PhD in Living Hydrogels for Phage-Driven Wound Therapies

The Phage; Sankt Gallen; Remote; CHF 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Empa, a Swiss research institution within the ETH Domain in St. Gallen, invites applications for a PhD position in bacteria–materials interactions at its Biointerfaces Laboratory.

The project develops living hydrogel systems for treating wound infections caused by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and biofilms. You will work on injectable, self-healing hydrogels with probiotics and bacteriophages, exploring translational biomedical solutions in an interdisciplinary team with access to ETH Zurich

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a related field with strong interest in antimicrobial resistance and biomaterials.
• Excellent written and spoken English; ability to work in an interdisciplinary team.
• Experience with microbiology or hydrogel development is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Design and synthesise injectable hydrogel systems for local therapeutic delivery.
• Develop methods to encapsulate probiotics and bacteriophages within biomaterials.
• Investigate controlled delivery of living therapeutics at wound sites.
• Engineer and characterize phage-based antimicrobial strategies against pathogenic bacteria and biofilms.
• Characterise and optimise hydrogel properties and biological functionality.
• Evaluate tissue regeneration and the therapeutic potential of living hydrogel systems.
• Investigate mechanisms of action and the evolution of antimicrobial resistance.
• Contribute to interdisciplinary research and translational biomedical solutions.

Skills

English communication

Independent work

Interdisciplinary teamwork

Interest in AMR & biomaterials

Education

Master's degree in Biomaterials/Biomedical Engineering/Biotechnology/Microbiology/Molecular Biology or related field

Tools

Hydrogel synthesis

Probiotic and phage handling

Job description

Empa, a Swiss research institution within the ETH Domain in St. Gallen, invites applications for a PhD position in bacteria–materials interactions at its Biointerfaces Laboratory.

The project develops living hydrogel systems for treating wound infections caused by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and biofilms. You will work on injectable, self-healing hydrogels with probiotics and bacteriophages, exploring translational biomedical solutions in an interdisciplinary team with access to ETH Zurich