BIOGEL-LENS: A Bioactive Multifunctional Hydrogel Contact Lens Platform for Regenerative Ocular Cell Supplementation

This PhD project (BIOGEL-LENS) aims to develop a next-generation multifunctional contact lens using bioactive hydrogel materials to improve ocular health beyond vision correction. The research focuses on: designing bioactive polymer systems developing smart hydrogel materials responsive to the ocular environment improving drug delivery and cell protection in the eye The project will involve: screening bioactive molecules on corneal cell lines synthesising polymer–bioactive conjugates developing hydrogel films for contact lenses performing material and chemical characterisation analysing biological efficacy and cytotoxicity presenting research at conferences The work is carried out at SETU Waterford in collaboration with Ashland (industry partner), providing strong industry exposure.

Essential:

Minimum 2:1 Honours degree in:
Materials Science
Analytical Chemistry
Pharmaceutical Science
Formulation Chemistry
or related discipline

Desirable:

postgraduate qualification or research experience
experience with:
cell culture
spectroscopy or chromatography
polymer formulations
contact lens fabrication

Skills:

data analysis and interpretation
strong communication and teamwork
proficiency in Microsoft Office

English requirement:

must meet SETU language requirements

Application details not explicitly stated — confirm via SETU or contact supervisors.

Candidate must be willing to:

relocate or commute to Ashland laboratories (Mullingar, Ireland)