Soft resorbable actuator for RETINAL REPAIR

Biodegradable Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems open new perspectives to crucial medical challenges.

One of the great challenges in modern eye surgery is the treatment of retinal detachment, which can result in a permanent blind condition if not treated immediately. Closing local retinal notch is challenging because the retina is very fragile. The project consists of developing a wireless soft robotic actuator to gradually pull on the retinal tissue until complete closing and healing. The patch, entirely made of degradable materials, then degrades naturally.

This project will be performed in close collaboration with Dr. Koen Van Overdam from the Center for Vitreoretinal Surgery in Rotterdam.

Assignment

The student will perform the assignment at ECTM:

• Duration: 9-12 months
• Location: ECTM and EKL facilities at TU Delft

The expected activities

• Synthesis and characterization of biodegradable material composites
• Microfabrication and characterization of biodegradable wireless soft actuators
• Development of a setup to control the actuators
• Characterization of the actuators in retinal in vitro model

Requirements

You are an ambitious student looking for a challenging thesis project on new materials and microfabrication of actuators for medical applications. You have a biomedical engineering, material science, mechanical or microelectronics background. Good communication skills in English and a pro-active attitude are expected.

Contact

Last modified: 2023-12-05