The Marie-Curie-Training Network MagnIM announces

MagnIM is the highly interdisciplinary European network (material scientists, physicists, biologists, (bio)chemists, surface chemists and medical doctors) of eight partners from six countries which aims at the development of biodegradable magnesium based implant materials. MagnIM offers first class scientific and complementary training to coach experts to be who learn to work across disciplines.
MagnIM expects high motivation to work on an interdisciplinary field, extraordinary communication skills and the readiness to work at different host institutions.

Your application should consist of

• a CV which explains the scientific education
• a list of courses which were attended during university
• a list of skills which were acquired during university or elsewhere
• a documentation of your English skills (f.e. by a TOEFL, IELTS or an equivalent test)
• List of publications

Please send your application (by naming the position you are interested in)

until the 30.11.2011 to the personal department of HZG ( Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist gegen Spambots geschützt! JavaScript muss aktiviert werden, damit sie angezeigt werden kann. ).

Only email applications which supply the demanded reference and documents will be considered.

Starting date of the positions between 01.04.2012 and 01.08.2012 (duration limited to 3 years).

The open positions are in detail:

Work Package 1: Materials development, characterisation and implant production

Position WP1_1: Processing and Properties of Cast Mg-Y Alloyed with Pr, Nd, Eu, Ca and Ag

Place of work: Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Institute for Materials Research, MagIC, Geesthacht, Germany (Dr. N. Hort)

Project description:

The research topic is the development and optimization of magnesium alloys for implant applications. The applicant has to produce and to characterize materials with respect to the influences of composition and processing on microstructure and the property profile. He/she is able to work independent and to apply standard methods to characterise microstructure and properties of magnesium alloys. Additional knowledge in the area of constitution of alloys is requested. The applicant has also to interact with the other partners in the project and to coordinate his/her own work with the project partners.

Requirements:

The applicant has to have a master’s degree in materials science or related areas. Experiences in the production, processing and characterisation of light metals are required (ideally in the area of magnesium alloys). The knowledge in the cast shop technology of light metals, the influence of alloying elements and process parameters on the castability of metals is requested.

The applicant is either a native English speaker or can prove his/her ability of the proper use of English by a TOEFL, IELTS or an equivalent test showing that the applicant is a competent user or better. Basic knowledge of German language is appreciated. He/she has to be flexible, creative, self-organised and is able to work in an international team. An interest in the own professional training and further education is required.

Position WP1_2: Microstructure and physical properties development in heat treated Mg-Y-based alloys

Place of work: Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Czech Republic (Prof. Dr. I. Stulikova)

Project description:

Microstructure and physical properties investigation in heat treated Mg-based alloys will be the main task. Physical properties (i.e. electrical resistivity, heat flow, positron annihilation spectroscopy) correlated to mechanical properties and microstructure will be studied after various heat treatments of alloys. Attention should be focused to the aspects of alloy properties tailoring. The successful applicant is expected to register for a PhD program at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University in Prague.
Requirements:

• Master Degree in Solid State Physics, Material Science or related areas.
• Experience in hexagonal metals physics
• Good knowledge of related experimental methods
• Strong motivation for experimental scientific work and loyalty
• Excellent communication and organizational skills
• Team player, feel a sense of accomplishment, supporting the team
• Willing to travel

Position WP1_3: Assessment of ternary and quaternary phase diagrams of magnesium based alloys for biomedical applications.

Place of work: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium (Prof. Dr. O. van der Biest)
Project description:

The goal is to design Mg alloys which are free of elements which may be harmful to the health of the patient receiving the implant. So for instance the alloy should be free of aluminium, which is a common alloying element in commercial alloys. The compositions of the alloys will be selected on the basis of calculated phase diagrams. Binary phase diagrams for Mg alloys in general are well known but they are less well known or often not available for Mg together with the elements of interest for use as bio material (e.g. Ca, rare earths and others). For these elements the multi-component diagrams (ternary, quaternary and higher) will be calculated, in particular the magnesium rich corner using e.g. ThermoCalc, FactSage or Pandat. The predicted diagrams will also be explored and assessed experimentally. Basic properties of selected alloys will be measured.

Requirements:
Master degree in Materials Science and Engineering is preferred. Degrees in Chemistry or Physics are possible depending on familiarity with the issues to be investigated in the doctoral research.

Position WP1_4: Development of Mg-alloy sports medicine implant

Place of work: ConMed Linvatec Biomaterials Ltd., Finland (Dr. K. Lahteenkorva)
Project description:

Implant development focuses on implants for soft tissue fixation onto and into the bone. This includes the determination of application specific appropriate Mg-alloy requirements as well as mechanical and biomechanical properties. The project includes processing development of implants made of Mg-alloys.

Requirements:

Good knowledge of materials, especially of metals. Basic degree in materials or applied science is required.  Knowledge of absorbable materials, medical materials and devices is advantageous. Good English language skills. Knowledge of Finnish language is advantageous.

