PhD Position in Microfluidics for Assembly of Synthetic Cells for Energy Production, Nutrient Metabolism and Molecular Transport
ETH Zurich · Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences
The in the Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences at ETH Zürich, a world-leading group for the development of novel microfluidic technologies, is looking for a motivated PhD student in cutting-edge research in microfluidics and synthetic biology. Living systems rely on continuous energy conversion to maintain vital functions, transforming external energy sources into biochemical units like ATP and NAD(P)H to power metabolic processes. One approach to understanding this complexity is to reconstruct a cell from scratch using a minimal set of components, i.e., to build a synthetic cell. In synthetic biology, micrometer-sized lipid vesicles can serve as artificial cells, providing a platform to reconstruct and manipulate essential biological functions. However, current methods to generate giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) face challenges such as size heterogeneity, inefficient membrane protein reconstitution, and limited compartmentalization. Overcoming these limitations is essential for engineering self-sustaining synthetic cells that can autonomously regulate energy metabolism and biochemical processes. Our approach integrates microfluidic precision with synthetic biology to engineer synthetic cells that autonomously regulate energy metabolism and biochemical processes. This interdisciplinary research is conducted in collaboration between ETH Zürich (Dr. Stavrakis) and the University of Bern (Prof. von Ballmoos). The outcomes will pave the way for innovative applications in biotechnology, biosensing, and synthetic bioengineering, contributing fundamentally to the design and fabrication of programmable living systems. We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to develop microfluidic platforms for reconstituting functional membrane proteins into lipid vesicles. The project combines microfluidics, super-resolution fluorescence imaging, and membrane protein biophysics to engineer synthetic cells that will autonomously regulate energy metabolism,…