undergraduate summer research …bioinspired-materials.ch/assets/files/education/uri...the proposed...

UNDERGRADUATE SUMMER RESEARCH INTERNSHIPS National Center of Competence in Research for Bio-Inspired Materials

Research Projects Summer 2017

The National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) Bio-Inspired Materials offers undergraduate students (from Switzerland and abroad) the opportunity to spend the summer break (8-12 weeks) participating in cutting-edge research within one of the Center’s research groups. The undergraduate students have the opportunity to work on a research project and to interact with leading experts in their fields of interest and with fellow students from around the world. The students get a glimpse of advanced research work, gain desirable hands-on work experience, develop their transferable skills and have the unique opportunity to explore career options and network with professionals. Beyond conducting research in the hosting lab, undergraduates participate in scientific lectures, social and networking events. At the end of the summer, the students present the results of their research projects in a poster session followed by a summer party. The students have the opportunity to learn about Switzerland from an insider perspective, and to either take the first steps toward learning or practicing French and/or German language skills.

Requirements

To apply to the program you need to fulfill the following conditions:

• Be a national of Switzerland, a member state of the European Union, or a country with a Visa exemption agreement with Switzerland for a maximum period of stay of 90 days;

• Be enrolled at a University as a full-time undergraduate student in a relevant field of natural sciences, such as medicine, biology, biochemistry, chemistry, physics or materials science;

• Be an undergraduate student having concluded a minimum of 2 years of a degree program by the start of the internship;

• Certify that you are and will be registered as an undergraduate at your University/College for the upcoming academic year;

• If you are studying in Switzerland, you cannot select a research project at the University where you are studying;

• Have very good (oral and written) English language skills (level B2/C1).

Terms of the research stay

Duration: 8-12 weeks; Either in Period I (May,15 - August,15) or Period II (June,15 - September 15)

How to apply

Applicants must submit their applications online at www.bioinspired-materials.ch/

Applications are open from December 1, 2016 until January 15, 2017.

http://www.bioinspired-materials.ch/

NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials 2017 of 22



Project ID Project title Group Field Possible period

P17/01_Weder Adhesives with light-induced debond-on-demand properties Weder Chemistry, Materials

Science & Engineering I & II

P17/02_Weder Supramolecular mechanochemistry in polymer films Weder Chemistry, Materials

Science & Engineering I

P17/03_Weder Mechanochemical responses in polymeric networks and composites Weder Chemistry, Materials


P17/04_Bruns Design of magneto-responsive amphiphilic polymer conetworks Bruns Chemistry, Materials


P17/05_Bruns Biocatalytic polymerization as signaling cascade for malaria diagnostics Bruns Chemistry, Biochemistry I & II

P17/06_Zumbuehl Synthesis and characterization of new phospholipids Zumbuehl Chemistry I & II

P17/07_Mayer Bio-inspired sensing materials Mayer Chemistry, Biochemistry, Physics, Materials Science & Engineering

I & II

P17/08_Lattuada Preparation of Janus nanoparticles for the preparation of smart Pickering emulsions Lattuada Chemistry, Materials


P17/09_Steiner Polymer electrolytes for lithium batteries Steiner Chemistry, Physics I & II

P17/10_Steiner Porous conductive metal oxides as host materials for lithium-sulfur batteries Steiner

Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science & Engineering

I & II

P17/11_Steiner Perovskite solar cell Steiner Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science & Engineering

I & II

P17/12_Steiner Helical block copolymers as templates for optical metamaterials Steiner

Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science & Engineering

I & II

P17/13_Steiner Raman spectroscopy of biological and bio-inspired tissue Steiner Physics, Materials


P17/14_Steiner Robot-aided production of designer optical materials Steiner Physics, Materials


P17/15_Scheffold Materials design by Direct Laser Writing (3D printing on the submicrometer scale) Scheffold Physics, Materials


