DAAD scholarships for international PhD students (m/f/d)

Prof. Dr. Ulrike Nuber - Stem cell and developmental biology:
Three-dimensional (3D) human tissue models generated in the laboratory represent versatile in vitro models for human disease studies, drug development and toxicology assessment. They have the potential to reduce animal testing and hold great promise for regenerative medicine. However, their routine application is hindered by several limitations of the current models. One critical limitation is the lack of control over the precise spatial arrangement of cell types. Another limitation of human tissue models with diameters of more than several hundred µm is the lack of a vascular system that transports oxygen, nutrients, and metabolic waste products to and from cells.
In natural human tissues, morphogen gradients steer the spatial development and maintenance of cell types. We have developed diffusion-based devices beyond the scale of microfluidic ones to regionalize human multicellular assemblies through concentration gradients of small bioactive molecules. Moreover, we harness the intrinsic morphogenetic capacity of vascular cells to generate a microvasculature in multicellular 3D human cell models. This process is supported by the integration of biomaterials into 3D cell cultures. To monitor cellular stages and positions in human tissue models, we have generated hiPSC fluorescent reporter lines by the CRISPR-Cas9 system.

Qualification profilePlease carefully review the application requirements and admission process BEFORE submitting your application here: https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/graduate-school-lse/phd_program/funding/daad_gssp/daad_gssp.en.jsp

Applications are exclusively accepted via the online application form

Application deadline: February 28, 2025

• Interdisciplinary Research: Explore cutting-edge projects at the intersection of engineering and life sciences
• Global Network: Join a vibrant community of scientists and experts from diverse backgrounds.
• Excellence in Supervision: Conduct your doctoral studies under the supervision of renowned scientists and benefit from the accompanying PhD programme of the Graduate School LSE

Join us in pushing the boundaries of knowledge and fostering groundbreaking discoveries. Your journey to academic excellence starts here!