Please, find below a brief description of the open positions associated with this project (2022). Please submit your application by filling out this form, providing a short CV, a motivation letter, and a recommendation letter, complying to each application deadline. Please, note that, for PhD positions, preferably applicants are not expected to hold an MSc degree (see FAPESP guidelines) and that they are also required to enroll with the Graduate program of the Institute of Chemistry of Unicamp.
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We look for highly motivated candidates, with previous experience on
the topics of each project, with interpersonal skills who can contribute to the lab
community, and with disposition for international internships. Candidates should have good command of both oral and written English. Postdoc positions are funded for two years, with possibility of renewal for up to two more years. PhD scholarships are funded for four years.
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Other graduate or postdoctoral applications to develop research and innovation projects within the framework of our Colloids cluster are welcome, with no deadlines | please check FAPESP guidelines and reach out to our team at colloidsbr@gmail.com with a letter of intent and a short CV.
POSTDOC FELLOWSHIP: Electrostatic Complexes for Gene Therapy
Supervisors: W Loh (Unicamp) & FC Giacomelli (UFABC)
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Novel polyelectrolytes and block copolymers will be designed to form DNA- and RNA-based polyelectrolyte complexes (PEC) and complex coacervates core micelles (C3Ms) and act as vectors in gene therapy. The architecture and chemical nature of the complexing agents will be tailored, and the biological responses (cytotoxicity, cellular uptake, intracellular trafficking, and gene transfection efficiency) of the complexes will be assessed.
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Deadline: Aug 31, 22 | Start: Sep/22-Mar/23 | Salary: BRL 8,478.40/mo | details
POSTDOC FELOWSHIP: Polymersomes as Nanoreactors and Nanocarriers
Supervisors: FC Giacomelli (UFABC) & MI Felisberti (Unicamp)
We will assemble polymer vesicles (polymersomes) using pH- and thermo-responsive amphiphilic block copolymers to serve as nanoreactors where enzymes are confined and biochemical reactions can take place. Importantly, selective permeability will be sought after, so substrates and products can come and go while the enzymes remain constrained.
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Deadline: Aug 31, 22 | Start: Sep/22-Mar/23 | Salary: BRL 8,478.40/mo | details
POSTDOC FELLOWSHIP: Green Vitrimers
Supervisors: CG Otoni (UFSCar), MI Felisberti & CA Rezende (Unicamp)
We will open the dynamic covalent toolbox to introduce and activate bond shuffling mechanisms in biosourced polymeric colloids (e.g. nanocelluloses and nanochitins) with the goals of assembling solid-state materials delivering suitable physical-mechanical performance and then achieving full post-use reprocessability.
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Deadline: August 31, 2022 | Start: Sep/22-Mar/23 | Salary: BRL 8,478.40/mo
POSTDOC FELLOWSHIP: Colloid Dynamics in Complex Biological Fluids
Supervisors: MB Cardoso (CNPEM) & W Loh (UNICAMP)
Nanoparticles' colloidal stability and non-specific protein adsorption (protein corona) are critical to their performance in biological media. This project will mainly rely on X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (XPCS) to probe surface-modified silica nanoparticles in complex biological media. We intend to initially look at the nanoparticles dynamics in protein supplemented media and correlate these data with ultimate targeting properties.
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Deadline: August 31, 2022 | Start: Sep/22-Mar/23 | Salary: BRL 8,478.40/mo
POSTDOC FELLOWSHIP: Tuning the Protein Corona around Colloidal Gold
Supervisors: FC Giacomelli (UFABC) & MI Felisberti (Unicamp)
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The main goal of this investigation are (i) manufacture polymer-stabilized gold nanoparticles using amino-containing polymers, (ii) understand the influence of nanoparticle´s surface chemistry on protein-nanoparticle interactions and (iii) comprehend biological consequences of protein coronas around nanomaterials (cytotoxicity, cellular uptake, intracellular trafficking).
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Deadline: Aug 31, 22 | Start: Sep/22-Mar/23 | Salary: BRL 8,478.40/mo | details
PhD SCHOLARSHIP: Biogenic Saloplastics
Supervisors: W Loh (Unicamp), CG Otoni (UFSCar) & E Sabadini (Unicamp)
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This PhD project deals with polyelectrolyte complexes boasting reversible salt- and pH-controlled rheological and ion-pairing behaviors, which will be produced using molecular and colloidal cellulose, chitin, and lignin building blocks, targeting at reversible underwater adhesives, self-healing gels, and solid-state foams and films
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Start: Sep/22-Mar/23 | Sal: BRL 2349.60-4285.50/mo
PhD SCHOLARSHIP: Responsive Nanocelluloses
Supervisors: CA Rezende & MI Felisberti (Unicamp)
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This PhD project will study hybrid materials of nanocelluloses (CNC and CNF) modified with poly(2-alkyl-2-oxazolines) (POx) as a platform to prepare responsive hydrogels and aerogels. The responsiveness of the (co)polymers may be tailored by the composition and/or post-functionalization by hydrolysis. In addition, the properties of the hydrogels, such as degree of swelling, mesh size and morphology, should be modulated by temperature or pH adjustments and by freeze-drying strategies.
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Start: Sep/22-Mar/23 | Salary: BRL 2349.60-4285.50/mo
PhD SCHOLARSHIP: Probing Silica Nanoparticles/Cells interaction
Supervisors: MB Cardoso (CNPEM) & W Loh (Unicamp)
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The scientific community has a long-term discussion about the mysteries that permeate the interaction of nanoparticles and cells. We here aim to investigate the intimate interaction of cells and colloidally-stable surface-modified silica nanoparticles using state-of-the-art synchrotron techniques such as nano-infrared spectroscopy and coherent diffraction imaging.
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Start: Sep/22-Mar/23 | Salary: BRL 2349.60-4285.50/mo