Characterising the effect of environmental cues on male reproductive cell response using hydrogels for the development of accurate preclinical models

Project Title: Characterising the effect of environmental cues on male reproductive cell response using hydrogels for the development of accurate preclinical models

Project: This project is seeking to recruit a PhD candidate to work as part of an ERC Starting Grant funded project (alongside two postdoctoral researchers and four other PhD candidates). The overall aim of the project is to address the growing incidence of male infertility, whereby human sperm counts in western society have dropped by over 50% during the past four decades and are projected to reach zero by 2045. Identifying the underlying causes and effective treatments for male infertility requires appropriate preclinical models of the male reproductive system that accurately represent the native tissue and provide reliable and reproducible data. This project will develop a representative, reliable and reproducible preclinical model of the male reproductive system. For more project information, please contact Dr Eoghan Cunnane ([Email Address Removed]).

Research Details: Candidates must have (or be in the final year of) a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in engineering, biology, chemistry, physics or a related field. The successful candidate will perform research in the following areas: (1) fabrication and characterisation of tissue derived hydrogels; (2) tailoring the composition, mechanics and morphology of hydrogels; (3) isolation, culture and analysis of mammalian cells.

Start Date: From March 2023 onwards for a 4-year period; positions will remain open until filled. Please apply even if you cannot start until later in the year.

Stipend: €18,500 per annum. Average monthly cost of shared accommodation in Limerick is ~€650.

How to Apply: Please submit CVs to [Email Address Removed]. Independent PhD Fellowship applications related to the project will also be supported. EU and non-EU applications are encouraged.

The Principal Investigator: After receiving his PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Limerick, Dr Eoghan Cunnane spent time working as a Research Fellow in the Tissue Engineering Research Group at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and the Stevens Group at the Imperial College London. Dr Cunnane is interested in hands on supervision with a drive to see work published or commercialised. Dr Cunnane has previously mentored 10 PhD students across a variety of projects including tissue characterisation, medical device design, regenerative medicine, and preclinical tissue modelling. As a former MSCA Fellow and ERC Starting Grant recipient, Dr Cunnane is well positioned to offer guidance and support on academic career progression for young researchers. Dr Cunnane publication history can be found at Google Scholar. A recent seminar by Dr Cunnane on his research to date and a brief overview of the project can be found at Bernal Seminar Series.

The Institute: The PhD student will be embedded in the Bernal Institute which consists of >400 researchers with backgrounds in pharmaceutics, chemistry, biopharmaceutics and engineering. The project will be based in the Bernal BioLabs which has award-winning infrastructure for biological applications and contains >25 principal investigators, >20 postdoctoral researcher and >50 PhD students. This project has received ERC funding to obtain dedicated equipment, thereby ensuring that the PhD student will have unimpeded access to the necessary research facilities and lab space. The BioLabs have received a Green Lab Certification from the My Green Lab program, which is considered the international gold standard in lab sustainability.