P17/16_Scheffold Light scattering and confocal microscopy Scheffold Physics, Materials Science & Engineering I & II

P17/17_Scheffold Photonic simulations Scheffold Physics, Materials Science & Engineering II

P17/18_Weder Mathematical modeling for in vitro nanoparticle dosimetry Weder Chemistry, Biology,

Physics I & II

P17/19_Rothen Impact of stimuli-responsive nanomaterials on single cell viability Rothen Biology, Biochemistry I & II

P17/20_Rüegg Detection of circulating tumors cells with self-assembling nanoparticles Rüegg Biology, Materials

Science & Engineering I




Project ID URI P17/01_Weder

Project title Adhesives with light-induced debond-on-demand properties

Research group Prof. Christoph Weder

http://www.am-institute.ch/research/polymer-chemistry-materials

Host Institution Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg

Duration 8-12 weeks

Possible period Both periods I (15 May - 15 August) & II (15 June - 15 September)

Project summary

The proposed project aims to develop new adhesives with debond-on-demand properties through the use of functional polymers and a light-responsive degradable cross-linking agent. The new materials are expected to combine optimal adhesive properties with a new mechanism that enables straightforward and efficient, light-induced debonding. The debonding mechanism combines a degradation of the cross-linker with the simultaneous release of gas so that the bonded parts are propelled away from each other. The residues can be easily removed and clean debonded components are furnished.

In this research project, the summer student will study the reaction of the cross-linking agent with a range of different functional polymers, the properties of the obtained polymer networks, the adhesive properties in lap joint tests, as well as the debond-on-demand properties.






Project title Supramolecular mechanochemistry in polymer films




Duration 8-12 weeks

Possible period Only period I = 15 May - 15 August

Project summary

The proposed project aims to develop materials that respond to mechanical stresses through the cleavage of non-covalent interactions with a concomitant change of the fluorescence color. Following nature's blueprint, supramolecular materials can be prepared through a self-assembly of small molecules or polymers that is directed by non-covalent interactions. These interactions are reversible and can be disassembled upon application of a stimulus, giving rise to materials that dynamically change their properties. In this context, metal-ligand interactions are non-covalent binding motifs that can be cleaved through the application of mechanical forces. Moreover, polymeric nanoparticles that rely on these metal-ligand interactions as intramolecular cross-links have already been prepared. When such particles are embedded in suitable polymer matrices, the application of mechanical stresses is expected to result in a disruption of the particles which will lead to a change of the fluorescence of the material. To achieve this, the present project will follow the established procedure for the synthesis of these particles, investigate their incorporation into polymeric matrices, as well as the fluorescence response of the obtained materials upon application of mechanical stresses.






Project title Mechanochemical responses in polymeric networks and composites




Duration 8-12 weeks


Project summary

The exposure of polymers to mechanical force usually elicits nonspecific and destructive chain scission, but we and others showed that such mechanochemical events can be turned towards useful responses if specific stress-sensitive weak links, referred to as “mechanophores”, are incorporated in the polymer chains. This approach has led to polymers that change color, light up, or change their fluorescence color when stressed. The aim of this project is to develop a better understanding of the factors that influence the response of polymers that include a new mechanophore developed by our group, which changes its fluorescence properties when stressed. Using simple chemistry and existing building blocks we will prepare new polymers and study their fluorescence as a function of mechanical stress.