Work Package 2: Degradation behaviour of Mg in vitro

Position WP2_1: Influence of physiological conditions on Mg-alloy corrosion

Place of work: Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Institute for Materials Research, Department Structure Research on Macromolecules, Geesthacht, Germany (Prof. Regine Willumeit)

Project description:

The aim of this project is the study of cell-free degradation of magnesium alloys mimicking as best as possible the in vivo situation. The project includes the analysis of magnesium corrosion in different fluids in complex and dynamic culture systems including bioreactor systems. Moreover the integration of on-line measuring devices for different parameters is targeted. Further analysis will deal with the structural characterization of corroded materials (e.g. by X-ray scattering, diffraction and tomography) to correlate the microstructure of the material to corrosion properties.
Requirements:

Candidates should have master degree in chemistry, physics or materials science (and related fields of research) with a strong background in one of the following fields: biomaterials development, biotechnology (setup of complex culture systems, bioreactors); physical chemistry (analysis of surface chemistry of corroded surfaces) or sensory analysis and data integration (integration of sensors into complex systems). We expect very good English skills (proven by a TOEFL, IELTS or an equivalent test) and a documentation that the candidate can work in an interdisciplinary environment, is creative to apply new methods and strictly self-organised.

Position WP2_2: Initial cell response on Mg implants

Place of work: Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Institute for Materials Research, Department Structure Research on Macromolecules, Geesthacht, Germany (Prof. Dr. R. Willumeit)

Project description:

The aim of this project is the determination of the interaction of different cell types with degrading magnesium implant materials in vitro. The candidate will study the cellular reaction of primary cells (osteoblasts, stem cells, chondrocytes) and cell lines as well as antibacterial activity. The experiments are aiming to determine effects e.g. on marker proteins, cytokine secretion and signal transmitters. In addition the modification of the material’s surface by cell activity has to be elucidated. To develop a better test system mimicking in vivo conditions, the candidate will implement complex (co-) culture systems.

Requirements:
Candidates should have a master degree in biology or biochemistry (or related fields of research) with a strong background in one of the following fields: cell culture techniques (expression analysis on genetic, protein or systemic level); biochemistry (e.g. innate immunity; gene profiling or proteomics); cell biology (signal transmitters, pathway analysis) and biomaterial development. We expect very good English skills (proven by a TOEFL, IELTS or an equivalent test) and a documentation that the candidate can work in an interdisciplinary environment, is creative to apply new methods and strictly self-organised.

Position WP2_3: In vitro degradation of Mg-alloys under physiological conditions
Place of work: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium (Prof. Dr. O. van der Biest)
Project description:

In addition to their biocompatibility another important property of the new alloys to be developed in MagnIM will be their degradation rate in the body. This degradation rate needs to be matched against the regeneration potential of the surrounding tissue.  The alloy degradation process is complex and includes parameters from the alloy (composition, microstructure, and surface structure), the chemo-physical environment (pH, fluid flow, the presence of mechanical load) as well as biological factors such as the presence of biological molecules and cells. Several theses will be devoted to this topic.  The thesis at K.U. Leuven will address mainly the alloy parameters, the physical parameters and only to a limited extent biological factors. The aim is to define reliable in vitro testing procedures giving the best possible representation of in vivo conditions. The emphasis will be on the quantification of the degradation processes. The generation of hydrogen is of special concern for the application and needs to be addressed in the study.  The quantification of the degradation will be complemented by structural characterisations of the corroded material (e.g. scattering, diffraction, and tomography) which will give insight how the microstructure of the materials can be correlated with corrosion and mechanical properties. Topographical characterisation will be performed to evaluate variations over time with respect to surface roughness as an indication if a corrosive process is ongoing.
Requirements:
Master degree in Materials Science and Engineering or in Inorganic or Analytical Chemistry is required.

Position WP2_4: Long term cell response on Mg implants

Place of work: Malmoe Hoegskola, Malmö, Sweden (Prof. Dr. A. Wennerberg)
Project description:

Magnesium impregnation has been suggested to be effective for the enhancement of osseointegration, and some evidence suggest that the chemical effect of such essential substance strengthens the quality of supporting bone. However, the detailed cellular response, such as detection of the signalling pathways involved during the phenomenon has yet to be clarified, in particular, little is known about the specific role of the incorporated magnesium during the bone healing cascade.
The overall aim of the in vitro project is to investigate and to clarify the cellular response to a newly designed magnesium resorbable biomaterial surface, and specifically, studies will be conducted based on the following goals.

1)      To characterise the surface using different topographical, morphological and chemical evaluation techniques.

2)      To clarify the interfacial protein layering phenomenon, i.e. biofilm formation.

3)      To clarify cellular morphological alterations during the course of cell attachment, spreading, proliferation, and differentiation.

4)      To clarify the cellular viability of the material.

5)      To clarify the signalling pathways involved during osteogenesis.

Requirements:
We are seeking a competent, and enthusiastic postgraduate student (MS or equivalent) who preferably has extensive experience in cellular/molecular biology to carry out the research. The research grant is for three years and the student will be registered as a PhD candidate at the Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Odontology, Malmö University.

