Postdoctoral and PhD Positions in Neurotechnology: Drug​/Biologics Carrier Formulation & Chemica

• Materials Science
• State-of-the-art electrophysiology

100%, Zurich, fixed-term

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The Neurotechnology Group of Prof. Mehmet Fatih Yanik at ETH Zurich is recruiting outstanding postdoctoral researchers and PhD students to join a newly funded LOOP Zurich Flagship Project focused on advancing a breakthrough technology to clinic for non-invasive targeted drug delivery to the brain.

Our laboratory recently developed a novel focused ultrasound-mediated targeted drug delivery platform, published in Nature Communications (), that enables localized, hyper-efficient delivery of therapeutic compounds to specific brain regions without invasive surgery.

We develop advanced focused ultrasound technologies,
ultrasound-responsive drug carrier formulations
, and adaptive closed-loop control algorithms as an integrated precision drug delivery platform for the brain. Our approach employs a novel two-component ultrasound strategy that first concentrates drug carriers within the target region and subsequently triggers localized drug release, achieving high therapeutic concentrations exclusively at the desired site while minimizing systemic exposure. The chemical formulation and engineering of these carriers - including their drug loading, encapsulation efficiency, and release kinetics - are central to the platform’s performance.

By integrating carrier formulation chemistry, chemical engineering, medical imaging, real-time sensing, and intelligent control into a unified system, this technology establishes a new paradigm for precision neurotherapeutics and opens new opportunities for treating epilepsy, brain tumors, neurodegenerative diseases, psychiatric disorders, and other neurological disorders.

The long-term goal of this project is to establish this technology as a clinically applicable therapeutic platform by advancing the chemical engineering of drug carrier formulations and integrating them with targeted ultrasound delivery, advanced neuroimaging, and closed-loop control.

The primary objective of this postdoctoral/PhD project is to advance the chemical formulation and engineering of ultrasound-responsive drug carriers from proof-of-concept toward clinical translation. Successful candidates will develop and optimize carrier formulations, assess drug loading and release performance, characterize carrier stability and biocompatibility, and contribute to the preparation of first-in-human clinical studies.

The project is conducted in close collaboration with Swiss Epilepsy Clinic Lengg
, the Department of Neurosurgery of the University Hospital Zurich
, and the Vetsuisse Faculty of the University of Zurich
.

The successful candidate will play a central role in the chemical formulation, engineering, and characterization of drug carriers for our focused ultrasound-mediated targeted drug delivery platform.

• Design and synthesis of ultrasound-responsive drug carrier formulations (e.g., micro-bubbles, nanodroplets, liposomes, or polymeric/lipid nanoparticles)
• Optimization of drug loading, encapsulation efficiency, and release kinetics
• Physicochemical characterization of carriers (size, zeta potential, stability, morphology)
• Chemical engineering of carrier production processes (e.g., microfluidics, emulsification, sonication)
• Assessment of carrier stability under ultrasound exposure and physiological conditions
• In vitro and in vivo evaluation of drug loading, release, and therapeutic efficacy
• Analytical method development for carrier and drug quantification (e.g., HPLC, DLS)
• Integration of carrier formulations with focused ultrasound delivery systems
• Collaboration with engineers and clinicians to prepare first-in-human clinical studies
• Contribution to regulatory-compliant formulation development and quality control

This is a highly interdisciplinary project at the interface of chemical engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, biomedical engineering, and translational medicine.

We are looking for highly motivated and creative researchers who enjoy solving challenging interdisciplinary problems.

Applicants For The PhD Position Should Hold a Bachelor's Degree And Preferably Also a Master's Degree;
Applicants For The Postdoctoral Position Should Hold a PhD, In One Of The Following Disciplines

• Chemical Engineering
• Chemistry
• Pharmaceutical Sciences / Pharmaceutics
• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• or a closely related field

• Excellent academic records from excellent institutions
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills, incl. programming (Python, MATLAB, or similar)
• Experimental laboratory experience in drug formulation, nanoparticle/microbubble synthesis, colloid chemistry, or related fields
• Hands-on experience with carrier characterization techniques (e.g., dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, HPLC, electron microscopy)
• Microfluidic synthesis/purification expertise
• Knowledge of drug…