Project ID URI P17/04_Bruns

Project title Design of magneto-responsive amphiphilic polymer conetworks

Research group Prof. Nico Bruns

http://www.am-institute.ch/research/macromolecular-chemistry


Duration 12 weeks


Project summary

Stimuli-responsive, mechanically robust hydrogels are important materials for bio-inspired tissue engineering scaffolds or for bio-inspired capsules with switchable permeability. Amphiphilic polymer conetworks (APCNs) are hydrogels that are mechanically reinforced with a continuous, elastic hydrophobic phase. They consist of a three-dimensional network in which hydrophilic polymer chains are covalently linked to hydrophobic ones. The incompatibility between the two polymer chains leads to a phase separation with well-defined nanostructured domains. In recent years, magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) have become attractive nanomaterials as they can be remotely controlled with a magnetic field. In this respect, one can envision a new class of APCNs that are loaded with NPs to exhibit permeability changes caused by local heating of the nanoparticles. To create magneto-responsive APCNs, the synthesis of APCNs containing a thermoresponsive polymer will be investigated. In the following, magnetic nanoparticles will be loaded into APCNs, and their heating effect under magnetic field will be explored.





Project ID URI P17/05_Bruns

Project title Biocatalytic polymerization as signaling cascade for malaria diagnostics

Research group Prof. Nico Bruns



Duration 10-12 weeks


Project summary

The amplification of external signals by cascades of biochemical reactions is a universal principal in biological sensing events. Polymerization-based signal amplification for biosensing takes inspiration from such signaling cascades, but uses non-native polymerization reactions to achieve the amplification. We are developing a novel diagnostic assay for malaria by using the catalytic properties of a biomarker of malaria infections to initiate and control radical polymerization reactions. Plasmodium species (malaria parasites) feed on red blood cells and produce a biocrystal called hemozoin. It is present at low concentrations in the blood stream and only complex or labor-intensive methods are able to detect it so far. Our assay successfully detects and quantifies hemozoin at very low concentrations by using simple organic reagents and a visible read-out. Within the project, this assay will be further developed by using high-throughput screens to investigate the influence of reaction conditions such as pH, reagent concentration, temperature and type of monomer on the limit of detection. Moreover, the polymers will be characterized by gel permeation chromatography, mass spectrometry and spectroscopic methods.





Project ID URI P17/06_Zumbuehl

Project title Synthesis and characterization of new phospholipids

Research group Prof. Andreas Zumbuehl

http://www.chem.unifr.ch/zumbuehl/home

Host Institution Department of Chemistry, University Fribourg

Duration 12 weeks


Project summary

Natural phospholipids self-assemble into various super-structures. This is the basis for the formation of the cellular membrane and, ultimately, life on this planet.

Starting from the natural concept of phospholipids we are synthesizing new amphiphiles with added properties, such as hydrogen bonding or metal ion chelation. We start by synthesizing these phospholipids and purify them to a very high degree. Then we study their biophysical characteristics in lipid monolayers and bilayers. These results will lead to a next generation of phospholipids.

The student will be integrated into the current research project and will perform the synthesis, the purification, and the biophysical characterization of the artificial phospholipids.

http://www.chem.unifr.ch/zumbuehl/home




Project ID URI P17/07_Mayer

Project title Bio-inspired sensing materials

Research group Prof. Michael Mayer

http://www.am-institute.ch/research/biophysics


Duration 12 weeks


Project summary

This project will explore the use of ion gradients across lipid membranes for sensing applications. To this

end we will take inspiration from living cells, which employ receptor and ion channel proteins to amplify

signals and trigger often a cascade of intracellular reactions that further amplify the signal. We will use

various model systems of biological membranes including liposomes, supported lipid bilayers and free-

standing planar lipid bilayers. Detection modalities may be electrochemical, fluorescence changes, or

color changes that are visible with the unaided human eye. Selectivity for various analytes of interest will

be achieved with tailor-made pore-forming molecules that act upon interactions with the analyte.