Work Package 3: In vivo studies of biodegradable magnesium based materials

Position WP3_1: Degradation of different Mg alloys in a growing sheep model

Place of work: Medizinische Universität Graz, Graz, Austria (Prof. D. A. Weinberg)
Project description:

Despite the existing observations made for implant interaction with bone in general little is known about the interaction with a growing skeletal. Therefore we will investigate especially the influence of Mg alloys on the growing skeletal and the growth plate and compare this to implants inserted in cortical bone and the intramedullary cavity of older rats. In order to discover potential systemic inflammatory reactions as a result of pin implantation comprehensive blood analysis from each animal will be performed. By analysing the growth plate histomorphological and in µCT scans during the degradation process complication like bone bridges which can lead to growth disturbance will be detected.
Beside the study of in vivo reaction on the degrading implant material sufficient fixation and anchoring of the implant in the surrounding bone by osseointegration is an important issue. Several biomechanical test methods will be used.
Requirements:

Graduate Study of Human Medicine, Dentistry or Sciences.

Knowledge and exercises of cell culture techniques, willingness to work with animals and optional is experience with operation procedures. Beside this, needed qualifications are flexibility, high team spirit, ability of independent working.

Position WP3_2: Analysis of juvenile chondrocyts reaction on different magnesium alloys
Place of work: Medizinische Universität Graz, Graz, Austria (Prof. D. A. Weinberg)

Project description:

The study of the reaction of juvenile chondrocytes on different magnesium implants using selected cell culture techniques, histological staining protocols and microscopic evaluation is the main topic in this work. Here the focus will be on the growing bone like isolation and culturing human chondrocytes or a cell line of human cartilage of the growth plate, histomorphological staining and analysis, embedding, SEM, TEM and light microscope should be established. Also characterization of changes in the metabolism of cells upon the interaction with different materials will be measured. Cytotoxicity, proliferation and differentiation will be evaluated in “indirect” and “direct” cell tests”. “Indirect” means using an extract of the corrosion solution to study the influence of corrosion products. While in “direct” assays the cells are in contact with the material. Also the reactions of the growth plate within the animal studies will be highlighted.
Requirements: Graduate Study of Human Medicine, Dentistry or Sciences
Knowledge and exercises of cell culture techniques, willingness to work with animals is experience with operation procedures. Beside this, needed qualifications are flexibility, high team spirit, ability of independent working.

Position WP3_3: Characterisation of new magnesium based implant materials in vivo
Place of work: Malmoe Hoegskola, Malmö, Sweden (Prof. Dr. A. Wennerberg)

Project description:

The effect of implant surface chemistry has been suggested to have some impact on osseointegration. When a potential biomaterial has been developed, it is an absolute prerequisite to characterise the in vivo behaviour and to clarify the bone formation mechanisms before it can be considered as a biomaterial for possible clinical application. The material should be bioinert if not bioactive when placed in bone, should strengthen bone quality, and most importantly, should enhance bone formation.
The overall aim of the in vivo project is to investigate and to clarify the biological response to a newly designed magnesium implant from various perspectives using multiple evaluation techniques. In particular, studies will be conducted based on the following goals.

1)      To characterise the implant using different topographical, morphological and chemical evaluation techniques.

2)      To characterise the stability of the magnesium implant placed in bone.

3)      To evaluate histologically and 3-dimentionally the osteoconductive ability of the magnesium implant placed in bone.

4)      To clarify the genetic responses occurring at both the implant interface and in the bone vicinity to the implant.

5)      To clarify the signalling pathways involved during osteogenesis to indicate the decisive factor, which responds to the magnesium surface incorporation and possibly uppregulates ostegenesis.

6)      To observe the biodegradation and bone alteration process in vivo.

Requirements:
We are seeking a competent, and enthusiastic postgraduate student with a medical background (MS or equivalent), who preferably has extensive experience in biology (including evaluation techniques), immunohistochemistry, or molecular biology to carry out the research. The research grant is for three years and the student will be registered as a PhD candidate at the Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Odontology, Malmö University.

Position WP3_4: Animal implantation studies - selection of models and different histological evaluation techniques

Place of work: aap Biomaterials GmbH, Dieburg, Germany (Dr. L. Heimann)

Project description:

Applying histological methods, execution and evaluation.

What will be offered: Introduction into animal care and animal operation techniques. Sample preparation methods like thin or semi thin sections of tissues by using microtome or diamond saw cutting methods. Analysis with SEM, TEM and light microscope with additional fluorescence equipment. Studies on the influence of alloy elements on cells and their metabolism by analyzing biopsies from brain, kidney, liver and lymph nodes or other tissues. Documentation and interpreting of the results answering questions like biocompatibility, degradation and usability.
Requirements:
Candidates should have a master degree or comparable degree in biology (or related fields of research) with theoretical and experimental knowledge in cell biology; preferred knowledge in histology methods. Preparedness in working with animals is essential. Very good English skills are mandatory needed. We expect that the candidate can work in an interdisciplinary environment.