The PhD will be carried out at LAAS-CNRS, one of France's leading engineering research laboratories, within a multidisciplinary team working at the interface of microfluidics, biomechanics, biomedical engineering, and cancer research.
The candidate will have access to state-of-the-art facilities, including cleanroom microfabrication, laser micromachining, 3D printing, advanced microscopy, and numerical modeling tools. The project benefits from a close collaboration with the Toulouse Cancer Research Center (CRCT), providing access to patient-derived tumor explants and complementary biological expertise. The position is fully funded through the ANR JCJC EXOFLEX project.
Development of an Instrumented Microfluidic Platform for the Poromechanical Characterization of Tumor Explants
Patient-derived tumor explants represent a promising alternative to animal models for the development of more predictive preclinical platforms. This PhD project is part of the ANR JCJC EXOFLEX project, which aims to develop an instrumented microfluidic platform capable of simultaneously controlling perfusion and mechanical stimulation in tumor tissues to investigate their poromechanical properties and optimize molecular transport within explants.
The successful candidate will be involved in:
- Designing and fabricating innovative microfluidic devices;
- Developing experimental methods to measure tissue permeability, elasticity, and compressibility;
- Performing transport experiments under controlled hydrodynamic and mechanical stimulation using advanced microscopy;
- Developing multiphysics models of fluid transport and tissue deformation (COMSOL Multiphysics);
- Validating the platform using patient-derived tumor explants in collaboration with the Toulouse Cancer Research Center (CRCT).