Project ID URI P17/08_Lattuada

Project title Preparation of Janus nanoparticles for the preparation of smart pickering emulsions

Research group Prof. Marco Lattuada

http://www-chem.unifr.ch/en/home

Host Institution Department of Chemistry, University of Fribourg

Duration 12 weeks


Project summary

Janus nanoparticles are particles with a surface asymmetrically functionalized, so as to have two distinct functional groups well segregated on their surface. One of the most intriguing application of Janus nanoparticles is the preparation of Pickering emulsions, i.e., emulsions stabilized by particles. Janus nanoparticles are particularly suitable for the preparation of Pickering emulsions, because they can be functionalized so as to become part hydrophilic and part hydrophobic, just like surfactants. In our group, we have developed a powerful strategy to prepare Janus dumbbells, with the possibility to control both their functionalization and their geometry. Additionally, these Janus dumbbells can be endowed with additional functionalities, such as magnetic properties, temperature responsive behavior etc.

The aim of this project will be the preparation of smart Pickering emulsions by means of membrane emulsification, using Janus dumbbells as stabilizers, and to investigate the emulsions response to an external stimulus.

http://www-chem.unifr.ch/en/home




Project ID URI P17/09_Steiner

Project title Polymer electrolytes for lithium batteries

Research group Prof. Ullrich Steiner

http://www.am-institute.ch/research/soft-matter-physics


Duration 8-12 weeks


Project summary

Using the Steiner Group’s knowledge of block co-polymer (BCP) self-assembly, this project will explore novel polymeric applications to lithium and Li-ion batteries. Specifically, a BCP system will be used to replace current commercial, organic solvent based electrolytes in an attempt to improve battery cells’ energy density and safety. The focus of experimental work will be the processing of polymer films through salt-doping, grafting, and annealing techniques (thermal, solvent, and electric field application), followed by morphology, impedance and cell cycle characterization. The student will learn advanced techniques related to the materials science, chemistry and physics of polymers, plus their application to lithium based batteries. Additionally, theoretical and practical knowledge of a host of different lab/characterization techniques will be presented, including: Polymer processing, AFM, GISAX, EIS, SEM/TEM, and cell-cycling.


http://www.am-institute.ch/research/bionanomaterials






Project title Porous conductive metal oxides as host materials for lithium-sulfur batteries




Duration 8-12 weeks


Project summary

Our group synthesizes and examines well-defined nano- and micro-structured materials for lithium-ion batteries. A structure that emerged from our work are porous spheres made of metal oxides that showed excellent performance as intercalation materials. This project tries to go beyond conventional lithium-ion technologies by applying our structures to lithium-sulfur batteries. These batteries promise much higher energy densities and are therefore considered as one of the likely candidates for next-generation energy storage devices. However, they face a series of challenges that keeps them from being commercially applied.

The most severe problem is the fact that sulfur forms lithium polysulfides during battery operation which are soluble in conventional electrolytes. Therefore, these molecules migrate from the cathode side to the anode where they irreversibly react to passivate the electrode. To prevent this, porous architectures, mainly made of carbon, have been developed. More recently, however, it has been shown that metal oxides with polar surface chemistries attract polysulfides more efficiently. This project thus aims to synthesize and test well-defined nanostructured conductive metal oxides as host materials for lithium-sulfur batteries.








Project title Perovskite solar cell




Duration 8-12 weeks


Project summary

Perovskite solar cells have very recently been developed and are now among the most promising new photovoltaic (PV) approaches. In particular, very high power conversion efficiencies of more than 20% have been achieved. The performance in these cells depends however on many detailed processing steps, most of which are not well understood.

Our PV group studies the processes that enable the high performance in perovskite solar cells and optimizes their fabrication process.

The summer project will contribute to this ongoing project.











