PhD Student - ECLectic (10 positions)

ElectroChemiLuminescence doctoral network for early sepsis diagnosis (ECLectic)

We are excited to advertise 10 three-year positions for PhD degrees to begin in June/November 2024 as part of the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action Doctoral Network (HE-MSCA DN) entitled “ElectroChemiLuminescence doctoral network for early sepsis diagnosis”.

ECLectic is a doctoral training network coordinated by the University of Bologna. Through an ambitious multidisciplinary doctoral program, we will train the next generation of clinically oriented analytical scientists capable of delivering innovative solutions that will improve the lives of patients, reduce the cost of healthcare and position Europe as a leader in biomedical devices.

We have selected sepsis as the target disease because it is a significant analytical challenge, demanding extreme detection sensitivity, high selectivity and extremely rapid response. ECL is a powerful diagnostics tool with exceptional performance in terms of signal to noise ratio. To reach these goals, we have assembled a highly inter- and multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral eclectic team of analytical scientists, (nano)(bio) materials specialists, microfluidic device engineers as well as clinicians so as to enable ultimate translation to the clinic.

Description of Projects (for more information see the project’s website):

• DC1 (Home institution: University of Bologna, IT) Project Title: ECL mechanism insight

Objectives: The main objective of this PhD is to address, from the physical chemistry point of view, the factors governing the generation of ECL during so called co-reactant mechanism.

Expected Results: DC should be able to (i) identify the rate determining step for the ECL generation; (ii) propose new set of chemicals and (iii) dye doped silica nanoparticles synthesis and optimization

Supervisor: Prof Valenti Giovanni

DC background, experience and skills: MSc, MRes, MEng in chemistry, materials chemistry or subjects related to photochemistry, electrochemistry, biosensing and the use of fluorescence and confocal microscopy.

• DC2 (Home institution: CIC BiomaGUNE, ES) Project Title: ECL-active dye doped C-dots

Objectives: The main objective of this PhD is to design and characterize different carbon based nanoparticles (C-dots) as multimodal platforms able to i) provide the required redox process and enhanced ECL response using one single system and avoid the use of additional co-reactants; ii) introduce functional units to assist/enhance the recognition of biological targets; iii) improve biocompatibility and affordability of the ECL responsive component. In addition DC will prepared different graphene hybrids as ink for innovative ECL active electrode material.

Expected Results: DC should be able to (i) prepare and characterize multicolour carbon nanodots for ECL and (ii) preparation of modified carbon-based materials with ECL activity

Supervisor:Prof. Maurizio Prato

DC background, experience and skills: MSc, MRes, MEng in chemistry, materials science or subjects related to organic synthesis, nanomaterials, nanotechnology characterization and functionalization.

• DC3 (Home institution: University of Milan, IT) Project Title: Earth abundant metal and free metal water soluble compounds for ECL

Objectives: The main objective of this PhD is to synthetize and the characterize of the compounds by standard techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS). A deep photophysical characterization will be performed to correlate the molecular design with the spectroscopical properties.

Expected Results: DC should be able to (i) synthesis of molecular ECL luminophore with different structure, photophysical, electrochemical and ECL propriety

Supervisor: Prof. Luisa De Cola

DC background, experience and skills: MSc, MRes, MEng in chemistry, materials science or subjects related to photochemistry, organic chemistry, synthesis and characterization.

• DC4 (Home institution: Université de Bordeaux, FR) Project Title: ECL from small cells 

Objectives: The main objective of this PhD is to develop protocols for heterogeneous ECL assays. The DC will implement an analytical platform for ECL microscopy of the micro and nano-objects. We will image the attached bacterial cells, microcolonies and biofilms by ECL.

Expected Results: DC should be able to (i) study the ECL imaging in the functionalized nanochannels and (ii) to study the ECL microscopy of the bacterial cells, microcolonies and biofilms

Supervisor: Prof. Neso Sojic

DC background, experience and skills: MSc, MRes, MEng in chemistry, materials science or subjects related to electrochemistry analytical chemistry.

• DC5 (Home institution: Dublin City University, IE) Project Title : DNA based nanolever

Objectives: The main objective of this PhD is to develop novel electrochemiluminescence method for identification of the pathogen sub-type.

Expected Results: DC should be able to develop a sample-to-answer biosensor based on the electrode switchable DNA based nanolever. The commercial and clinical utility of the bacteria detection strategies will be assessed through comparative testing vs. the commercially available state-of-the-art in partner industries and hospitals.

