Research opportunities supervised by Dr Wenhui Wang include:
Email supervisor: wenhui.wang@canterbury.ac.nz
Micro-Nano-Robotic Biomanipulation and BioMEMS/NEMS
Degree: PhD
Project Description
Micro-nano-robots with high positioning accuracy (at the scale of nanometers) and bioMEMS/NEMS devices with small size (at the scale of micrometers to centimeters) are widely used to manipulate micron-sized objects such as biological cells. They largely facilitate high-throughput investigation and allow better understanding of cell migration, cell proliferation, cell signaling pathway, cell biomechanics, and intercellular/intracellular interaction. With their unparallel capabilities of manipulating cells with size down to 10 m m level, micro-nano-robotic systems and bioMEMS/NEMS devices have been receiving increasingly remarkable attention. Recently, we have developed a fully automated zebrafish embryo injection system, semi-automated adherent cell injection system, and a PDMS elastic device for cell mechanics characterization. More information can be found at: http://individual.utoronto.ca/wangwenhui
Fields of Study
The project consists of sub-topics, either of which can be chosen as a PhD thesis topic, depending on the candidates’ preference and background.
(1) High-throughput microrobotic parallel cell injection;
(2) Microrobot-aided high-throughput cloning;
(3) Micro-fluidic devices for cell manipulation;
(4) MEMS-based stem cells characterization.
In (1) and (2), the idea is to use high precision manipulators (e.g., 40nm resolution) to manipulate/characterize biological cells/beads/organisms. A microrobotic system is to be developed to process the objects with high-throughput for large-scale screening scenarios. A successful candidate should have hands-on experience or strong background in motion control and computer vision.
In (3) and (4), BioMEMS/NEMS devices are to be designed and microfabricated with the aim to manipulate/characterize biological cells. A successful candidate should have hands-on experience or strong background in mechanical design, integrated circuit design, or MEMS device design and fabrication. Excellent knowledge in sensing/actuating theories, design and simulation software (e. g. SolidWorks, ANSYS) is a plus.
Funding Arrangements
A $20,000 p.a stipend will support the successful candidate for the duration of the PhD degree. The successful candidate is expected to start as early as possible.
Requirement on Qualifications
All candidates with high motivation, enthusiasm, and independent thinking are welcome to apply. Preference is given to students with a strong research track record from any one of the fields: Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Sciences, Automation and Control, Mechatronics Engineering, or related disciplines.