Student Projects
If you are interest in a project in the laboratory, feel free to contact any member even if no project is posted in SiROP
Tough hydrogels as partial meniscus implants
This project focuses on developing next-generation hydrogel materials for use as partial meniscus implants. The goal is to engineer hydrogel formulations that remain mechanically robust under load while exhibiting minimal or zero swelling in physiological conditions. You will work with advanced hydrogel formulations, and the challenge is to refine these so that the gels maintain high compressive stiffness, resist long-term degradation, and remain dimensionally stable when stored in physiological media and eventually be implanted. Beyond formulation work, the project includes designing and producing prototype meniscus-shaped scaffolds. This will require engineering custom molds, optimizing the casting or polymerization process, and evaluating whether the resulting constructs match the structural and mechanical requirements of the native meniscus. You will also perform mechanical testing, swelling studies, and relevant characterization to understand how each formulation responds to load and long-term immersion. This is an open and exploratory project suitable for a student who wants to contribute original ideas rather than follow a fixed recipe. You will have the freedom to propose your own design strategies, compare fabrication approaches, and iterate rapidly based on experimental results. Because the work bridges polymer chemistry, biomaterials, and orthopedic applications, it offers an opportunity to gain hands-on experience with techniques that are directly relevant to real clinical challenges. The project requires a motivated, independent student who is willing to learn new methods, troubleshoot complex systems, and engage seriously with the problem of developing improved meniscus replacements.
Keywords
Hydrogels, mechanical properties, formulation design, meniscus replacement
Labels
Semester Project , Collaboration , Internship , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-11-21 , Earliest start: 2025-12-01
Organization Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory
Hosts Mommer Stefan
Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Chemistry
In Situ Intervertebral Disc Filling Hydrogels
Degenerated or herniated intervertebral discs often lose mechanical integrity, leading to pain and impaired mobility. There is a clear clinical need for injectable materials that can restore the function of the inner disc material function (nucleus pulposus, NP) while sealing defects in outer rim of the disc (annulus fibrosus, AF). This project focuses on developing and mechanically tuning hydrogel formulations to match the native disc’s compressive, confined, and non-confined properties. The candidate will systematically vary polymer composition, crosslinking density, and network architecture to achieve target viscoelasticity and strength. Mechanical testing—including confined compression, unconfined compression, and stress relaxation experiments—will guide iterative optimization. The role requires meticulous experimentation, data analysis, and independent troubleshooting. All work contributes to a structured product development pipeline, with the clear goal of improving patient outcomes through a safe, durable, and mechanically compatible injectable material. Success will provide critical insights into balancing injectability, in situ gelation, and functional performance, directly informing the translation of hydrogel-based IVD solutions toward clinical application.
Labels
Semester Project , Course Project , Collaboration , Internship , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ) , Summer School
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Published since: 2025-11-21 , Earliest start: 2026-01-01
Organization Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory
Hosts Mommer Stefan
Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Chemistry
How Mechanical Forces Shape Cell Fate – and the Future of Regenerative Medicine
Project Summary We’re developing a powerful new in vitro model to untangle the complex mechanical cues—osmotic pressure and substrate stiffness—that skin cells experience every day. These signals are deeply intertwined in the body, but we’re building a system to decouple and precisely control them, for the first time. Why? Because understanding how cells respond to these forces is crucial for engineering functional tissues, guiding organ regeneration, and tackling mechanobiology-driven diseases like fibrosis.
Keywords
Key words: mechanical stresses, cell behavior, fibroblasts, immunostaining.
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Master Thesis
Description
Goal
Contact Details
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Published since: 2025-10-07 , Earliest start: 2026-02-01 , Latest end: 2026-10-01
Organization Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory
Hosts Cuni Filippo
Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Biology