UCD Post-Doc Lvl 1,Charles Institute of Dermatology, 36 months

University College Dublin; Dublin; On-site; EUR 43,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

University College Dublin invites applications for a temporary Post-doctoral Research Fellow Level 1 in the ECM lab, part of the DESIGN-ECM ERC project. The role focuses on species and sex effects in extracellular matrix and cells to advance 3D tissue models.

The position involves collaboration with two PhD students, development of 3D ECM scaffolds, in vitro validation, and 3D ovarian organoid model work. Start date: 01 May 2027, salary €47,273 per annum.

Qualifications

• Communication and interpersonal skills.
• Bioengineering, Tissue Engineering, and Mechanobiology expertise.
• Organoids and Extracellular matrix engineering knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Engineer and characterise 3D ECM scaffolds for experiments.
• Perform in vitro cell validations to test designs.
• Develop 3D ovarian organoid models and contribute to ERC project goals.

Skills

Communication

Bioengineering

Tissue engineering

Mechanobiology

Organoids

Extracellular matrix

Job description

Applications are invited for a temporary post of a UCD Post-doctoral Research Fellow Level 1 within UCD School of Medicine - Charles Institute of Dermatology.

The ECM lab led by Associate Professor Seungkuk Ahn at University College Dublin in Ireland has an opening for a Postdoctoral Research position (PD level 1) to work on the ERC-funded "DESIGN-ECM" project to investigate the role of species and sex of extracellular matrix and cells for better designing 3D tissue models.

Human mimetic preclinical models imitate human organs, tissues, and diseases to enable safer, more accurate testing for new drugs and therapies. Such models are created by employing core biomaterials and cells existing in our tissues. These models have significant potential to enhance our understanding of human disease and the development of treatments. However, the majority of human preclinical models to date have neglected the species and sex of the extra cellular matrix and cells as biological variables, while species- and sex-dependent biomaterial and cell properties have been well acknowledged in animal and clinical studies.

Led by Dr Seungkuk Ahn, DESIGN-ECM will address this gap by investigating species-driven dimorphism in biomaterials and cell biology across various disciplines such as materials science, bioengineering, organoids, mechanobiology, nanobiotechnology. Success in this project will reshape the design of future preclinical models to seriously reckon with species and sex of biomaterials and cells, moving towards personalised tissue models in the long term.

Candidates will work together with 2 PhD students to establish the core methodologies and data sets for the first 36 months of the total 60-month ERC project. The main scientific works will 1) engineer and characterise 3D ECM scaffolds, 2) perform in vitro cell validations, and 3) develop 3D ovarian organoid models. The start date of this position is 01 May 2027.

Fixed Salary: €47,273 Per Annum

Closing date: 12:00 noon (local Irish time) on 05 November 2026.

Desired Skills and Experience

Communication and interpersonal skills, Bioengineering, Tissue Engineering, Mechanobiology, Organoids, Extracellular matrix protein engineering