Student Projects

Here is a list of some of our actual student projects. However, note that we are also accustomed to tailor the project on the expertise and interests of each student. If you are interested in learning more you can contact the project responsibles or Janos Vörös..

Assay development for cancer diagnostics

You will develop a diagnostic test for testicular cancer. The focus of the project will be on creating the biochemical protocols for the test. The project is in collaboration with a prelaunch startup and a hospital (USZ). Therefore, it is ideal for motivated students who want to have a direct impact

Keywords

diagnostic, diagnostics, test, biosensing, sensing, biosensor, sensor, dna, rna, mirna, cancer, functionalization, gold, nanoparticles, biochemistry, chemistry, assay, surface chemistry,

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Semester Project , Internship , Lab Practice , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis , Summer School

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Published since: 2024-04-10

Organization Biosensors and Bioelectronics (LBB)

Hosts Blickenstorfer Yves

Topics Engineering and Technology , Chemistry , Biology

Develop microfluidics for at-home blood testing

Collaborating with a dynamic startup, you will work on designing, manufacturing, and testing microfluidic devices to quantify biomolecules associated with chronic inflammation, heart attacks, and tropical diseases.

Keywords

Microfluidics, Fluidics, blood testing, diagnostics, biosensing, biosensor, diseases, healthcare, electrochemistry, Interdisciplinary, startup, impact, impactful, Laboratory of Biosensors and Bioelectronics, LBB, Quantification, Biomedical engineering, Materials science, Physics, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Biology, Innovation

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Semester Project , Collaboration , Internship , Lab Practice , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis , Summer School

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Are you passionate about making a real impact on patient care? Do you thrive in interdisciplinary environments, seeking collaborative opportunities with startups? Look no further – the Laboratory for Biosensing and Bioelectronics (LBB) is recruiting talented and enthusiastic individuals for a groundbreaking student project focused on developing microfluidics for at-home medical blood tests. At-home blood testing is poised to revolutionize patient care, offering a fast, affordable, and regular means of obtaining critical health information. This innovation is particularly crucial for chronically ill patients and those in low-income countries. At LBB, we have successfully developed an electrochemical method for the accurate quantification of various biomarkers associated with chronic inflammation, heart attacks, and tropical diseases. To translate this technology into at-home tests, we need to embed our methods in an affordable microfluidic device. As a student on this project, you will be involved in designing, manufacturing, and testing microfluidic devices capable of quantifying biomolecules in individuals' blood. - **Interdisciplinary Nature:** This project brings together expertise from various fields, offering a rich and diverse learning experience. - **Collaboration with a Startup:** Work closely with a dynamic startup, contributing to the intersection of academia and industry. - **Direct Application and Real Impact:** Your efforts will directly contribute to the development of at-home medical blood tests, making a tangible impact on patient care and healthcare accessibility. - **Team Collaboration:** Join a large dynamic team where collaboration with fellow students is encouraged, fostering a supportive and stimulating work environment. Are you ready to take on a challenge? While preference will be given to longer projects such as a master thesis don't hesitate to apply for other project formats. We welcome applicants from diverse fields such as engineering (electrical, mechanical, chemical or biomedical) materials science, physics, chemistry, biochemistry, biotechnology, health science, biology or similar. Your study background is not critical – your passion for innovation and impact is what matters most!

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Published since: 2024-04-10 , Earliest start: 2024-01-09

Organization Biosensors and Bioelectronics (LBB)

Hosts Blickenstorfer Yves

Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Chemistry , Biology , Physics

Revolutionize at-home diagnostics

Join our interdisciplinary student project to transform at-home diagnostics! Work on cutting-edge technology, boost sensitivity, engineer tests for seamless home use, and develop targeted disease detection. Help us to shape the future of healthcare.

Keywords

diagnostics, assay, electrochemistry, biosensing, sensing, sensor, biosensor, disease, detection, interdisciplinary, electrochemical, microfluidics, impact, health, startup

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Semester Project , Lab Practice , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ) , Summer School

Description

Are you a motivated, innovative and ambitious student eager to make a difference? Join our student project and be part of a revolutionary at-home diagnostics initiative. We've developed cutting-edge technology for low-cost readout of diagnostic tests using electrochemical detection of gold nanoparticles for immunoassays. Now, we need your brilliance to take it even further! **Why At-Home Blood Testing Matters:** At-home diagnostics have the potential to transform the way we monitor and manage our health. Imagine a world where individuals can easily perform essential blood tests from the comfort of their homes, without the need for costly and time-consuming visits to healthcare facilities. This technology will empower individuals to take control of their health, enabling early detection of diseases and better management of chronic conditions. **The Project:** An Interdisciplinary Adventure: Working on this project will be an exciting and interdisciplinary journey. We welcome students from various backgrounds, including engineering, (bio-)chemistry, material science, and physics. As part of our team, you'll collaborate and learn from experts in different fields, gaining a wealth of knowledge and expanding your skillset in the process. **An Impactful Experience:** Unlike typical student projects, our initiative offers you the chance to work on something with a direct impact. You'll be an essential part of a close collaboration with a dynamic startup company, where your contributions will be valued and integrated into real-world applications. Your ideas and efforts could shape the future of at-home diagnostics and influence how healthcare is delivered worldwide. **Why Should You Apply?** This student project is not just another academic exercise; it's an opportunity to: 1. Contribute to cutting-edge technology that could change the face of diagnostics. 2. Work alongside a passionate team of professionals, gaining insights into the startup world. 3. Acquire a diverse range of interdisciplinary skills that will set you apart in your future career. 4. Make a real impact on people's lives by improving access to healthcare. **How to Apply:** If you are an ambitious student eager to make a difference and possess the skills to take on this challenge, we want to hear from you! To apply, simply send an email to blyves@ethz.ch with your CV and transcript of records attached. Let us know why you are the perfect fit for this project and how you envision contributing to the future of at-home diagnostics. Join us on this incredible journey of innovation and discovery. Together, we can make a lasting difference in the world of healthcare. Apply now and be a part of something extraordinary!

