Department of Information Technology and Electrical EngineeringAcronym | D-ITET | Homepage | http://www.ee.ethz.ch/ | Country | Switzerland | ZIP, City | | Address | | Phone | | Type | Academy | Parent organization | ETH Zurich | Current organization | Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering | Child organizations | |
Open OpportunitiesScanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) is the non-contact SPM technology to image live cells based on glass capillaries with a nanometric aperture. It applies a voltage and measures the ionic current flowing through the pipette above the sample in the buffer solution: the recorded current represents the feedback signal to measure the topography of the sample. In collaboration with Prof. Fantner at EPFL, this project aims to assemble a state of the art high-speed SICM to enable time-resolved live cell imaging. - Biomedical Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Nanotechnology, Signal Processing
- Course Project, ETH Zurich (ETHZ), Lab Practice, Master Thesis, Semester Project
| What about implantable self-powering devices to monitor biophysical signals at nanoscale? As a part of the interdisciplinary frontier between material science and new biomedical applications, being able to monitor biological or physical markers and signals, allows for a better treatment from both the diagnostic and healing point of view. Among them, biocompatible and non-intrusive wearable monitoring devices, which are so flexible to adhere perfectly to biological tissue, and even to cells like neurons, gain increasing interest. However, fabricating the devices and the electrodes at nano/microscale remains a challenge.
FluidFM is a force-controlled nanopipette, a versatile tool also for 2D patterning and 3D printing in liquid environment, opening the opportunity to manufacture the devices at the sub-micron scale.
We are going to create the devices and electrodes depositing conductive polymers with the FluidFM and then to perform the opportune characterization. - Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Materials Engineering, Medical and Health Sciences, Physics
- Master Thesis
| Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a unique group of autoimmune diseases. Researches have demonstrated that antibody-induced disruption of Dsg3 transadhesion initiates a signaling response in basal keratinocytes followed by loss of tissue integrity. The complexity of morphogenesis and tissue regeneration implies the existence of a transcellular communication network in which individual cells sense the environment and coordinate their biological activity in time and space.
To understand the fascinating ability of tissue self-organization, comprehensive study of biophysical properties (cell topography and bioelectricity) in combination with the analysis of biochemical networks (signaling pathways and genetic circuits) is required.
Together with the University of Bern and University of Lübeck, we aim to utilize the tools to study the topography and electrophysiology (cell potential, ion channel recording, localized ion detection, charges) of HPEK cells (human primary keratinocytes cells) to unravel the signaling pathways of the disease. We utilize optical imaging (fluorescence dyes) and biosensing tools (including the state of the art hs-SICM and electrical FluidFM setup) to study HPEK cells upon desmosome disruption.
- Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Interdisciplinary Engineering, Medical and Health Sciences
- Bachelor Thesis, Lab Practice, Master Thesis, Semester Project, Summer School
| The remarkable complexity of morphogenesis and tissue regeneration implies the existence of a transcellular communication network in which individual cells sense the environment and coordinate their biological activity in time and space. To understand the fascinating ability of tissue self-organization, comprehensive study of biophysical properties (cellular nanomechanics such as tension forces and bioelectromagnetics) in combination with the analysis of biochemical networks (signaling pathways and genetic circuits) is required.
In this framework we are investigating the unacknowledged key role of Desmoglein 3 (Dsg3) as a receptor involved in mechanosensing, capable of initiating a signaling response in the transcellular communication network, which results in stem cell fate conversion, plasticity and tissue repair.
Our goal is to apply innovative Fluidic Force Microscopy to measure altered biophysical parameters upon disruption of Dsg3 transadhesion such as cell stiffness, cell-cell adhesion, cell surface charges and electric potentials. Together with the University of Bern and University of Lübeck we are further investigating how these biophysical changes relate to transcriptomic, epigenomic and proteomic response circuits to ultimately infer biophysical and biochemical circuits involved in Dsg3 signaling.
- Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Medical and Health Sciences, Physics
- Bachelor Thesis, ETH Zurich (ETHZ), Master Thesis, Semester Project
| In ski jumping, low repetition rates of jumps limit the effectiveness of training. Thus, increasing the learning rate within every single jump is key to success. A critical element of athlete training is motor learning, which has been shown to be accelerated by feedback methods. Traditionally, the feedback given by the coach is based on a visual inspection of the jump with a post-jump discussion with the athlete. In this project we aim to provide coaches and athletes with a micro system, sensing athletes performance during the jump and supporting the coach with additional and visually unobservable information for his feedback. - Biomechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering
- Biomedical (PBL), Firmware (PBL), Master Thesis, Microcontroller (PBL), Software (PBL), Wearables (PBL)
| Visual Inertial Odometry (VIO) describes the process of determining the movement trajectory of a mobile agent (e.g. drone, car, VR headset) from image data recorded by a camera combined with inertial measurements from an IMU. It has been shown that the VIO estimation benefits from additional event camera data. The goal of this project is to implement a fast and energy-efficient fusion strategy for event data and classical camera data on a System on Chip (GAP 9). - Computer Vision, Electrical and Electronic Engineering
- Computer Vision (PBL), Drones (PBL), Firmware (PBL), Master Thesis, Microcontroller (PBL), Neuromorphic (PBL), Robotics (PBL), Semester Project, Software (PBL)
| Foundation models have been expanding from language and vision fields to science fields in particular biomedical signal processing. Medical ultrasound (US) imaging is a vital diagnostic tool and has many areas of application. The raw data from US imaging, known as radio-frequency (RF) data, contains more information than US images and has valuable use cases. Yet, most of the AI based solutions for ultrasound signals are still limited to US images due to the scarcity of large-scale RF data. Meanwhile, data generation has been explored to facilitate the training of large-scale models in vision, language, and robotics. In previous projects, we designed the first system to predict raw RF data from US images. This data-driven and physically-informed model allows to generate large-scale RF data from US images directly. In this project, we aim to utilize the generated RF data to develop a foundation model for US raw data. - Artificial Intelligence and Signal and Image Processing
- Master Thesis
| The aim of this project is to develop a database and web-interface for the X-ray micro-fabrication team at PSI and ETHZ to track realized pieces, fabrication protocols and characterization of the products. - Computer Software, Information Systems
- Master Thesis
| A new kind of gas-filled microbubble enables the detection of protease activity by using ultrasound imaging techniques. The main goal of this work is to develop a setup that can reliably be used to measure the stiffness of microbubbles, first in a microbubble solution, and then in a model built to simulate the vasculature of a mouse. - Electrical and Electronic Engineering
- Master Thesis, Semester Project
| Take part in the development of a next-generation optoacoustic contrast agent for neuroimaging. Identify promising proteins, characterize its properties and see it shine in the mammalian brain. - Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Microbiology
- Bachelor Thesis, Master Thesis, Semester Project
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