Supervisor:Prof. Robert Forster

DC background, experience and skills: MSc, MRes, MEng in chemistry, materials science or subjects related to electrochemistry analytical chemistry.

• DC6 (Home institution: OnePlanet Research Center; employment: imec Netherlands; enrollment: Wageningen University & Research) Project Title: Micro- and nanochannel platform

Objectives: The main objective of this PhD is to develop an integrated nano- and microfluidic system for analyte detection by integration of microfluidic handling to precisely deliver reactants (luminophores and coreactants) and analytes to a reaction chamber/detection area. The DC will develop these microfluidic devices further to integrate handling and ECL sensing of bacterial cells.

Expected Results: DC should be able to (i) set up microfluidic demonstrator integrated with microfluidic pumping, novel electrodes, novel and optimized ECL protocols and compounds developed by participants, (ii) integrate a robust microfluidic sensing prototype to be used for real clinical testing

Supervisor:Dr. Klaus Mathwig

DC background, experience and skills: M.Sc. degree in materials chemistry, biomedical engineering, microfabrication or subjects related to microsensors, microfabrication, additive manufacturing, systems engineering or industrial design.

• DC7 (Home institution: Complutense University of Madrid, ES) Project Title: Selection and production of recombinant antibodies (rAb) for biosensing applications

Objectives: The main objective of this PhD is to develop is the production of recombinant antibodies (rAb) using “phage display” techniques for biomarker analysis.

Expected Results: DC should be able to (i) select rAbs for selected biomarker analysis, (ii) functionalize biomimetic molecules with nanomaterial for ECL applications and (iii) characterize the novel selective recognition elements and assessment of their performance in bioassays for biomarker detection in clinical samples.

Supervisor:Prof. Elena Benito Peña

DC background, experience and skills: MSc, MRes, MEng in chemistry, biochemistry, biomedical engineering or subjects related to analytical chemistry and antibody selection.

• DC8 (Home institution: BCMaterials, ES) Project Title: ECL microfluidic platform  

Objectives: The main objective of this PhD is to develop an integrated microfluidic platform for the multiplex detection of sepsis biomarkers

Expected Results: DC should be able to (i) demonstrate a microfluidic ECL-based system for the detection of sepsis protein biomarkers with integrated electrochemical electrodes and optical sensing, (ii) show a proof-of-concept demonstration of device operation from spiked serum samples and to test of platform in a clinical environment.

Supervisor:Prof. F. Javier del Campo García

DC background, experience and skills: MSc, MRes, MEng in materials chemistry, biomedical engineering, microfabrication or subjects related to microsensors, microfabrication, additive manufacturing, systems engineering or industrial design.

• DC9 (Home institution: University of Freiburg, Germany) Project Title: Pathogen ID

Objectives: The aim of this PhD project is to investigate the analytical performances of lab-on-a-chip device for bacteria quantification.

Expected Results: DC should be able to use the state-of-the-art technology for the sepsis diagnosis; assess of critical sensing parameters including limits of detection, reliability, reproducibility, selectivity and speed under different conditions mimicking real-life situations and using relevant microorganisms in different metabolic states and concentrations.

Supervisor: Prof. Siegbert Rieg

DC background, experience and skills: MSc, MRes, MEng in biochemistry, biotechnology, Medicine or subjects related to infectiology.

• DC10 (Home institution: Dynamic Biosensors GmbH, Germany) Project Title: Advanced microfluidic biosensing: Multianalyte detection and multiplexed analysis on a biochip platform.

Objectives: The main objective of this PhD is to develop and scale up at industrial level novel ECL-based strategies to detect and quantify DNA and pathogens, derived from bacterial lysates, relevant for sepsis analysis.

Expected Results: DC10 should be able to (i) assemble the ECL biochip for the photoinduced chemical reactions; (ii) evaluate the chip and device performance; (iii) quantify DNA and pathogens relevant for sepsis in a multiplexed platform; (iv) test stability and reproducibility of the data.

Supervisor:Dr Alice Soldà

DC background, experience and skills: MSc, MRes, MEng, or equivalent in Life Science (Chemistry, Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics, etc.), Bioengineering, Physics or a related discipline. Wet-lab experience, in particular with DNA. Interested to work in the field of biophysics and biosensing. Appreciation for interdisciplinary work and proactive drive to collaborate across disciplines.