Biomaterials

Hilde Loge Nilsen discusses research on ageing, cellular repair and proposals to extend healthy life. Conversation in Norwegian.

Doctoral research in the PERMEATE project on peptide–membrane interactions and lipid nanoparticles for cancer therapy and bacterial-infection treatments. Combine organic synthesis and click chemistry with scattering, surface measurements, spectroscopy and quantitative analysis. The paid appointment lasts three years, with a possible fourth year including other career-development duties. Work is at the Department of Chemistry in Oslo’s Life Science Building; start must be no later than 1 January 2027.

A four-year FPI predoctoral employment contract in Marité Cárdenas’s Biocolloids and Neutron Scattering Laboratory. Investigate how lipoprotein and lipid-nanoparticle structure, heterogeneity and protein coronas affect biological function, cellular delivery and endosomal escape. Methods include lipidomics/proteomics, X-ray and neutron scattering, infrared spectroscopy, single-particle profiling and cryo-electron microscopy. The appointment includes Chemistry PhD enrolment at UPV/EHU and access to international research facilities. The stated deadline is 31 October 2026, with rolling review from 30 September.

Three-year, full-time doctoral employment at DTU Construct on sustainable living construction materials. Investigate fungal–bacterial interactions and microbial biomineralization, develop hydrogels and printable bio-inks, and characterize their performance for extrusion-based 3D printing. Collaboration includes DTU Bioengineering and TU Delft, with international research stays. Start is 1 February 2027 or by agreement. The current employer portal closes applications on 1 November 2026 at 23:59 Danish time.

Astrocytes help sustain neural signaling and tissue stability, but injury and implanted devices cause them to change their functions. Tim O'Shea examines how the extent and timing of this response determine tissue protection, regeneration and implant durability. Limited renewal of adult astrocytes contrasts with the greater proliferation and migration of immature cells in newborn mammals. Around implants, continuing movement, infection and other stimuli can prolong the response and affect device performance. The talk uses astrocyte-specific transcriptomic assays to investigate this reprogramming and considers how to improve repair without sacrificing normal astrocyte functions. It also presents biomaterial and cell-transplant approaches being studied in preclinical stroke, spinal cord injury and implant-response models.

Real-time measurement of local biomolecule concentrations in living tissue requires sensors that are stable, selective and minimally invasive. This seminar examines single-walled carbon nanotubes, whose durable near-infrared fluorescence and sensitivity to their surroundings support optical biosensing. Biopolymer functionalization gives the nanotubes biological compatibility and selectivity for particular molecular targets. Spectroscopy, microscopy and machine-learning-assisted analysis are used to characterize sensor interactions and extract biological information, with applications spanning live-cell imaging, wearable sensing and continuous monitoring.

Cryopreservation constrains manufacturing and clinical delivery of immune cells such as NK and T cells. DMSO protects against freezing but becomes toxic at physiological temperatures; associated infusion morbidity can require washing or divided dosing that diminishes therapeutic effectiveness. This talk presents an alternative in which reversible, cytocompatible hydrogels encapsulate cells before freezing without DMSO. The speaker examines evidence that encapsulation cushions osmotic stress, suppresses kinetic and phase transitions, and reduces injury caused by extracellular ice growth and fusion. The discussion covers recovery efficiency, function after thawing, control of biological stress responses, and the challenges of extending the approach to clinical-scale cell preservation.

A four-year FPI predoctoral employment contract in Marité Cárdenas’s Biocolloids and Neutron Scattering Laboratory. Investigate how lipoprotein and lipid-nanoparticle structure, heterogeneity and protein coronas affect biological function, cellular delivery and endosomal escape. Methods include lipidomics/proteomics, X-ray and neutron scattering, infrared spectroscopy, single-particle profiling and cryo-electron microscopy. The appointment includes Chemistry PhD enrolment at UPV/EHU and access to international research facilities. The stated deadline is 31 October 2026, with rolling review from 30 September.