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PhD Student
Fully ERC-funded PhD Position in Tissue Engineering Research Full-time NEW
Fully ERC-funded PhD Position in Tissue Engineering Research
@ University College Dublin in Ireland
DEciphering Species-specific dImorphism in inteGriN-ExtraCellular matrix Mechanobiology (DESIGN-ECM)
About the Project
The ECM2 lab led by Associate Professor Seungkuk Ahn at University College Dublin in Ireland has an opening for a PhD student to work on the ERC-funded “DESIGN-ECM” project. 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 Postdoc and PhD student to establish the core methodologies and data sets for the first 48 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. Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for 4-year full-time PhD position at the UCD Charles Institute of Dermatology, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
The PhD candidate will use the advanced tissue engineering and bionanotechnology to characterise and engineer species- and sex-specific biomaterials. The candidate will work with various techniques/tools including synthetic chemistry, hydrogel, electron microscopy, confocal microscopy, atomic force microscopy, qPCR, omics, mammalian cells and organoid culture. The candidate will join a group under the supervision of Dr. Seungkuk Ahn (Associate Professor of Cutaneous Biology at UCD Charels Institute of Dermatology).
Qualifications / Expertise
The position is open to candidates who have a 1st class or a 2:1 honours first degree and have/are due to obtain a Master’s in Biomaterials, Biomedical Engineering, Tissue Engineering, Cell Biology, or related disciplines. The ideal candidate should have experience in as many of the following techniques as possible: mammalian cell culture; molecular biology; extracellular matrix; protein and gene analysis; immunohistochemistry; 3D tissue models; Organoids. The candidate should have excellent communication and organisational skills; be highly motivated and have strong written, oral and interpersonal skills. The candidate should be able to work independently and synergistically and as a part of team.
Funding
The four-year PhD studentship includes EU tuition fees and a tax free stipend of €30,000 per year. All research costs will be covered. The candidates will have opportunities to attend conferences relevant to their fields. Students will be enrolled onto UCD’s structured PhD programme which includes some taught elements and transferrable skills training providing an excellent foundation for a research career (www.ucd.ie/graduatestudies/researchstudenthub/researchprogrammes/).
About the Research Team
Associate Professor Seungkuk Ahn is a Conway Fellow, a funded investigator in the ERC Starting Grant, and a PI within UCD Charles Institute of Dermatology. Dr. Ahn leads a multidisciplinary research group investigating biomaterial design, tissue engineering techniques, in vitro tissue models, and mechanobiology to better understand human pathophysiology and develop more clinically-relevant preclinical models. For more information, please see www.ahn-ecm.ie.
Starting date
The candidate must start in 1 May 2027.
How to apply
Please [Please click the Apply button for the link or address] a cover letter, CV, and referee’s contact details (2 referees min) to Associate Professor Seungkuk Ahn, no later than 30 Nov 2026.