Student Assignments

We have a wide variety of student assigments. Please read and apply! You may get in touch with the person who is listed as a contact next to the assignment.


Development of Parallel Pacing System for micro–Engineered Heart Tissues for High-Throughput Drug Testing (for MSc)

Organs-on-chips (OoC) platforms have revolutionized biomedical research by reducing animal testing and providing physiologically relevant models for studying organ function and drug responses in vitro. Mimicking the natural heartbeat rhythm in micro–Engineered Heart Tissues (microEHTs) is crucial for accurately simulating physiological conditions found in the human body and conducting high-throughput (HT) drug testing.

Contact person : Amélie Bocquet (a.bocquet@utwente.nl)

Antibody sensing with ISFETs

Ion-sensitive field effect transitors(ISFETs) are promising biosensors that have been developed for past decades. In our project we use ISFETs  to study affinity of biomolecules to different surface coatings. This bachelor assignment will include ISFET measurement and characterisation to optmimize it for biomolecule detection

Contact person: Sergii Pud (s.pud@utwente.nl)

The electrode-Crocodile and polarisation peanuts

This project focuses on studying optical response from various nanostructures used to trap proteins using dielectrophoresis. It involves designing nanoelectrodes with varying distances, measuring their effect on optical anisotropy and the trapping force

Contact person: Janike Bolter (j.r.bolter@utwente.nl)

Trapping and imaging single encapsulin protein nanoparticles

Our project aims to determine protein conformation using single-molecule methodologies, transitioning from model systems to real proteins. We focus on encapsulin cages for their simplicity and predictable structure, planning to express, image, and trap them to understand their conformation and function.

Contact person: Janike Bolter (j.r.bolter@utwente.nl)

Microbubble-assisted ultrasound-induced on-chip blood-brain barrier permeabilization (MSc)

Focused ultrasound with microbubbles offers a novel, non-invasive method to deliver drugs to the brain, overcoming the blood-brain barrier (BBB). While effective in clinical trials, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. This project aims to correlate microbubble oscillations with BBB permeabilization using an on-chip model, combining advanced imaging and sensing techniques to understand and optimize this promising therapeutic approach.

Contact person: Tim Segers (t.j.segers@utwente.nl)

CRISPR-Enhanced Early Detection of Cervical Cancer via Ligation and Isothermal Amplification (MSc student only)

Cervical cancer is a significant global health issue, with low early screening participation leading to high mortality rates. Our project aims to develop a precise protocol for early detection of cervical cancer-associated methylation markers, utilizing CpG islands, isothermal DNA amplification, and CRISPR-Cas12a for signal generation. This integrated approach holds potential for clinical and point-of-care diagnostics, addressing a pressing need for early diagnosis and monitoring.

Contact person: Ahsan Ismail (a.ismail@utwente.nl) 

Flat membrane device for a bio-artificial kidney (MSc)

Patients with chronic kidney disease are dependent on dialysis treatment to stay alive. However, conventional dialysis is insufficient in removing all toxins. A bio-artificial-kidney (BAK) containing renal tubule cells can assist in better clearance of toxins that are not secreted during conventional dialysis. In this project you will develop a flat-membrane approach to the BAK.

Contact person: Jeroen Vollenbroek (j.c.vollenbroek@utwente.nl)

Specific Gold nanoparticle functionalization for biosensing approaches (BSc/MSc)

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) coated with biomolecules, have numerous applications, including the preparation of ordered nanoparticle structures, biosensing, and gene/drug delivery. However, traditionally the synthesis of DNA-coated-AuNPs is a long, tedious and inefficient process. In this assignment, you will work on a method to tune DNA density on AuNPs, while being much faster than traditional methods.

Contact person: Nienke van Dongen (j.e.vandongen@utwente.nl)

Early detection of cervical cancer via Cas13a-mediated miRNA detection (MSc preferred)

Deregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) have recently been implicated as new potential biomarkers. However, miRNAs with length differences of only a single nucleotide (isomiRs) have different clinical relevance. Current techniques available in the clinic can’t discriminate between these length differences. In this assignment, you will develop a novel tool for isomiR discrimination combining CRISPR/Cas13a with strand displacement.

Contact person: Nienke van Dongen (j.e.vandongen@utwente.nl)

DNA Methylation detection using Raman Spectroscopy (MSc prefered)

In the last decade, cancer-biomarker research has been focusing on biomarkers representing epigenetic alterations associated with the development of cancer. One such event is DNA-(hyper)methylation. Raman spectroscopy has previously been shown to distinguish between methylated and nonmethylated cytosine. This assignment will focus on on-chip distinguishing hmDNA from normal genomic DNA via (surface enhanced) Raman spectroscopy.

Contact person: Nienke van Dongen (j.e.vandongen@utwente.nl)

intra-vaginal MedRing system ligalli
Microfluidics for an intra-vaginal MedRing system (MSc preferred)

LiGalli and BIOS are collaborating on a project for an intra-vaginal Medring system for diagnostic purposes. A schematic representation of the ring is shown in Fig.1. For this project you will work on the microfluidic side of the chip. You will be responsible for making a proof-of-concept microfluidic chip connecting several functionalities of the chip.

Contact person: Jasper Lozeman (j.j.a.lozeman@utwente.nl)

Mechanical stimulation of 3D Cardiac tissues (MSc)

There is an urgent need to use advanced human-based in vitro models that mimic the adult human heart in vitro. Currently, we have a platform that allows to make 3D cardiac tissues in a 12-well plate format. By using this platform we aim to improve the cardiac performance and evaluate the effect of mechanical stimulation.

Contact person: José Manuel Rivera A.   j.m.riveraarbelaez@utwente.nl

Effect of continuous electrical stimulation on 3D cardiac tissues (MSc)

We are working on the development of a most representative model of the human heart. Currently, we have a platform that allows to make 3D cardiac tissues in vitro. By using this platform we aim to improve the cardiac performance and evaluate the effect of continuous electrical stimulation.

Contact person: José Manuel Rivera A.   j.m.riveraarbelaez@utwente.nl

Simulation of protein actuation in a dielectrophoretic trap (MSc/BSc)

We are developing a novel method to interrogate proteins and their behavior, through electrical manipulation of a single protein molecule on-chip. The heart of our approach is trapping and actuation  the single protein molecule by means of dielectrophoresis. We need your help to optimize our protein traps by means of simulation and modelling

Contact: Sergii Pud(s.pud@utwente.nl)