Project title Helical block copolymers as templates for optical metamaterials




Duration 12 weeks


Project summary

Block copolymers (BCPs) are polymer materials made of two or more distinct monomer or block units covalently bonded together in a variety of different architectures. Due to their strong incompatibility, the blocks tend to phase separate. BCPs can self-assemble into various nanoscale morphologies including spheres, cylinders, lamellae, or the bicontinuous gyroid. Interestingly, if one of the blocks is semicrystalline, BCPs can even self-assemble into a helical morphology, which can serve as a template for the fabrication nanostructured plasmonic metals, e.g. gold (Au) or silver (Ag). Helical nanostructured plasmonic materials are predicted to behave as optical metamaterials, i.e. they may exhibit optical properties otherwise unheard of in nature (e.g. a negative refractive index). However, for BCP self-assembly to be relevant for applications in nanotechnology the fabrication of nanostructures with controlled degrees of order is required. The aim of this project is the fabrication and characterization of helical block copolymer films and their replication into a Au. Films will be made of poly(styrene)-b-poly(l-lactide) (PS-b-PLLA) BCPs by means of drop casting or spin coating. Self-assembly of PS-b-PLLA into helical morphology will be realized by an annealing process. The resulting helical morphology will be replicated into Au by electroplating. The structure of both the polymeric and the replicated Au films will be characterized by means of SFM, SEM and SAXS.











Project title Raman spectroscopy of biological and bio-inspired tissue




Duration 12 weeks


Project summary

Raman spectroscopy is a spectroscopic technique that is often employed by physicists and chemists to provide a fingerprint by which different molecules can be identified. Using this technique, a blueprint of a molecule can be identified by observing vibrational, rotational, and other low-frequency modes. Typically, one or more different laser lines are used to test different vibrational modes.

We have assembled a two laser line Raman system in our group that employs 532 and 633 nm excitation lasers. The initial goals of the this research stay will be to (i) get familiarized with the Raman microscope system, (ii) automate the system using custom-written Matlab or Python protocols, and (iii) perform benchmark against a series of calibration measurements. After that, various biological and bio-inspired tissues, ranging from bird feathers to butterfly wings and cell cultures, will be measured and the containing chemical substances identified.











Project title Robot-aided production of designer optical materials




Duration 12 weeks


Project summary

Optical coating based on multilayers of different dielectrics are employed in various applications ranging from glass coatings and gas sensors to solar cells. Most often, these are however employed for colored reflectors based on multilayer interference. This project will build such optical multilayer structures by means of sequential deposition of thin, porous films. It will, in particular, take the current, manual process to the next level by employing a novel robot-aided procedure to create a statistically relevant number of samples with varying parameters, e.g. thickness, refractive index, porosity, or different materials. The setup will primarily consist of (i) an automatic dispenser, (ii) a heat source and (iii) a programmable hotplate. The main objective of this project will be to set-up the machine, optimize the procedure and write (simple) routines for controlling this process. The manufactured materials will be optically characterized and their performance will be compared to existing, optical models.

Keywords: multilayers, refractive index, programming, optics










Project ID URI P17/15_Scheffold

Project title Materials design by Direct Laser Writing (3D printing on the submicrometer scale)

Research group Prof. Frank Scheffold

http://physics.unifr.ch/en/page/54/

Host Institution Department of Physics, University Fribourg

Duration 12 weeks


Project summary

We suggest a summer project working on direct laser writing nanolithography. Our commercial system allows us to design and fabricate 3-dimensional structures in a wide variety of sizes and forms with submicron resolution and a size up to one mm. The writing procedure is based on two-photon polimerization which increases resolution in all directions. We commonly write materials like photonic crystals that show a strong wavelength dependent optical response in the near infrared domain.

In this project the student will learn how to operate the commercial direct laser writing platform Photonics professional GT (nanoscribe.de) process the polymer structures by infiltration and coating with metal oxides such as TiO2.





Project title Light scattering and confocal microscopy




Duration 12 weeks


Project summary

We suggest a summer project working with colloidal nanoscale systems such as emulsion droplets and thermosenstive microgels. The methods to study these systems are confocal microscopy and light scattering. We have state of the art facilities and custom made advanced methods in our labs where we can train incoming students.





Project title Photonic simulations




Duration 12 weeks

Possible period Only period II = 15 June - 15 September

Project summary

We suggest a summer project working on theory and simulation of complex optical materials. In our group we use a set of different numerical tools ranging from standard Finite Differences Time domain (FDTD) to custom made computational tools able to explore the optical properties of complex nanostructured optical materials.

