PhD position - Lab-on-a-Chip Platforms for Mechanobiology

At the University of Groningen (UG), researchers from all fields of academia and technology are working on academic challenges and societal questions. Lecturers prepare their students for meaningful careers within or outside the academic world. Interdisciplinary research and teaching, sharing of knowledge, collaboration with businesses, government institutions, and societal organizations are aspects that are of the utmost importance to this European top university. The UG aims to be an open academic community with an inclusive and safe working climate that invites you to add your value.

The Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) provides teaching and research across a wide range of disciplines, from physics and biology to artificial intelligence, mechanical engineering, and pharmacy. In close collaboration with partners from industry, healthcare, and society, we contribute to the urgent challenges of our time, such as energy, sustainability, digitization, and medical technology. Our community is open and informal, with more than 7,000 students, 1,000 PhD students, and 1,400 staff members from all over the world. If you would like to learn more about the Faculty of Science and Engineering, visitrug.nl/fse.

You will join The Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy (GRIP), which is positioned within FSE, and is physically located within the University Medical Centre Groningen (UMCG) of the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FMS). Pharmaceutical research within GRIP is multidisciplinary and bridges clinical and biomedical sciences on the one hand, and chemistry, mathematics, engineering, and physics on the other. The interaction between the pharmaceutical sciences with these fundamental and clinical sciences offers excellent opportunities for cutting-edge research.

Cells live in a world of forces. They are constantly pulled, stretched, and compressed, and these mechanical cues, alongside chemical signals, influence how cells grow and function. Yet such forces remain difficult to recreate in the laboratory.

In this project, you will develop a miniaturized on-chip platform capable of delivering precise, real-time mechanical stimulation to cells, enabling the study of cellular responses to mechanical cues in controlled microenvironments. In collaboration with cell biologists, you will use these platforms to investigate how cellular biomechanics are influenced by the surrounding microenvironment and to uncover mechanisms by which cells sense and interpret mechanical forces.

We are looking for someone who meets the following qualifications:

Essential qualifications

• M.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Bioengineering, or related disciplines
• Hands-on experience with microfabrication and microfluidics
• Strong background in fluid mechanics and transport phenomena
• Experience with fluorescence imaging or live-cell imaging
• Enthusiasm, self-motivation, creativity, and team spirit
• Excellent communication skills in English (verbal and written)

Preferred qualifications

• Hands-on experience with hydrogel synthesis
• Programming skills (Python, MATLAB, or similar) for data analysis
• Ability to design and implement microcontroller-based control systems (Arduino, Raspberry Pi, etc.)
• Familiarity with cell culture and biological assays