clinical and biological partners
• In the second thrust, the student will conceive, design, and prototype next-generation perfusion-based platforms for new biological applications
• The doctoral student is explicitly encouraged to bring their own ideas to shape the direction of this work, in discussion with the broader team
• The doctoral student will work in close collaboration with and be supported by an interdisciplinary team of engineers, biologists, and clinicians both within the lab and through our established partnerships with the Hub for Translational Research and Liver/GI Health
• In addition to research, the PhD candidate is expected to contribute to lab duties and teaching, including student supervision, lecture support, and practical courses in the lab

Profile ##

• We are seeking a curious, motivated, and self-driven individual with strong engineering fundamentals and a passion for building devices that operate at the interface of engineering and medicine
• Academic excellence, a professional work attitude, and a proactive and self-driven work ethic are expected.
• The candidate must be able to fluently communicate in English (oral and written) and be willing to work in a highly interactive, international team
• Applicants must hold a MSc degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, biomedical engineering, process engineering, robotics, or a related field
• A working knowledge of electromechanical system design-including sensors, actuators, pumps, and control systems-is required
• Practical experience in one or more of the following would be advantageous: embedded systems programming and real-time control (e.g., LabVIEW, Simulink Real-Time, ROS, C/C++, STM32); analog and digital PCB design; machine design and prototyping (e.g., CAD modelling, 3D printing, machining); biomedical device or microfluidic device development; or hands-on experience working in a biology or clinical research environment
• The doctoral position is intended for 4 years, at 100% employment, and will be supervised by Prof. Dr. Mark W