On the one hand we use these numerical tools to complement the optical characterization of the structures we fabricate. On the other hand we predict the optical properties of possible structures and hence optimize the design of new optical materials according to specifications.

In this project the student will learn the basic phenomenology of light propagation in complex photonic environments ranging from photonic crystals to strongly correlated disordered photonic structures by using state of the art computational approaches.





Project title Mathematical modeling for in vitro nanoparticle dosimetry


http://www.am-institute.ch/research/soft-matter-scattering


Duration 8-12 weeks


Project summary

Engineered nanoparticles hold both much promise (nanomedicine) and raise safety concerns (nanotoxicology). As a consequence, a new field investigating the cellular interactions of NPs has emerged. The influence of physicochemical properties of nanoparticles on cellular interaction is routinely assessed using in vitro systems and applies central concepts brought to maturity by cell biology, toxicology and pharmacology. The classic approach of the dose–response relationship however cannot be applied to NPs without adaptation, for NPs may exhibit a high level of complexity and their pristine physicochemical properties may evolve and considerably change in a physiological environment. This project aims at modelling selected physicochemical phenomena relevant for in vitro cell culture studies addressing nanoparticles. The primary goal is to understand their influence on the dose-vs-time course. The work is strictly based on modelling and computation, which provides an ideal environment for systematic studies using well-controlled parameters and a user-defined complexity that can be gradually adapted.





Project ID URI P17/19_Rothen

Project title Impact of stimuli-responsive nanomaterials on single cell viability

Research group Prof. Barbara Rothen-Rutishauser



Duration 8 weeks


Project summary

Stimuli-responsive nanoparticles (NPs) have gained increased interest for biomedical applications. However, those NPs have first to be thoroughly tested for their possible impact on biological systems, i.e. single cells, at an early stage of the development phase.

Aim of this summer project is to develop an understanding of the current standard in hazard assessment of such newly designed NPs.

Different cell types will be exposed to an increasing concentration of NPs. Cell viability is then tested using different methods routinely performed in our laboratory. Possible observed effects will be correlated with the cellular uptake of the NPs, which can be assessed via laser scanning microscopy (LSM) for fluorescently labelled NPs. For selected NPs the interaction with cells and possible impact on cell viability will be visualized time-dependently by acquiring live cell movies at the LSM.

These results will provide a better understanding of the interaction of stimuli-responsive NPs with cells and the possible consequences.





Project ID URI P17/20_Rüegg

Project title Detection of circulating tumors cells with self-assembling nanoparticles

Research group Prof. Curzio Rüegg

http://www.unifr.ch/med/de/research/cr

Host Institution Department of Medicine, University Fribourg

Duration 8 weeks

Possible period Only period I = 15 May - 15 August

Project summary

Circulating tumor cells (CTC) can be detected in many cancers, including breast cancer, and used for diagnostic, prognostic and monitoring purposes. The techniques currently available to detect CTC are complex and time-consuming and do not allow to asses functionality. We are developing approaches allowing sensitive detection of CTC based on nature-inspired amplification cascades and optical / functional detection. We recently demonstrated nanoparticles (NP)can be selectively targeted to cancer cells to induce a fibrin-based clot reaction around cancer cells expressing the target molecule but not cells lacking it.

In this summer project we propose to build on these results by performing experiments aimed at isolating CTC from complex cellular mixtures in particular leukocytes and non tumoral. To this purpose we will determine i) the specificity of NP interaction with non-cancer cells, ii) conditions to generate limited cell surface fibrin polymerization, and iii) approaches to isolate “coagulated” cells.

Students will learn cell biology techniques (e.g. cell culture, microscopy, FACS, density or filter-based separations), and material techniques (NP assembly, characterization).

http://www.unifr.ch/med/de/research/cr

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