We are seeking motivated postdoctoral researchers and PhD students to join our interdisciplinary team.
Postdoctoral positions:
MEDUSA project
Required skills:
- Multivalency
- DNA nanotechnology
- Organic chemistry
- Modeling and data analysis
Spinal Cord Repair project
Required skills:
- Biology and/or bioengineering
- Multivalency
- Interface characterization
- Cell culture
Preferred:
- Experience with animal models
- Experience in DNA nanotechnology
PhD positions:
Motivated students to perform a doctoral thesis at EPFL are referred to the doctoral schools:
EDMX (Materials Science and Engineering)
EDBB (Biotechnology & Bioengineering)
PhD Position in Geometry-Guided Targeting at Biological Interfaces
The Programmable Biomaterials Laboratory (PBL) at EPFL is seeking a highly motivated PhD student in computational and quantitative biology to develop next-generation models and simulations for geometry-guided interactions at biological interfaces.
Project Vision
Biology is fundamentally spatial. Increasing evidence shows that cells do not simply respond to the presence of ligands or receptors, but also to their precise nanoscale organization, spacing, geometry, and collective presentation. Our laboratory develops programmable biomaterials and DNA-based nanotechnologies to uncover how geometry controls biological recognition, signaling, and selectivity.
This PhD project will focus on building predictive computational frameworks that connect molecular organization to biological function. Working in close synergy with an experimental team, the student will help establish a new quantitative framework for “multivalent engineering,” where geometry becomes a programmable biological input.
Research Objectives
The PhD candidate will contribute to several interconnected research directions:
- Model macroscopic multivalent interactions of proteins and biomolecular assemblies Develop theoretical and computational models that describe how geometry, valency, flexibility, and spatial organization shape collective binding and signaling behavior at biological interfaces.
- Discover geometric organization principles at cellular interfaces Use quantitative analysis and simulation to identify emergent spatial patterns in immune synapses, receptor assemblies, and membrane-associated signaling systems.
- Predict geometry-matched candidates for targeted drug delivery Build predictive frameworks for identifying optimal multivalent architectures capable of selectively targeting diseased cells based on receptor density and spatial organization.
- Expand the MEDUSA platform toward higher-order geometries Extend our existing MEDUSA framework toward more complex spatial architectures, enabling programmable multivalent pattern recognition across multiple geometric dimensions.
- Develop AI/ML-guided prediction of MEDUSA aptamers Integrate experimentally generated datasets with computational modeling and machine learning approaches to predict high-performing geometry-sensitive aptamer systems.
Candidate Profile
We are looking for candidates with strong quantitative and interdisciplinary interests. Applicants should have experience in one or more of the following areas:
- Computational biology
- Biophysics
- Quantitative biology
- Statistical physics
- Machine learning
- Molecular simulation
- Bioinformatics
- Applied mathematics or physics
Experience with programming (Python, MATLAB, or similar) and data analysis is expected. Prior experience with molecular simulations, reaction-diffusion systems, graph/network models, or AI/ML approaches is highly valued but not strictly required.
Research Environment
The student will join a highly interdisciplinary and collaborative environment spanning:
- DNA nanotechnology
- biomaterials
- immunoengineering
- multivalent targeting
- quantitative biointerface science
The project combines close interaction between computational and experimental researchers, with access to advanced imaging, nanofabrication, and high-throughput experimental platforms.
About the Lab
The Programmable Biomaterials Laboratory develops programmable biomolecular systems to understand and engineer biological interfaces across scales, with applications in targeted therapeutics, immune engineering, and synthetic biology.
Location
The position is based at EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland.
MEDUSA project
Interest in designing next-generation sensors and molecular diagnostic nanomaterials.
Master semester projects or internships
Master students in Materials Science or Biotechnology interested in our research may email the professor or respective PhD students.
Summer internships are available through the E3 program, please follow application guidelines by the program. https://eee.epfl.ch
Projects in multivalent materials design and analysis of (super) selective multivalent interactions are always available. Motivated students are encouraged to contact the PI directly.
How to apply
Interested candidates should email to [email protected] :
- A CV
- A letter of motivation
- Contact information for 1–2 references
Please indicate the position and project of interest in the subject line.
Note for PhD applicants: Admission to the EPFL doctoral school is required to enroll as a PhD student. However, prospective candidates are encouraged to express their interest and get in touch in advance.