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Published since: 2024-04-10 , Earliest start: 2023-07-26

Organization Biosensors and Bioelectronics (LBB)

Hosts Blickenstorfer Yves

Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Chemistry , Biology , Physics

Develop the electronics for a new medical sensor

You will work on bringing medical tests to peoples home. You will further develop the hardware and software for a readout device that can perform a variety of diagnostic tests in a reliable but simple fashion.

Keywords

Electronics, Software, Sensor, Biosensor, Potentiostat, Analog, Data Analysis, Noise Filtering, Start-up, printed circuit board, PCB, C++, Arduino, Microcontroller, Diagnostic, Medical

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Semester Project , Internship , Lab Practice , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis , Summer School

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Published since: 2024-04-10

Organization Biosensors and Bioelectronics (LBB)

Hosts Blickenstorfer Yves

Topics Engineering and Technology

Assembling an advanced high-speed SICM for live cell imaging

Scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) is the non-contact SPM technology to image live cells based on glass capillaries with a nanometric aperture. It applies a voltage and measures the ionic current flowing through the pipette above the sample in the buffer solution: the recorded current represents the feedback signal to measure the topography of the sample. In collaboration with Prof. Fantner at EPFL, this project aims to assemble a state of the art high-speed SICM to enable time-resolved live cell imaging.

Keywords

high-speed SICM, live cell imaging, control, electronics, FPGA, and data analysis

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Course Project , Lab Practice , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ) , Summer School

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Published since: 2024-03-21 , Earliest start: 2024-01-08

Organization Biosensors and Bioelectronics (LBB)

Hosts Xu Mengjia

Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology

FluidFM-based nanoscale printing for wearable self-powering biomedical real time sensing

What about implantable self-powering devices to monitor biophysical signals at nanoscale? As a part of the interdisciplinary frontier between material science and new biomedical applications, being able to monitor biological or physical markers and signals, allows for a better treatment from both the diagnostic and healing point of view. Among them, biocompatible and non-intrusive wearable monitoring devices, which are so flexible to adhere perfectly to biological tissue, and even to cells like neurons, gain increasing interest. However, fabricating the devices and the electrodes at nano/microscale remains a challenge. FluidFM is a force-controlled nanopipette, a versatile tool also for 2D patterning and 3D printing in liquid environment, opening the opportunity to manufacture the devices at the sub-micron scale. We are going to create the devices and electrodes depositing conductive polymers with the FluidFM and then to perform the opportune characterization.

Keywords

Conductive polymers, FluidFM, colloids, electrochemistry, nanoscale electrodes, characterization, biomedical monitoring, interdisciplinary

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Master Thesis

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Published since: 2024-03-21 , Earliest start: 2024-02-01 , Latest end: 2024-09-30

Organization Biosensors and Bioelectronics (LBB)

Hosts Xu Mengjia

Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Physics

Characterization and investigating 2D skin disease model via biosensing and optical imaging

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a unique group of autoimmune diseases. Researches have demonstrated that antibody-induced disruption of Dsg3 transadhesion initiates a signaling response in basal keratinocytes followed by loss of tissue integrity. The complexity of morphogenesis and tissue regeneration implies the existence of a transcellular communication network in which individual cells sense the environment and coordinate their biological activity in time and space. To understand the fascinating ability of tissue self-organization, comprehensive study of biophysical properties (cell topography and bioelectricity) in combination with the analysis of biochemical networks (signaling pathways and genetic circuits) is required. Together with the University of Bern and University of Lübeck, we aim to utilize the tools to study the topography and electrophysiology (cell potential, ion channel recording, localized ion detection, charges) of HPEK cells (human primary keratinocytes cells) to unravel the signaling pathways of the disease. We utilize optical imaging (fluorescence dyes) and biosensing tools (including the state of the art hs-SICM and electrical FluidFM setup) to study HPEK cells upon desmosome disruption.

Keywords

Disease, signaling pathways, 2D model, cell culture, biosensors, AFM, electrical, FluidFM, SICM, dyes, imaging, topography, electrophysiology, data analysis, interdisciplinary

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Semester Project , Lab Practice , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis , Summer School

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Published since: 2024-03-21

Organization Biosensors and Bioelectronics (LBB)

Hosts Xu Mengjia

Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Chemistry , Biology

Advancing Single-Molecule Sensing for Protein Sequencing

In this project, you will have the opportunity to contribute to the development and optimization of a single-molecule sensor designed for the detection, identification, and sequencing of important biomolecules such as DNA and proteins. The sensor technology is built upon the principles of microfluidics, nanofabrication, and machine-learning data analysis. It is an excellent fit for students who possess skills and a strong interest in these fields and are eager to engage in an interdisciplinary project with significant potential impact.

Keywords

nanopore sensing, single-molecule detection, protein sequencing, dna sequencing, nanotechnology, microfluidics, nanofabrication, machine learning, interdisciplinary, biomolecular analysis, data analysis

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Master Thesis

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Published since: 2024-03-19 , Earliest start: 2023-09-18 , Latest end: 2024-11-30

Organization Biosensors and Bioelectronics (LBB)

Hosts Hengsteler Julian

Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Chemistry , Biology , Physics