PhD-student (f/m/d) for the EU Horizon DN ReWIRE project – Design and microfluidic production of…

The DWI – Leibniz-Institute for Interactive Materials is a federal and state funded research institute of the Leibniz Association based on the Melaten Campus of RWTH Aachen University. International young and experienced scientists from various disciplines develop interactive materials based on the principles of nature. It is a location at which people with different talents, experiences and skills work together, in order to learn from one another and generate new knowledge and new methods to create a better quality of life in our world.

DWI invites applications for a position as

PhD-student (f/m/d) for the EU Horizon DN ReWIRE project

You will work on an interdisciplinary project within the ReWIRE Doctoral Network (Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action). ReWIRE is set up to equip next-generation scientists with unique skills to develop ground-breaking therapeutic solutions for patients with paralysis. The specific transdisciplinary and translational aspects will fill a gap in the traditional education programs and foster R&D competence in the field of medical products and therapies focused on spinal cord injury (SCI). The first objective is to establish an international, interdisciplinary, and intersectoral educational network that develops and links high-tech routes into new personalized, combinatorial approaches to rewire the spinal cord. The second objective is to build a clinical data platform for SCI. The third objective is to position Europe at the forefront of therapy for SCI. ReWIRE follows an international, inter­dis­ciplinary, and intersectoral approach organized in 8 and 7 inter­wo­ven work and training packages, respectively.

The training and research parts are focused on developing the next generation specialists and technologies in the European Research Area (ERA) to conform to the rapidly evolving technologies for individualized therapies to treat SCI. Specifically, ReWIRE aims to establish meaningful long-term and autonomous functional recovery by combining axonal regrowth and reconnection with new neuronal circuits, controlled by the brain and boosted by neuromodulation. The overall goal is to translate combinatorial SCI therapies from bench to bedside in a timely manner, thereby improving the quality of life and reducing societal burden. To regenerate the spinal cord, axons must be reactivated and stimulated, chemo-attracted, supported, and guided across the lesion site and into the spared tissue. Plasticity of spared connections must be generated in combination with functional new connections via the formation of terminal-like contacts, exhibiting synaptic markers and re-establishing electrophysiological conduction capacity across the lesion. The convergent approach will lead to combinatorial therapies to repair the spinal cord after injury, which, to date, has not been successful using individual therapies.

Partners of ReWIRE: DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials (Aachen); Pepscan (Netherlands); Technische Universität Hamburg (Germany); Eindhoven University of Technology (Netherlands); ONWARD Medical (Netherlands); Clinatec (France); Scuola Superiore Sant’ Anna Pisa (Italy); Wearable Robotics (Italy); Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL, Switzerland), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (Switzerland); Zürich University (Switzerland); Imperial College London (UK); King’s College London (UK)

Your tasks

The main objective is to employ microfluidics to design and produce drug delivery systems for controlled delivery of bioactive factors to support regenerating nerves after spinal cord injury. The project will mainly combine engineering and chemistry to tune the release kinetics of the drugs in vitro. This work will not involve in vivo work, that part will be performed by another student.

Your profile

We are looking for an applicant with a high level of commitment, team spirit and organizational skills. The applicant should have a Master’s degree in Bio-, Chemical-, Physical Sciences, ideally in the fields of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology. Very good knowledge of written and spoken English is a requirement.

DWI offers

• A company pension scheme within the framework of VBL
• 30 days annual leave
• Flexible and family-friendly working conditions
• An open and team-oriented working atmosphere in an international environment
• The support of a very dedicated team
• State of the art equipment
• Good traffic situation including parking garage
• Restaurants and cafeterias in the immediate vicinity
• Proximity to the city center

The DWI supports you in gaining further qualifications. We offer our employees an appealing working atmosphere, see https://www.dwi.rwth-aachen.de/seite/institutskultur .

An overview of our measures for equal opportunities and for improving the compatibility of work and family can be found at https://www.dwi.rwth-aachen.de/seite/arbeiten-am-dwi .

The DWI – Leibniz Institute values diversity and therefore welcomes all applications – regardless of gender, disability, nationality or ethnic and social origin.

How to apply

The position has to be filled by May 2023.

Employment will be within the framework and exclusively with funding from the Marie Skłodowska Curie Action Doctoral Networks – DN (variant: European Doctoral Network DN) under the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon Europe (2021-2027). A monthly amount of 3.942,20 € will be provided by the Research Executive Agency. This amount corresponds to the budgetary burden for the employment of the EU researcher and, after deduction of the employer’s social security contributions, equals the gross salary for the activities to be remunerated. This amount includes both the monthly allowance (Living Allowance) – in the amount of 3.342,20 € – corrected by the country coefficient specified by the European Commission at the time of the call, and the mobility allowance – in the amount of 600,00 €.

If you are interested and you are open to new professional challenges, we would be delighted to receive an application from you.

Please upload your complete application documents (curriculum vitae, copies of final and work references, letter of motivation) under “Apply now” or under https://dwi.jobs.personio.de/job/843843?_pc=722613#apply

Please note that the doctoral candidate may not have lived or worked in Germany for more than 12 months in the 36 months prior to recruitment.

Contact Information: Dr. Jose L. Gerardo Nava, De Laporte Research Group (Advanced Materials for Biomedicine) gerardo@dwi.rwth-aachen.de

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