PhD Studentship: Actuated Microdevices for Oral Delivery of Biologics

Most biological drugs cannot be given orally because of their poor oral bioavailability, necessitating delivery by injection instead. This is because features of the gastrointestinal tract that prevent infection, such as a thick mucus layer and tight epithelial junctions, also block large therapeutic molecules. Researchers have investigated various techniques to overcome these barriers, such as chemical permeation enhancers, ultrasound, and microneedles. Studies have also shown that mechanical stimulation via nanostructured surfaces can temporarily open tight junctions, allowing large therapeutic molecules to cross. However, this method does not overcome the mucus barrier. This project will investigate which mechanical stimulus, delivered actively and under control, best moves a drug across the intestinal wall, and how. You will design, microfabricate and characterise an actuator that delivers a mechanical stimulus to intestinal tissue with independent control over vibration parameters to exploit the shear-thinning and thixotropic behaviour of mucus. This work will incorporate mucus rheology, microfabrication and testing the resulting device on suitable benchtop intestinal models. You will gain experience in cleanroom microfabrication, actuator design and characterisation, finite element modelling, rheology, ex vivo tissue methods and cell culture. You will work across engineering and life sciences.

The University is uniquely positioned to benefit any applicant interested in a future career in healthcare technology. The University emphasises the clinical translation of innovative research to ensure real-world impact through the Healthcare Technologies Institute and the Precision Healthcare Technology Accelerator. The School of Engineering also has an established Medical Engineering research group with links to several SME and multinational medical device companies.

We seek applications from highly motivated students graduating with a first-class MEng degree in mechanical, electrical, biomedical, or materials engineering, applied physics, or a closely related subject. You should be comfortable with hands-on experimental work and willing to learn laboratory biology. Experience with MEMS, actuators, COMSOL, or cell culture is welcome but not required. The candidate will join a diverse, international team. We welcome applications from all qualified applicants and encourage applications from traditionally under-represented groups in Engineering including, but not limited to, women and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic.

Funding notes:

This is a fully funded EPSRC studentship covering tuition fees at the UK rate and a tax-free stipend at the UKRI minimum (£21,805 per year for 2026/27), for 3.5 years. A research training support grant covers consumables and conference travel.

Applicants eligible for home fee status include UK citizens, citizens of the Republic of Ireland and EU citizens with settled status in the UK. International applicants are also eligible, but EPSRC limits the proportion of international students in each cohort, so places are restricted. The School awards funding on a competitive basis, depending on the applicant's strength. Informal enquiries are welcome. Please contact Dr Gerard Cummins at G.Cummins@bham.ac.uk with a CV and a short note on why the project interests you.

References:

Kam et al. (2013) Nanostructure-mediated transport of biologics across epithelial tissue. Nano Letters 13, 164-171.
Samak et al. (2014) Cyclic stretch disrupts apical junctional complexes in Caco-2 cell monolayers. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 306, G947-G958.
Huang et al. (2020) Nanotopography enhances dynamic remodeling of tight junction proteins through cytosolic liquid complexes. ACS Nano 14, 13192-13202.
Finbloom et al. (2023) Bioinspired nanotopographical design of drug delivery systems. Nature Reviews Bioengineering 1, 139-152.