Thermionic cooling and needles patch biosensors. April 2019, in Tokyo.
The employer
LIMMS (Laboratory for Integrated Micro Mechatronic Systems) is an international laboratory between the French CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) and the Institute of Industrial Science (IIS) of the University of Tokyo, located in Komaba, Tokyo. LIMMS has more than 20 years of experience in international cooperative research and has welcomed more than 160 researchers from France and Europe. LIMMS is opening a new postdoctoral position in the BJ KIM Lab having main emphasis on microneedle-mediated transdermal drug delivery system.
Description of the Host Professor’s laboratory (and team):
Beomjoon KIM, Dr. Eng. Professor, Director of LIMMS/CNRS-IIS UMI 2820
CIRMM, Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo.
The mission
Principal investigator and his colleague at the Institute of Industrial Science (IIS), the University of Tokyo are interested in exploring the challenges and opportunities to build smart nanosystems and integrate nanoscale components in micro sensors, in particular for environment, bio-sensing, through both bottom-up and top-down approaches. We focus on interdisciplinary research about local “bottom-up” surface modification using functional self-assembled monolayers and “top-down” approaches for micro/nano patterning technologies. Based on these studies on nano/micro components systems for the fabrication of novel nano devices, we investigate to develop various micro sensors for biological applications, health care as well as environmental monitoring.
In the transdermal drug delivery methods, the microneedle-mediated drug delivery system has been developed to replace the hypodermic injection-mediated drug delivery system. Although those two methods belong to transdermal drug delivery system, the microneedle shows great potential for its painless self-administration of biological drug with patient friendly manner. Representative types of microneedles include solid, coated, hollow, and dissoluble microneedles. Among them, dissoluble microneedles are attracting much attentions as it has several advantages such as no needle-related risks. We have developed new fabrication method for biodegradable microneedles patches, which is different with the conventional fabrication ones, such as stepwise casting method.
It is expected that our method provides us with fast and easy replication of dissoluble microneedles without time-consuming or drug damaging process. At the same time, it is considered that more parameters should be investigated to guarantee the uniform fabrication of microneedle arrays. Finally, it is excepted that fabricated microneedle arrays can be used to deliver various biomedical drugs as well as vaccine.
Moreover, the research can be directed to develop novel painless bio sensors based on microneedles mediated patches for practical continuous health monitoring.
The candidate will have the opportunity to take part in funded projects and to network with their consortia as well as with the European and Japanese communities of the supervisors. He will be member of and supported by the LIMMS laboratory, gathering a multi-disciplinary French-Japanese society of students, post-docs, junior and senior researchers from both nationalities.
Period of Postdoctoral Position: Two years staring after April. 1, 2019
Rewards: Paid equivalent to the JSPS Postdoctoral position
Geographic mobility: international
Profil
Candidates are expected to be skillful in microfluidics or micro/nano device fabrication, and have much interest in novel development of practical Point-of-Care infectious disease’ diagnostic device, or environmental sensing as well as micro needles based new drug delivery systems. A challenging sprit would help a lot for tackling into this interdisciplinary and cutting-edge research area. The candidate should definitely be motivated and autonomous to develop an original and high impact research combining both breakthrough ideas and clear demonstrators. He(she) should be willing to teamwork and be active in the structures in which he(she) will be embedded. He(she) should also be ready to build -or have- competences in MEMS fabrication techniques.
Keywords
microneedle array, transdermal drug delivery, wearable sensors, micro fabrications