Overview
This project is part of a 4 year Dual PhD degree programme between the National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) in Taiwan and the University of Liverpool in England. As Part of the NTHU-UoL Dual PhD Award, students are in the unique position of being able to gain 2 PhD awards at the end of their degree from two internationally recognised world leading Universities. As well as benefiting from a rich cultural experience, sStudents can draw on large scale national facilities of both countries and create a worldwide network of contacts across 2 continents.
About this opportunity
3D bioprinting is an emerging technology that enables the fabrication of biomimetic engineered tissues, which are crucial for understanding diseases and facilitating tissue regeneration. Among existing methods, ink-extrusion bioprinting and femtosecond laser direct writing (FsLDW) are particularly promising. Ink-extrusion bioprinting enables efficient multi-material printing but is limited to hundreds of micrometres in resolution. FsLDW offers unmatched nanoscale precision and true 3D patterning capacity but is relatively slow and equipment-intensive, and thus less commonly used in bioprinting. Integrating ink extrusion and FsLDW will enable technical complementarity for high-fidelity tissue fabrication, but it remains challenging.
To address the challenge, this project will develop a multi-scale, multi-material biofabrication platform that combines ink-extrusion bioprinting, cryopreservation, and FsLDW to create hierarchically structured, cryo-preservable, and shelf-ready 3D organ models. These constructs will better emulate human organs and enable easy storage and transport, advancing regenerative medicine, disease modelling, and drug discovery.
At the University of Liverpool, you will formulate cryoprotective bioinks, study the freezing–thawing behavior of cell-laden hydrogels, and establish reliable protocols for multi-material ink-extrusion bioprinting and cryopreserving tissue constructs. You will design and validate a bioreactor system to assess tissue maturation and functionality after thawing.
At National Tsing Hua University, you will develop FsLDW techniques for nanoscale 3D structuring within frozen tissues. Using the Liverpool-developed systems, you will evaluate how multi-scale and multi-material patterning enhances cell organization and tissue development. The project will provide comprehensive training in advanced biofabrication, preparing you to design and produce next-generation 3D organ models for regenerative medicine and organ-on-chip applications.
This PhD is delivered through the dual NTHU–University of Liverpool programme. This collaboration offers the opportunity to create a new 3D printing technology that enables the fabrication of tissues with centimetre-scale overall dimensions and micro- to nanoscale resolution, and facilitates the storage and transportation of printed constructs. This technology will help bridge the gap between manufacturing facilities and biomedical research centres.