PhD in Medical Engineering at the Duarte Campos Lab
More and more we realise that our genome is a blueprint and the body a machine. Since the earliest times, philosophers and writers have wondered how interchangeable our tissues are, and organ donation has long given patients new prospects. In my doctoral thesis I explore the limits of 3D printing tissue, using the cornea (the clear front of the eye) as an example.
My project aims to combine the arrangement of particles by sound (acoustophoresis) with bioprinting, so that tissue can be printed directly on the patient in the operating room. The decisive advantage: time-consuming and expensive cell culture could be shortened, and the environmental conditions of the human body would not have to be recreated artificially.
Bioprinting
Here I combine my passion for additive manufacturing with my studies in molecular biotechnology. Gelatin can be made light-reactive through methacrylation and photoinitiators, creating a crosslinkable bioink. In the lab we use drop-on-demand systems and robotic arms to apply the ink.
Acoustophoresis
When two waves of the same wavelength meet head-on, they form a standing wave. With ultrasound, particles that differ acoustically from the surrounding medium move to the nodes of the sound wave. This way, cells and bioparticles can be aligned within a bioink in seconds. We use this technique to structure tissue, give it direction-dependent mechanical properties and ultimately improve the transparency of the cornea.
Studies
In 2014 I began my bachelor's degree in molecular biotechnology in Heidelberg and completed my master's in 2024. During this time I got to know the research groups of Dr. Jürgen Pahle, Prof. Dr. Stefan Wölfl and Prof. Dr. Daniela Duarte Campos and gained extensive experience in the following methods:
- 2D and 3D cell culture
- Fluorescence and confocal microscopy
- Nanoindentation
- Cloning, PCR, qPCR and CRISPR
- Protein purification and characterisation
- 3D design, MSLA and FDM printing
- Acoustophoresis
- Bioprinting
- Working with large language models
- Programming in Python and C
- Statistical data analysis
Representing PhD students
As the elected PhD representative of the Cluster of Excellence 3D Matter Made to Order (3DMM2O), I am an advisory member of the Cluster Committee, where I represent the interests of the students. Above all, I bring in my experience from the elders' council of the Petrus congregation and gain insight into academic administration. I am happy to stand up for the concerns of doctoral researchers. Contact
Publications
- Jian Y, Dehli F, Wisbar M, Taoum A, Duarte Campos D. In situ bioprinting: bioprinting methods, bioinks, cell sources & advanced bioprinting strategies. Biofabrication 18(1), 012007 (2026). doi:10.1088/1758-5090/ae3cc3
- Taoum A, Oster JS, Thaden O, Frank A, Wang M, Wisbar M, Fuest M, Dehli F, Duarte Campos DF. Toward clinically relevant automated corneal biomanufacturing with human-derived FBS alternatives. Scientific Reports 16, 18874 (2026). doi:10.1038/s41598-026-58401-5
- Wisbar M et al. Integrating Acoustophoresis into in situ robotic bioprinting. 2026 – Publication pending.