PhD Studentship: Flexible triboelectric energy nanogenerators for sustainability

The Intelli-Ingest Doctoral Network is an EU-funded Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA) initiative is a network bringing together leading academic, clinical, and industrial partners to train a new generation of experts in ingestible medical technologies. These orally delivered, minimally invasive devices are designed to traverse the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, enabling diagnostics, therapy, sampling, or intervention using electronic, mechanical, or smart material systems.

This particular PhD studentship, based at the School of Engineering, University of Birmingham, focuses on developing a microfabricated triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) to sustainably power ingestible medical devices. The aim is to harness mechanical energy from natural intestinal peristalsis to enable battery-free operation of autonomous systems inside the body. The TENG will be fully self-contained, biocompatible, and designed for safe excretion. This research addresses a key challenge in the field, reliable energy sources for miniaturised devices, and offers the potential to advance long-duration in-body diagnostics and therapeutic monitoring.

The doctoral candidate will lead the design, fabrication, and characterisation of the TENG, and integrate it with energy storage and low-power electronics. The system’s performance will be validated in physiologically relevant in-vitro environments. Throughout the project, the candidate will receive structured training in microengineering, energy harvesting, tribology, and biomedical device design. In addition to local supervision, they will benefit from cross-network collaboration, secondments to industrial and clinical partners, and participation in international training events.

Funding notes:

Applicants should hold a Master’s degree in microengineering or a related field, and have relevant experience in microfabrication techniques and knowledge of basic mechanics and electronics. Candidates should demonstrate strong communication skills, self-motivation, and a commitment to collaborative, interdisciplinary research. An interest in translating advanced healthcare technologies into real-world clinical solutions is essential.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Must not yet hold a PhD.
• Must not have resided or carried out their main activity in the UK formore than 12 months in the 36 months before the recruitment date.
• Must hold a Master’s degree by the start date (September 2025).
• Good English proficiency.

Benefits:

• Full employment contract with competitive salary.
• Living allowance (€3400/month pre-adjustment), mobility allowance (€600/month), and family allowance if applicable (€660/month) adjusted forthe cost of living in the host country.
• Access to state-of-the-art facilities and expert supervision.
• International secondments and training events.

To Apply:

All interested candidates should contact Dr Gerard Cummins at G.Cummins@bham.ac.uk with a CV and academic transcripts.

Further details are available here: https://www.intelli-ingest.com/individual-doctoral-project
The selection process is open, merit-based, and transparent, with shortlisted candidates invited for formal interview. All applicants will receive feedback on the outcome of their application.

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