Postdoctoral Fellow (f­­/­­m­­/­­d) in Mechanical Forces and Cellular Plasticity in IBD

The recently awarded project «Mechanical Forces and Cellular Plasticity in IBD» seeks a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join an interdisciplinary project investigating how mechanical forces influence stem cell fate and plasticity in the context of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). This research will be conducted at the Institute for Molecular Systems Engineering and Advanced Materials (IMSEAM) and led collaboratively by Dr. Federico Colombo (IMSEAM, Heidelberg University) and Dr. Matthias Schewe (Mannheim University Hospital). The project aims to advance patient-specific intestinal regeneration techniques through state-of-the-art biophysical tools and 3D bioprinting technologies. - Characterize the mechanical and topographical properties of IBD and healthy intestinal tissues using cutting-edge technologies like Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) microscopy and nanoindentation - Develop and optimize 3D-bioprinted intestinal scaffolds mimicking patient-specific ECM architecture for stem cell culture - Analyze how mechanical forces influence stem cell behavior and plasticity in IBD using patient-derived organoids and biopsies - Perform single-cell RNA sequencing to uncover molecular pathways linking mechanical forces to stem cell plasticity - Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team to integrate biophysics and stem cell biology in the context of chronic inflammation