Helix Scaffold Fabrication Study using Electrohydrodynamic Printing 应用电喷技术制造螺旋支架

Three-dimensional (3D) cell-culture models have recently garnered great attention because they are capable to promote the levels of cell differentiation. The great hurdles of applying bioscaffold in that model come from the limited scaffold structure design and fabrication technologies. Electrohydrodynamic printing (EHDP) is utilized to fabricate fibrous scaffolds with micro/nano features in the last five years. The current studies only focus on printing mesh scaffold with straight fibers, thus resulting in limited cell attachment sites.

In this study, we propose a layer-based EHDP control mechanism to produce serpentine fibers and stack them into helix scaffolds, which can better mimic the natural extracellular matrix with enhanced cell culture performance. Thus, scaffolds can be specially designed in terms of pore size, shape and serpentine pattern to culture cells for anti-cancer drug screening and personalized drug treatment.

For more information about doctoral scholarship and PhD programme at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU): Please visit
http://www.xjtlu.edu.cn/en/study-with-us/admissions/entry-requirements
http://www.xjtlu.edu.cn/en/admissions/phd/feesscholarships.html

Requirements
The candidate should have a first class or upper second class honours degree, or a master’s degree (or equivalent qualification), in mechatronics, biomedical or biology area. Evidence of good spoken and written English is essential. The candidate should have an IELTS score of 6.5 or above, if the first language is not English. This position is open to all qualified candidates irrespective of nationality.

Degree
The student will be awarded a PhD degree from the University of Liverpool (UK) upon successful completion of the program.

How to Apply
Interested applicants are advised to email [Email Address Removed] (XJTLU principal supervisor’s email address) the following documents for initial review and assessment (please put the project title in the subject line).

• CV
• Two reference letters with company/university letterhead
• Personal statement outlining your interest in the position
• Proof of English language proficiency (an IELTS score of 6.5 or above)
• Verified school transcripts in both Chinese and English (for international students, only the English version is required)
• Verified certificates of education qualifications in both Chinese and English (for international students, only the English version is required)

Informal enquiries may be addressed to Professor Jie Sun ([Email Address Removed])