PhD - Electrochemical oxyanion monitoring with ionic/redox biopolymer-bioelectrode interfaces for diagnostics and sports

We are looking for a PhD candidate for a three-year PhD project in both enzymatic bioelectrochemistry and the chemical modification and crosslinking of polysaccharides, to develop hydrogel-modified bioelectrodes with well-defined properties for electrochemical biosensing. 

You will be based at Université Grenoble Alpes and work between the Department of Molecular Chemistry (DCM) and the CERMAV Polysaccharides Institute, under the supervision of Dr. Andrew Gross (CNRS) and Prof. Rachel Auzély (UGA), respectively. This Labex GIMED (Grenoble Initative in Medical Devices) project will benefit from a new collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine, UGA (HP2 – Hypoxia team) in Grenoble, particularly for in vivo/in vitro experiments and to faciliate clinical interpretation. There will also be opportunities to collaborate with other students and researchers within the framework of the ANR NeuroNOx project coordinated by Dr Gross in collaboration with the Lyon Neurosciences Research Centre (CRNL) in Lyon. DCM and CERMAV are conveniently located within a 2-minute walk of each other on the campus in Grenoble.

Aim

The general aim is to advance the development and understanding of biopolymer-electrode architectures, with controllable properties, for the rapid and continuous detection of anionic biomarkers under challenging in vitro and in vivo conditions. The longer-term goal is to provide new insights into biological processes in the body and brain, and to enable future bioelectrochemical medical devices for dynamic health monitoring and point-of-care diagnostics.

Objectives

→ Develop and understand bioelectrocatalytic systems for quantifying target biological markers using surface chemistry, polymer chemistry, and electrical enzyme-wiring strategies.

→ Chemically modify and characterise polysaccharides to explore new ionic and/or redox-active hydrogels.

→ Establish relationships between hydrogel properties and bioelectrocatalytic performance to understand their influence on enzyme activity, electron transfer, and sensing.

→ Optimise sensor performance, with particular emphasis on selectivity, stability, and biocompatibility.

→ Evaluate and validate the sensors under in vitro and in vivo conditions.

→ Investigate correlations between biomarker dynamics and physiological or pathological states.

This multidisciplinary project requires an interest in and understanding of physical chemistry and polymer chemistry, particularly polysaccharide chemistry, together with a genuine curiosity about the development and understanding of new materials and catalytic electrode architectures. The project is ambitious and exploratory, involving fundamental research on bioelectrocatalysis, polymer chemistry, and electrode interfaces.

Note: This is the same position as advertised on the ADUM site (https://www.grenoble-emplois.com/emplois/82924129.html)

Context

Enzyme-modified electrochemical biosensors have transformed healthcare by enabling rapid and accurate measurement of glucose and lactate in blood and ISF. Wearable continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) now permit continuous, real-time tracking of glucose for 7–15 days.[1] Point-of-care lactate sensors are used in intensive care and sports medicine to assess metabolic stress and optimise training. These sensors combine exquisite enzyme specificity with the sensitivity, speed, and portability of electrochemical detection.

There is currently no wearable in vivo monitoring technology for biomarkers beyond glucose. Extending the success of CGM to new biomarkers remains challenging, primarily due to limited enzyme and enzyme-electrode stability, inefficient wiring of enzyme active sites, and complications associated with interferences and biofouling. Furthermore, conventional biosensors rely on petroleum-derived polymers and toxic crosslinking chemistries, raising ecological concerns.

Dr Gross and coworkers recently developed and patented the first tunable photocrosslinked polysaccharide hydrogels that facilitated enzyme wiring and significantly improved enzyme-electrode stability for CGM.[2,3] The transdermal biosensors enabled 10-day CGM in a simple in vitro skin model – a key advance for minimally invasive biosensors. Together with R. Auzély, we have initiated the development of more advanced polysaccharide-derived hydrogels to control and protect electrochemical sensors, for example, in the context of lactate oxyanion biosensing. Recent research from Dr Auzély and coworkers includes a novel crosslinkable and resorbable conductive PEDOT-hyaluronic acid derivative ink for flexible bioelectronic devices.[4,5]

1. Dávila-Ruales, V. et al. Ther. Adv. Endocrinol. 15, 20420188241304459 (2024).

2. Darmau, B., Sacchi, M., Texier, I. & Gross, A. Adv. Healthc. Mater. 14, e2403209 (2025).

3. Darmau, B., Mishyn, V., Elloumi, A., Texier, I. & Gross, A. Biosens. Bioelectron. 303, 118575 (2026).

4. Leprince, M., Regal, S., Mailley, P., Sauter-Starace, F., Texier, I. & Auzély-Velty, R. Mater. Adv. (2023).

5. Regal, S., Molet, J., Gilquin, B., Gaude, C., Ratel, D., Torres, N., Lamboux, A., Balter, V., Jolivet, L., Leprince, M., Mailley, P., Matei, C., Barnes, J.-P., Struber, L., Auzély-Velty, R., Texier, I. & Sauter-Starace, F. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces (2026).

Supervision

The PhD candidate will be supervised by Dr. Andrew J. Gross (project coordinator, BioSEN team) and Prof. Rachel Auzély (SMP team). The successful candidate will be expected to, at times, work closely with other members of our teams to succesfully realise the project

DCM-BioCEN: https://dcm.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/research/bioelectrochimie-capteurs-lenergie-et-nanomateriaux

CERMAV-SMP: https://cermav.cnrs.fr/equipe/structure-et-modifications-des-polysaccharides/

Progress will be monitored through regular supervisory meetings (weekly/biweekly) with the student presenting results at the meetings for feedback and discussion. The meetings are a platform to share any difficulities and challenges, and will help identify strategies and needs to achieve project objectives.

The PhD researcher will benefit from an Individual Monitoring Committee (Comité de Suivi Individuel, CSI) involving an annual report and interview for the first 2 years.

The student will participate in team group meetings and any local meetings associated with the funding body (e.g. Labex GIMED. Meetings with external collaborators (e.g. CRNL, HP2 lab) would take place in the Rhone-Alpes region by videoconference or on site.

Participation in regional, national and international conferences will be encouraged. Participation at scientific events is necessary for the development of scientific communication skills as well as results dissemination. Participation in manuscript preparation is also important. Some of the work may be patented ; the public dissemenation of results will be subject to approval from the PhD supervisors.

Scientific Materials and Conditions

The general equipment necessary to complete the project is available at DCM and CERMAV. It may be necessary and/or advantageous to use characterisation techniques that are unavailable at our sites (e.g. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, surface zeta potential measurements). This project should involve in-vitro and inn-vivo experiments with human biological samples and animals. Such biological experiments require correct ethical and safety considerations. The PhD researcher must respect internal regulations, including health and safety protocols at DCM and CERMAV, as well as the external laboratories (HP2 (Grenoble) and/or CRNL (Lyon) laboratories). The PhD researcher would be required to participate in experiments relating to in-vivo experiments at the external sites of our collaborators

The research will involve some toxic solvents (e.g. organic) and reactives (e.g. methacrylating agents), and nanomaterials. Standard safety procedures must be implemented, including the use of protective eyewear, gloves, laboratory coats, and fume hoods (including a fumehood dedicated to nanomaterials).

• A background in electrochemistry or polymer chemistry is required (Master degree or equivalent).
• Skills in surface functionalisation and characterisation would be appreciated.
• A criticial and analytical mindset, self-motivation, creativity and curiousity are essential.
• Understanding of the english language is essential. Both teams operate in an international environment.