Developing in vitro 3D joint models using 3D bioprinting

We are recruiting new doctoral researchers to our EPSRC-funded Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA) PhD studentships starting 1 October 2025.

Applications are invited for the project: Developing in vitro 3D joint models using 3D bioprinting.

Successful applicants will receive an annual stipend (bursary) of approximately £21,237, including inner London weighting, plus payment of their full-time home tuition fees for a period of 42 months (3.5 years).

You should be eligible for home (UK) tuition fees there are a very limited number (no more than two) studentships available to overseas applicants, including EU nationals, who meet the academic entry criteria including English Language proficiency.

You will join the internationally recognised researchers in the Department of Mechanical Engineering research and PhD programmes | Brunel University London.

The project

3D bioprinting techniques have emerged as versatile tools in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, enabling the fabrication and precise patterning of functional 3D bio-structures with intricate geometric designs. These advancements help bridge the gap between engineered constructs and natural tissues.

The aim of this study is to 3D bioprint “continuous gradient tissue scaffolds” with tunable material compositions, architectures, and mechanical and biological properties to facilitate the repair of early-stage osteoarthritic joint tissues.

This interdisciplinary project is ideal for candidates with backgrounds in engineering, cell biology, biomedical sciences, or bioengineering, particularly those with interests in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, or aging research. Participants will gain hands-on experience with state-of-the-art 3D bioprinting and tissue culture techniques in a dynamic research environment.

The project represents a collaboration between Brunel’s Engineering and Life Sciences Departments, aimed at addressing critical challenges in bioscience and biotechnology. The successful candidate will join a supportive and collaborative research community, working alongside experts in biology, engineering, and bioprinting.

If you’re passionate about contributing to innovative solutions in healthcare, this project offers an ideal opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

Please contact Dr Bin Zhang at bin.zhang@brunel.ac.uk for an informal discussion about the studentships.

Eligibility

Applicants will have or be expected to receive a first or upper-second-class honours degree in Engineering, Biology, Bioengineering, Computer Science, Design, Mathematics, Physics or a relevant discipline. A postgraduate master’s degree is not required but may be an advantage.

Skills and experience

Applicants will be required to demonstrate the following skills:

Understanding of engineering design, design optimisation, and engineering materials
Proficiency in or willingness to learn commercial finite element software (e.g., ANSYS) or an equivalent open-source package for solid mechanics simulations
Familiarity with experimental methods involving cell culture techniques and 3D printing (desirable)

You should be highly motivated, able to work independently as well as in a team, collaborate with others and have good communication skills.

How to apply

There are two stages of the application:

1. Applicants must submit the pre-application form via the following link:

https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/brunel/epsrc-dla-25-26-pre-application-form-brunel-university-of-londo

by 4 pm on Friday 17 January 2025.

2. If you are shortlisted for the interview, you will be asked to email the following documentation in a single PDF file to cedps-studentships@brunel.ac.uk within 72 hours.

Your up-to-date CV
Your undergraduate degree certificate(s) and transcript(s) first or upper-second class honours degree essential
Your postgraduate master's degree certificate(s) and transcript(s) if applicable
Your valid English Language qualification of IELTS 6.5 overall (minimum 6.0 in each section) or equivalent, if applicable, this must be valid up to 31 October 2025
Contact details for TWO referees, one of which can be an academic member of staff in the College

Applicants should therefore ensure that they have all of this information in case they are shortlisted.

Interviews will take place on 13 and 14 February 2025. For shortlisted international/EU applicants’ interviews will be via Microsoft Teams and for UK applicants’ interviews will be in person at the Brunel University of London campus.

Meet the Supervisor(s)

Bin Zhang - Dr Bin Zhang is a Lecturer in Additive Manufacturing in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. She obtained her PhD from University College London, where she focused on additive manufacturing, specifically the 3D printing of drug-loaded biocomposite bone tissue scaffolds. Dr Zhang was also a visiting scholar in the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State University in the USA, where she worked on patterned surfaces with controllable drug doses using inkjet 3D printing and the fabrication of microneedle sensors using stereolithography 3D printing. Prior to joining Brunel University London, she had worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the School of Pharmacy, University of East Anglia, and the Department of Engineering and Technology, University of Hertfordshire. Her research focuses on the 3D printing of micro medical devices, the development of drug-loaded devices using extrusion-based 3D printing methods, and the creation of medical training models using 3D printing techniques. Please feel free to reach out for collaboration opportunities, student positions, or other research opportunities. Qualified applications for PhD, Postdoc, and Visiting Scholar positions are welcome through the following channels: Brunel-CSC Scholarship (for Chinese students and scholars): Please reach out before December regarding a PhD position for the following year. Scholars may apply at any time. Commonwealth PhD Scholarship (for students from Commonwealth countries): Please reach out before October regarding a PhD position for the following year. Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships: Calls open in April and close in September. The Royal Society Newton International Fellowships: Calls open in January and close in March. UK EPSRC Postdoctoral Fellowships: Please refer to the relevant UK EPSRC website for the application deadlines.