Engineering a Microfluidic Cell Culture Platform for Metabolic Analysis by µNMR

Research topic/area

Biomedical engineering, microfluidics, biomaterials, metabolomics

Type of thesis

Master

Start time

01.09.2026

Application deadline

31.12.2026

Duration of the thesis

6 months

Description

Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) are responsible for the continuous formation of blood and immune cells. Their metabolism changes in response to environmental and disease-related signals and may reveal new therapeutic targets.

This Master’s thesis is part of a PhD research project developing a human-relevant microfluidic in vitro platform for HSPC culture. The system combines a lab-on-a-chip device, three-dimensional hydrogel-based cell culture, controlled perfusion, inflammatory stimulation, and microscale nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (µNMR).

The long-term objective of the platform is to investigate metabolic responses during disease, identify potential therapeutic targets, and support the testing of new drugs in a controlled human in vitro model.

The goal of the Master’s thesis is to establish and optimize the culture of HSPCs within the microfluidic chip and to characterize the effects of perfusion and inflammatory stimulation on cell viability, cellular state, and metabolism.

A particular focus will be placed on improving the on-chip culture conditions through engineering-based optimization of fluid flow, nutrient transport, and hydrogel properties. The optimized platform will subsequently be used to perform an LPS stimulation experiment and analyze extracellular metabolic changes using µNMR spectroscopy.

Main tasks:
- Establishment of hydrogel matrix in the microfluidic chip
- Optimization of perfusion conditions
- Investigation of flow, shear stress, nutrient transport, and metabolite removal
- Computational simulation and flow optimization
- Characterization of the hydrogel matrix
- Establishment and performance of LPS treatment experiments
- µNMR measurements of cell culture samples
- Processing and analysis of NMR spectra
- Correlation of metabolic changes with cellular responses

The exact focus can be adapted to the student’s background and interests, with a stronger emphasis on experimental cell culture, microfluidic engineering, simulation, biomaterials, or metabolic analysis.

Requirement

Requirements for students

• Interest in interdisciplinary research at the interface of biology and engineering
• Motivation to work with cell culture, microfluidics, and analytical methods
• Basic knowledge of cell biology, fluid mechanics, mass transport, or numerical simulation
• Experience in cell culture, microfluidics, hydrogels, COMSOL, Python, MATLAB, NMR spectroscopy, metabolomics, or flow cytometry is advantageous but not required
• Good written and spoken English

Faculty departments

• Engineering sciences
  Biological engineering
  Chemical & process engineering
  Mechanical engineering
  Material sciences & engineering
  Mechanical Engineering
  Biomedical Engineering
  Medical technology
• Natural sciences and Technology
  Biology
  Chemical biology

Supervision

Title, first name, last name

M.Sc. Markus Helbig

Organizational unit

Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT)

Email address

markus.helbig@kit.edu

Link to personal homepage/personal page

Website

Application via email

Application documents

• Cover letter
• Curriculum vitae
• Grade transcript

E-Mail Address for application
Senden Sie die oben genannten Bewerbungsunterlagen bitte per Mail an markus.helbig@kit.edu


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