Smart electrochemical aptamer biosensors for continuous monitoring cell health and function

Overview

Microphysiological systems including organ-on-chip platforms and 3D tissue models are transforming how we study human biology, enabling advanced in vitro models for tissue regeneration and drug testing that are far more physiologically relevant than conventional cell culture. The critical challenges for mass production, quality control, tracking their health and function in advanced in vitro models still remain. Monitoring cell health and function in these systems still relies on destructive or invasive methods, requiring cell sacrifice or physical sampling at a single timepoint. Even the least invasive approaches are endpoint-based, making continuous assessment impractical and labour-intensive.

This PhD project addresses that gap by developing and integrating electrochemical aptamer-based (E-AB) biosensors directly into microphysiological systems to enable non-invasive, continuous, real-time monitoring of cell viability and function without disrupting the living culture. Sensors will track clinically relevant biomarkers of cell stress, injury, and metabolic dysfunction, capturing the full temporal trajectory of responses to drugs, toxins, and environmental stressors that endpoint assays simply cannot reveal. E-AB biosensor technology is designed to be versatile and modular, extending across other tissue systems. The core innovation lies in integrating biosensor platforms with advanced tissue culture, data acquisition pipelines, machine learning, and automation to create a complete, deployable solution for both research and industry settings - optimised for sensitivity, selectivity, and stability in physiologically complex environments.

Research activities

• Develop robust electrochemical aptamer-based biosensors capable of continuously detecting biomarkers associated with cell health, stress, and metabolic activity.
• Integrate biosensing technologies with organ-on-chip and microphysiological systems for non-invasive, real-time monitoring of living tissues.
• Establish automated data acquisition and analytical pipelines to extract meaningful biological insights from continuous sensor measurements.
• Demonstrate the utility of integrated biosensor systems in applications such as drug testing, disease modelling, and tissue engineering.

Outcomes

This project will establish a smart, integrated biosensing platform capable of real-time, continuous, non-invasive monitoring of cell health and function within microphysiological systems. The anticipated outcomes include:

• a validated library of E-AB biosensors targeting key biomarkers of drug-induced cellular injury and metabolic function
• a modular biosensor toolkit deployable across multiple organ models (liver, kidney, cardiac, and beyond)
• protocols and automated pipelines for continuous monitoring that replace destructive endpoint assays in advanced in vitro testing
• translation-ready tools for pharmaceutical assessment, supporting industry adoption and regulatory alignment with animal-free testing frameworks.

Skills and experience

• Bachelor degree or master degree in:
  • biomedical engineering
  • chemical engineering
  • biotechnology
  • biomedical science
  • chemistry
  • materials science
  • a related discipline.
• Demonstrated laboratory research experience and strong experimental skills, including ability to analyse, interpret, and communicate scientific data effectively.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a multidisciplinary research team.

Research experience in any of the following areas is highly desirable:

• experience with electrochemical techniques (e.g. voltammetry, impedance spectroscopy, amperometry)
• experience in biosensor development, surface functionalisation, or biointerface engineering
• familiarity with cell culture, tissue engineering, microfluidics, organ-on-chip technologies, or other microphysiological systems.
• experience with sensor data analysis, signal processing, or computational modelling.
• programming skills in Python, MATLAB, or equivalent for data analysis and automation.

Scholarships

You may be eligible to apply for a research scholarship.

Explore our research scholarships

Keywords

• electrochemical biosensor
• microphysiological systems
• organ-on-chip
• continuous monitoring

Contact

Contact the supervisor for more information.