Open positions

Are you passionate about the intersection of cutting-edge hardware and develop new robotic systems? Are you interested to learn how we can design magnets and materials for medical applications? We are seeking motivated PhD students with a background in mechanical engineering or mechatronics, who has hands-on experience and is eager to develop their own experimental setups to explore the following interdisciplinary research areas:

A. Structured Soft Materials with Complex Magnetizations

Magnetization in soft materials is pivotal for enabling robotic functions. Unlike conventional magnetic materials, soft composites can be programmed with intricate magnetization profiles, resulting in complex deformations and dynamic motions under external magnetic fields. Our research aims to advance the functionality of these materials, including the potential for mechanical computing (e.g., cellular automata) and the development of methods to dynamically program magnetization using electric signals. Future work will also explore soft robotic structures driven by mobile active particles.

Representative Publications:

Gu, H., Boehler, Q., Ahmed, D., & Nelson, B. J. (2019). Magnetic quadrupole assemblies with arbitrary shapes and magnetizations. Science Robotics, 4(35).

Cui, J., Huang, T.-Y., Luo, Z., Testa, P., Gu, H., Chen, X.-Z., Nelson, B. J., & Heyderman, L. J. (2019). Nanomagnetic encoding of shape-morphing micromachines. Nature, 575(7781), 164-168.

B. Soft Robotic Systems for Understanding Physiological Transport

Living systems exhibit complex distributed actuation mechanisms. Understanding the transport phenomena in these systems is challenging, but magnetic soft robots offer unique advantages for modeling these processes. Our lab has developed magnetic cilia carpets that mimic natural cilia motion and confirmed key numerical predictions. We aim to leverage these systems to create robotic medical phantoms that mimic organ motion, such as ciliated lung surfaces or peristaltic intestinal movement. These models will help us better understand disease mechanisms and develop next-generation medical devices, particularly for the gastrointestinal tract.

Representative Publications:

Gu, H., Boehler, Q., Cui, H., Secchi, E., Savorana, G., De Marco, C., Gervasoni, S., Peyron, Q., et al. (2020). Magnetic Cilia Carpets with Programmable Metachronal Waves. Nature Communications, 11, 2637.

C. Novel Medical Devices and Surgical Tools

The ability of magnetic fields to penetrate deep into the human body holds immense potential for minimally invasive medical interventions. Current magnetic navigation systems in vascular networks lack mechanical intelligence, but our research aims to revolutionize these systems by designing magnetic robotic materials with advanced functionalities. This work will involve lab-based proof-of-concept development and collaborations with medical professionals to transition these innovations to clinical trials and commercialization through spin-off companies.

Representative Publications:

Gu, H., Bertrand, T., Boehler, Q., Chautems, C., Vasilyev, N. V., & Nelson, B. J. (2020). Magnetically Active Cardiac Patches as an Untethered, Non‐Blood Contacting Ventricular Assist Device. Advanced Science, 2000726.

Gu, H., Hanedan, E., Boehler, Q., Huang, T.-Y., Mathijssen, A. J. T. M., & Nelson, B. J. (2022). Artificial microtubules for fast and collective transport of magnetic microcargos. Nature Machine Intelligence, 4, 678–684.

Gu, H., Möckli, M., Ehmke, C., Wieland, M., Moser, S., Kim, M., Boehler, Q., & Nelson, B. J. (2023). Self-folding soft robotic chains with reconfigurable shapes and functionalities. Nature Communications, 14, 1263.

Why Join Us?

HKUST offers a world-class research environment and state-of-the-art facilities. As a PhD student in our lab, you will be at the forefront of developing cutting-edge technologies for next-generation medical devices and systems. Together, we will push the boundaries of what is possible in soft robotics and medical innovation. Doctoral students will be fully funded, receiving a monthly stipend of about 18,000 HKD. Exceptionally qualified candidates may be recommended for the prestigious Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS), which offers a monthly stipend about 27,000 HKD. Additionally, students will have full access to state-of-the-art research facilities.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates contact Hongri(Richard) Gu: hongri.gu@uni-konstanz.de. Please include a short introduction of yourself and attach your updated CV.