European Marie Curie Action project 'INTELLI-INGEST'

Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna announces 1 Ph.D. positions in the three-year Ph.D. Programme in BioRobotics within the European Marie Curie Action project "Doctoral Network INTELLI-INGEST “Intelligent Ingestible Devices for Gastrointestinal Therapeutics, Diagnosis or Intervention”

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network (MSCA-DN) “Intelligent Ingestible Devices for Gastrointestinal Therapeutics, Diagnosis or Intervention” (INTELLI-INGEST, Grant Agreement N° 101169012, https://www.intelli-ingest.com/ ) is dedicated to the development of next-generation smart ingestible devices for gastrointestinal diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment. The project addresses critical challenges in device localisation, actuation, diagnostics, sustainability, and clinical translation.

INTELLI-INGEST offers an advanced doctoral training programme for 13 early-stage researchers, combining interdisciplinary scientific research, hands-on technical development, industry secondments, and tailored professional growth.

The position currently available is:

DC5: The position focuses on the design and development of intelligent mechanisms for sampling and delivery in the GI tract. The candidate will begin by identifying the key medical requirements and technical specifications that inform the design of such mechanisms, including aspects like reservoir volume, brushing systems, and interaction dynamics with GI tissue. Building on this foundation, the candidate will define relevant performance indicators and establish experimental protocols and test environments to rigorously assess the new solutions. Using magneto-mechanical modelling, they will develop and optimise smart mechanical components that respond precisely to GI conditions. These components will be fabricated and integrated into prototype ingestible capsules, which will then be tested in laboratory and in vitro settings. Validation will focus on evaluating the volume and quality of collected samples, delivery precision, and safety in terms of interaction forces with the surrounding tissue. This work is expected to result in a robust and clinically meaningful contribution to the development of functional ingestible medical devices. More information is available at: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/343748

The doctoral projects are funded for three years and would start on 1st October 2025.
Deadline: May 31st, 2025, at 12:00 (Europe/Rome)