Student Assistant: Microfluidic Engineering for Mechanobiology Studies in Zürich

Are you an engineering or material science student, who would like to help understand biology and cell behaviour? Are you fascinated by processes on the micron scale and like to build and try out new things? Have you maybe already worked with microfluidics, acoustofluidics or microscopy?

Then this position might be for you!

In this project, we are trying to better understand how immune and cancer cells interact with the mechanical forces surrounding them. For that, we are building a new research device to measure cell mechanical properties.

For that we are using microfluidics, droplet generation, simple microfabrication, acoustofluidics, voltage-amplifiers, fluorescent microscopy and image analysis, to put everything together into a new measurement method.

Your task will be to set up a new measurement method combining acoustofluidics and microfluidic droplets with cells. This involves learning and applying:

• Basics of droplet microfluidics + acoustofluidics
• Programming & automation
• Basics of wet lab and cell culture
• Simple microfarbication
• Simple electrical engineering
• Fluorescence microscopy
• Image analysis

• You are a motivated student with an engineering or material science background, who that already gained some hands-on experience in a lab.
• Ideally you already gathered some skills in microfluidics, acoustofluidics, microscopy, microfabrication, modification of electrical circuits, and/or image analysis.
• You like to work independently, try out new things, come up with your own approaches, and communicate openly and proactively.

ETH Zurich is a family-friendly employer with excellent working conditions. You can look forward to an exciting working environment, cultural diversity and attractive offers and benefits.