Open Positions

Mouse embryos at the blastocyst stage
Mouse embryos at the blastocyst stage

PhD Position

Project: Mechanical modelling of early mammalian embryo morphogenesis

We are seeking a motivated PhD student to study how forces generated by the cytoskeleton and cell–cell adhesion together shape the early mammalian embryo. The project combines continuum and discrete mechanical modelling with in-house live imaging, mechanical perturbation, and super-resolution data to quantitatively explain blastocyst formation and lineage specification.

The position is fully funded (tuition waived, at least HK$18,000 per month); outstanding candidates will be nominated for the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS, approx. HK$28,000 per month plus an annual conference allowance) and the HKU Presidential PhD Scholar Programme. The project involves collaborations with the HKU Faculty of Medicine, CUHK, NIBS Beijing, and the Institut Jacques Monod in Paris.

Requirements

  • •Master's or excellent Bachelor's degree in biomechanics, solid mechanics, biophysics, applied mathematics, or a related field
  • •Solid background in mechanics or numerical computation (e.g. continuum mechanics, PDEs, or statistical physics)
  • •Experience with finite-element, vertex-model, or active-matter simulation is a plus

Interested candidates are encouraged to send a CV and a one-page research statement to [email protected] with the subject line “PhD Application – Embryo Mechanics”.