Bioinspired materials and fabrication processes for regenerative medicine

The success of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine relies on the ability to recreate the structures and functions of biological systems.

Nature serves as a source of inspiration to develop innovative ways to organize multiple types of molecular building-blocks such as proteins across size scales and into functional structures. However, while great progress has been made generating remarkable nanostructures, translating sophisticated structures into practical applications remains a major challenge.

Proteins are Nature’s building-blocks that help create hierarchical structures that can grow, respond to environmental conditions, or exhibit outstanding mechanical properties. It is increasingly evident that proteins function as ensembles and their activity may be regulated by interacting with other molecules.

The PhD candidate will develop a new supramolecular fabrication method to organize proteins into functional macroscopic structures. The approach makes use of multicomponent self-assembling principles to organize proteins at multiple scales, generating biomaterials that can organize multiple types of cells and that exhibit properties of living systems. The project will take place at the interface between supramolecular chemistry, structural biology, biofabrication, and tissue engineering. The successful candidate will receive a full studentship (fees and stipend at UK/EU rates only) for 3 years.