Master Thesis: Microrobots for ATP Sensing

14.03.2025, Abschlussarbeiten, Bachelor- und Masterarbeiten

The Microrobotic Bioengineering Lab (MRBL) is offering a Master’s thesis position on developing new sensing capability for soft microrobots. In this project, you will explore ways to incorporate a suitable ATP sensor into the material of the soft microrobot, enabling real-time metabolic rate sensing. You will also gain hands-on experience in high-throughput fabrication of soft microrobots and learn to test them in cell culture experiments.

Why is ATP Sensing Important?
ATP is the universal energy currency of cells, making it a key indicator of cellular metabolism, viability, and stress responses. Real-time ATP monitoring is crucial in fields like cancer research, drug screening, and regenerative medicine, where metabolic shifts can reveal disease progression or treatment effects. By integrating ATP sensing into microrobots, we enable localized, on-board metabolic monitoring, opening new possibilities for precision diagnostics and bioengineering applications.

Your Profile:
Background in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biomedical Engineering, or Materials Science
Strong understanding of polymer chemistry
No prior cell culture experience is required, you’ll learn everything you need!

What We Offer:
Close mentorship and access to state-of-the-art Biolabs
Hands-on experience in manipulating single cells using microrobots
Opportunity to publish your work in top-tier venues if results are strong

This thesis is supervised by Philipp Harder and Prof. Berna Özkale Edelmann (https://www.ee.cit.tum.de/en/rmn/home/).

Interested? Send your CV and a short motivation statement to:
Philipp.harder@tum.de

Kontakt: Philipp.harder@tum.de