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Senior Research Associate University of Portsmouth – Faculty of Science

Employment type: Fixed-term contract for 6 months

Interview date: 28 March 2019

We are seeking to appoint a Senior Research Associate (SRA) to contribute to the project “3D printing of complex scaffolds for the repair of osteochondral defects” developed in collaboration between the Biomaterials and Drug Delivery group (http://www.port.ac.uk/school-of-pharmacy-and-biomedical-sciences/research/biomaterials-and-drug-delivery/) and the Zeiss Global Centre (http://www.port.ac.uk/school-of-engineering/zeiss-global-centre/) at the University of Portsmouth.

Osteochondral lesions are painful, and predispose to osteoarthritis (OA), which is unquestionably one of the most important chronic health issues in humans, affecting an estimated 8.5 million people in the UK only. Due to the absence of vascularisation in cartilage, its regenerative capacity is limited, and treatment is required for repair. Severe limitations of current treatments, such as microfracture and autografts, have inspired research into more effective tissue engineering strategies, involving the implantation of stem cells able to repair the tissue. The implanted stem cells must be able to differentiate both into cartilage and bone cells. The differentiation of the cells can be controlled by changes in the modulus of the implant; however, there are no current scaffold materials that allow this concurrent double differentiation. We therefore propose to use our state of the art 3D bioprinter (Cellink) – able to co-print multiple materials and cells – to develop complex structures of biocompatible polymers of selected stiffness and porosity, to study how architectural and mechanical properties of the scaffold guide cells differentiation into the two types of cells desired.

The successful candidate will have a PhD degree or equivalent with experience in tissue culture in particular with stem cells, knowledge of some of the following areas is desirable: bioengineering, mechanobiology, x-ray/confocal microscopy, mechanical testing, 3D printing and biomaterial formulation. The SRA will work in a dynamic environment and benefit from the existing collaborative research between Dr Marta Roldo (expert in the synthesis, formulation and characterisation of biocompatible materials), Dr Petko Petkov (expert in mechanical and design engineering required to adapt the 3D printing process to the higher complexity of bio 3D printing) and Dr Gianluca Tozzi (X-ray computed tomography and correlative imaging).

The post is based at the School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science, University of Portsmouth, with the appointment effective as soon as possible or no later than 1st April 2019. For informal enquiries please contact Dr Marta Roldo at marta.roldo@port.ac.uk or phone +44 (0)23 9284 3586.

Location:Portsmouth
Salary:£30,395 to £34,189 per annum
Hours:Full Time
Contract Type:Fixed-Term/Contract
Placed On:18th February 2019
Closes:9th March 2019
Job Ref:ZZ005155

webpage for applications:

https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/BQH756/senior-research-associate


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