A 3D mechanosensing platform for senescent osteocytes in aging bone

Overview

Project Reference: #3MPQC-NATP2

Preferred Start: Late 2026/Early 2027

How do our bones sense movement, and why does this ability decline as we age?

Osteocytes are specialised cells embedded throughout bone that detect mechanical forces generated during movement and exercise. They form an interconnected cellular network that helps coordinate the continuous renewal and repair of bone.

With age, some osteocytes become senescent: damaged cells that remain within the tissue but no longer function normally. Their accumulation may disrupt how bone senses mechanical loading and contribute to osteoporosis, fragility fractures and loss of mobility. However, we still do not understand how senescence changes the ability of osteocytes to detect and respond to mechanical forces.

This project will develop a first-of-its-kind 3D hydrogel model of senescent osteocytes in ageing bone. By combining tissue engineering, fluorescent biosensors, advanced microscopy and controlled mechanical loading, the project will allow us to observe how healthy and senescent bone cells respond to forces in real time.

Research activities

This project is part of the Max Planck Queensland Centre for the Materials Science of Extracellular Matrices (MPQC) and the Centre for Biomedical Technologies (CBT), within a broader research program supported by the Australian Research Council and QUT.

The student will be based on Level 3 of the Translational Research Institute (TRI) in Woolloongabba, Qld, Australia, and will be part of the Bone & Tumour Bioengineering Research Group led by Associate Professor Nathalie Bock, the Research Lead of QUT at TRI. The student will have a dedicated workstation and personal laptop.

The student will contribute to developing and characterising advanced 3D models of healthy and senescent osteocytes. Activities may include:

• Creating 3D hydrogel-based osteocyte models
• Applying controlled mechanical loading using a specialised bioreactor
• Examining osteocyte networks and calcium signalling using advanced microscopy
• Analysing how senescent cells influence surrounding cells and the bioengineered bone microenvironment

• Comparing the responses of healthy and senescent osteocytes to mechanical stimulation.

Skills, techniques and other learning opportunities offered

• Hydrogel manufacture and characterisation
• 3D cell culture techniques
• Osteocyte culture and cellular senescence models
• Mechanical stimulation using bioreactor systems
• Live-cell and confocal microscopy
• Fluorescent calcium imaging
• Molecular biology and biochemical assays
• Gene-expression and secretome analysis
• Quantitative image and data analysis
• Quantitative image and data analysis

• Opportunities to interact with multidisciplinary researchers at QUT, TRI and The University of Queensland

Outcomes

This project aims to establish an innovative and physiologically relevant platform for investigating how ageing affects the cells responsible for sensing mechanical forces in bone.

The research will determine whether senescent osteocytes lose their ability to respond to mechanical loading and whether mechanical stimulation can preserve or partially restore their function. It will also reveal how signals released by senescent cells affect surrounding healthy cells and the broader bone microenvironment.

The findings will advance our understanding of bone ageing and osteoporosis and may help inform future strategies combining exercise-based interventions with treatments that target senescent cells. The platform will also provide an advanced alternative to conventional two-dimensional cultures and help reduce reliance on animal models.

High-quality publications will be expected from this project (Bock et al., Prog Mater Sci). Travel to national and international conferences and to the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Germany, will be available to the successful candidate.

Skills and experience

This project would suit a student with a background or strong interest in Biomedical Science, Cell Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Tissue Engineering, Biomaterials, Ageing Research or Bone Biology.

The ideal candidate will:

• Have relevant laboratory research experience
• Be highly motivated to undertake interdisciplinary and innovative biomedical research
• Interested in learning and utilising a large range of laboratory-based techniques merging complementary fields (bone tissue engineering, mechanobiology)
• Be interested in learning 3D cell culture, microscopy, biomaterials and molecular biology techniques
• Be self-motivated and able to plan and prioritise experimental work
• Demonstrate curiosity, initiative and strong problem-solving skills
• Be able to work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Have effective written and verbal communication skills.

Research involving biological systems does not always proceed as expected. Curiosity, patience and resilience when experiments require troubleshooting are therefore particularly important. Previous laboratory experience in cell culture, fluorescence imaging, molecular biology or biomaterials would be beneficial but is not essential for a motivated student with a strong willingness to learn.

Above all, the successful student will bring genuine enthusiasm for contributing to the Bone & Tumour Bioengineering Research Group at QUT and investigating an important challenge in bone ageing and osteoporosis.

Eligibility details

Australian and international applicants are eligible to apply. Applicants must meet QUT’s entry requirements for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy, including the applicable English-language requirements. Read more here about entry requirements.

How to apply

Step 1

Submit your application to n.bock@qut.edu.au with the following subject: ‘PhD (or write ‘MPhil’ if applying to a MPhil)–#3MPQC-NATP2–Your Surname’.

Your application must include:

• A cover letter by the applicant (maximum 1 page)
• An up-to-date CV indicating previous lab experience and skills and the details of two referees (including their email addresses)
• Academic transcript

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an interview.

Step 2

The preferred candidate will be supported to submit a formal expression of interest through the QUT research degree application process. Applicants should review QUT’s research degree entry requirements and application guidance here before applying.

For the 2027 Annual Scholarship Round, formal expressions of interest must be submitted by:

• 31 July 2026 for international applicants.
• 31 August 2026 for domestic (Australian citizens or permanent residents) applicants.

Scholarships are awarded through a competitive process, and there is no guarantee of success. The student’s prior qualifications and experience will strengthen their application.

What you receive

The successful scholarship recipient will receive:

• A full-time, tax-exempt stipend of $37,010 per annum, indexed annually
• Scholarship support for a maximum of 3.5 years for a PhD or 1.75 years for an MPhil, including any approved extension
• A possible $5,000 top-up scholarship for an outstanding candidate, subject to eligibility and funding conditions
• Tuition fee sponsorship for eligible international students
• Single Overseas Student Health Cover for eligible international students
• The opportunity to join QUT, the university for the real world, and undertake research within the advanced multidisciplinary environment of the Translational Research Institute
• A dedicated research environment within the Bone & Tumour Bioengineering Research Group at TRI.
• Access to advanced biofabrication, cell culture, microscopy and materials-characterisation facilities
• Opportunities to participate in multidisciplinary research networks through QUT TRI, CBT and MPQC
• Be a member of a prestigious international research centre from the Max Planck Society (MPQC), connected to the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces (MPICI)
• Be a member of the Network Architecture and Transport Properties of ECMs Research Theme of MPQC
• Training and international mentorship across biomaterials science, tissue engineering, bone biology and biofabrication

Keywords

• Bioengineering
• Biofabrication
• Bone Tissue Engineering
• Biomaterials
• Bone Ageing
• 3D Cell Culture
• Cellular Senescence
• Mechanobiology
• Calcium Signalling
• Bone Biology

Contact

Contact Associate Professor Nathalie Bock or more information.