Postdoctoral and PhD Positions in Neurotechnology: Drug Carrier Formulation for Brain Drug Delivery
Join ETH Zurich’s Neurotechnology Group to develop and optimize ultrasound-responsive drug carriers for non-invasive brain drug delivery.
Best for:Best for researchers with expertise in chemical engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, or biomedical engineering, passionate about translational drug delivery and interdisciplinary neurotechnology research.
Overview
ETH Zurich’s Neurotechnology Group, led by Prof. Mehmet Fatih Yanik, is offering postdoctoral and PhD positions within the LOOP Zurich Flagship Project. This interdisciplinary project focuses on advancing a novel focused ultrasound-mediated drug delivery platform to clinical application. The goal is to develop ultrasound-responsive drug carriers (e.g., microbubbles, nanodroplets, liposomes) that enable localized, efficient drug delivery to specific brain regions without invasive surgery. Successful candidates will contribute to chemical formulation, engineering, and characterization of these carriers, optimizing drug loading, release kinetics, and biocompatibility. The project integrates chemical engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, biomedical engineering, and translational medicine, with close collaboration with clinical partners including the Swiss Epilepsy Clinic Lengg and University Hospital Zurich.
What you'll do
- Design and synthesize ultrasound-responsive drug carrier formulations, including microbubbles, nanodroplets, liposomes, and polymeric/lipid nanoparticles.
- Optimize drug loading, encapsulation efficiency, and release kinetics of carrier formulations.
- Characterize carriers using physicochemical techniques such as dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential measurement, HPLC, and electron microscopy.
- Develop and implement chemical engineering processes for carrier production, including microfluidics and emulsification.
- Assess carrier stability under ultrasound exposure and physiological conditions, including in vitro and in vivo evaluations.
- Develop analytical methods for carrier and drug quantification, ensuring regulatory compliance.
- Collaborate with engineers and clinicians to prepare for first-in-human clinical studies.
- Contribute to regulatory-compliant formulation development and quality control procedures.
Requirements
Degree required: PhD in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Materials Science, Biomedical Engineering, or a closely related field (for postdoctoral positions); Bachelor’s and preferably Master’s degree in the same or related fields (for PhD positions).
Degree offered: PhD
Language: English; proficiency required for collaboration and communication within the interdisciplinary team.
Instruction: English
Publications: For postdoctoral applicants, a track record of peer-reviewed publications in drug delivery, nanomedicine, or pharmaceutical sciences is preferred.
- Strong experimental laboratory experience in drug formulation, nanoparticle/microbubble synthesis, or colloid chemistry.
- Hands-on experience with carrier characterization techniques (e.g., DLS, zeta potential, HPLC, electron microscopy).
- Programming skills in Python or MATLAB for quantitative analysis.
- Experience with microfluidic synthesis and purification processes.
- Knowledge of drug loading, encapsulation efficiency, and release kinetics assessment.
- Willingness and ability to conduct animal experiments for in vivo evaluations.
- No specific nationality or residency restrictions mentioned.
- Applicants must hold the required degree (PhD for postdoctoral positions, Bachelor’s/Master’s for PhD positions).
- No age limits or prior experience caps mentioned.
Funding & terms
How to apply
Applicants must submit a single PDF containing a cover letter, CV, transcripts, degree certificates, publications (if applicable), and contact details of at least two academic referees. Applications must be submitted exclusively through ETH Zurich’s online application portal. Email or postal submissions will not be considered.
- Cover letter (1 page) describing motivation and research interests
- Curriculum Vitae
- Bachelor’s and Master’s transcripts (PhD applicants) or PhD certificate and transcripts (postdoctoral applicants)
- Degree certificates
- Publications (if applicable)
- Contact details of at least two academic referees
Contact
Neurotechnology Group· Recruitment Contact
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