Scientific staff - Bioengineer

The University of Basel's Department of Biomedicine (DBM) is a unique interdisciplinary research environment established through a productive partnership between the University, the University Hospital Basel, and the Children's Hospital Basel. The department brings together basic and clinical scientists to develop innovative therapies for currently incurable diseases, promoting high-level translational biomedical research on an international scale.
The Inner Ear Research group, part of the Department of Biomedicine, offer a Bioengineer (max. 80%) position and a special opportunity to work and research on blood-labyrinth barrier (BLB) platform for the treatment of hearing loss.
The desired day of entry is October 1st 2023.
To date no medicines are available to address the debilitating condition of hearing loss which impacts over half a billion people worldwide. Drug delivery is a major problem in inner ear therapies development. We have succeeded in establishing a human BLB organ-on-chip model to help address these needs. For the first time, our platform allows investigation into the underlying physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms of hearing loss and barrier integrity (relevant to assess the ototoxicity profile of biopharmaceutical health interventions) as well as setting new standards in assessing drug profile of specific biopharmaceutical
classes.
 

• Set up, and fabrication of an organ on a chip according to the established protocol
• Processing and modifying its properties through the fabrication of a chip
• Adapting the established BLB-on-chip model to new, commercially available microfluidic devices
• Network model on chip/dynamic flow
• Validation of the chip
• Conducting a wide range of analytical tests, quality controls, safety assessments and sensory evaluations
• Providing detailed designs for implementing the research findings

General requirements
 

• Motivated, dedicated, and easy to work with - we encourage candidates from different backgrounds (nanoscience / microfabrication, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, biology, biophysics)
• Pragmatic mindset: You like to solve problems by finding (creative) solutions, whenever it is needed (but not because of it)
• Flexible mindset: Our challenges change regularly - and so does your role and tasks
• Self-discipline and organization: you take the initiative and structure your work
• Good communicator and team worker: You speak your mind, you are transparent to roadblocks, you share your knowledge - we are team players, and you are as well
• Solid English: We mostly communicate in English, but we also use German.

Special requirements
 

• Bachelor or Master degree in nanoscience/microfabrication, biomedical engineering, or a related discipline
• Preferably experience in microfluidics and organo-on-a-chip models (e.g. BBB on a chip)
• Working knowledge about the functionalization of microdevices and their properties is important
• Basic knowledge of cell biology (not mandatory)

The opportunity to work on something big and significant:

• Enabling potential preventive and curative breakthrough oral treatments, while being cost and time effective
• Ownership and responsibility for your area: Be in charge on how you deliver your work while meeting our high academic, ethical & professional standards
• Young, dynamic, and experienced colleagues: We are just starting in nanotechnology but have years of experience in the field of experimental and translational medicine
• Making an impact: Taking the initiative, trouble-shooting challenges, finding creative solutions
• Develop your professional skill set: Learning, practicing, experimenting – all in a supportive, cooperative team setting
• Collaboration with CSEM to establish an automated platform for the BLB chip, will contribute for learning new processes and methods

Application / Contact
Your application should include a CV, an overview on your past research experience including techniques you are competent in, some words on your motivation and scientific interests, and the contact details of at least two references.The position is available immediately, therefore, please apply as soon as possible, no later than September 30, 2023.
Kindly send your application as a pdf to: vesna.petkovic@unibas.ch
PD Dr. Vesna Petkovic, DBM-Inner Ear Research (Lab 410), Hebelstrasse 20, 4031
Basel