PhD position engineering of machine perfusion platforms organ and tissue culture

PhD position on engineering of machine perfusion platforms for organ and tissue culture

The Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory (Prof. Mark W. Tibbitt) within the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering (D-MAVT) at ETH Zürich, Switzerland engineers and applies advanced polymeric materials and medical devices for a range of biomedical and industrial uses. The recent focus of the group includes the development of: (i) rational design of dynamic polymer networks; (ii) (bio) material processing; (iii) organ perfusion and regeneration;

(iv) tools to study mechanobiology and cell–matrix interactions; and (v) engineered drug delivery systems. The lab is composed of a highly interdisciplinary and international team of motivated researchers. To expand our expertise in machine perfusion device design and extend our platforms to new biological systems, we are recruiting a full‑time (100 %) doctoral candidate with a background in electrical or mechanical engineering, with an intended starting date on or after 01 September 2026.

The Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory has a long‑standing research program in the engineering of ex situ organ perfusion systems, developed as part of the interdisciplinary Liver4

Life project in collaboration with the University Hospital Zürich and the Wyss Zürich Translational Center. Over the past decade, the lab co‑developed a normothermic machine perfusion platform that replicates key physiological functions — including pulsatile circulation, oxygenation, dialysis, and hormone and nutrient supplementation — to maintain organs viable outside the body for extended periods. This work culminated in world‑first demonstrations of human liver preservation for one week ex situ and the first clinical transplantation of a liver treated and recovered in a perfusion machine.

In parallel, the lab has developed a compact machine perfusion platform for rat liver, enabling fundamental studies of organ metabolism, pharmacology, and perfusion biomarker discovery under controlled ex situ conditions.

• Acquire expertise on the lab’s existing perfusion platforms for human and rat liver, learning engineering design, assembly, and operation of the hardware.
• Develop improved control software and sensor integration for real‑time monitoring of physiological parameters (pH, oxygen tension, glucose, lactate, pressure, flow).
• Support ongoing perfusion experiments in collaboration with clinical and biological partners.
• Conceive, design, and prototype next‑generation perfusion‑based platforms for new biological applications.
• Bring own ideas to shape the direction of the work through discussion with the interdisciplinary team.
• Collaborate closely with engineers, biologists, and clinicians within the lab and through established partnerships with the Hub for Translational Research and Liver/GI Health.
• Contribute to lab duties and teaching, including student supervision, lecture support, and practical courses.

• MSc degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, biomedical engineering, process engineering, robotics, or a related field.
• Strong engineering fundamentals and a passion for building devices at the interface of engineering and medicine.
• Academic excellence, professional work attitude, and proactive, self‑driven work ethic.
• Fluent in English (oral and written) and willingness to work in a highly interactive, international team.
• Working knowledge of electromechanical system design—including sensors, actuators, pumps, and control systems.
• Advantageous experience: embedded systems programming and real‑time control (e.g., LabVIEW, Simulink Real‑Time, ROS, C/C++, STM
  32); analog and digital PCB design; machine design and prototyping (CAD modelling, 3D printing, machining); biomedical device or microfluidic device development; hands‑on experience in a biology or clinical research environment.
• Successful completion of admission to the Doctoral Program at ETH Zürich.

The position is hosted in the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering (D‑MAVT) of ETH Zürich, on the Zentrum Campus in Zürich, Switzerland. ETH Zürich is a global leader in science and engineering, consistently ranking among the top universities worldwide. Zürich is an international city with broad access to outdoor activities, arts and culture, and a vibrant scientific community.

We promote equality of opportunity, value diversity, and nurture a working and learning environment in which the rights and dignity of all staff and students are respected. Sustainability is a core value; ETH Zürich is consistently working toward a climate‑neutral future.