Skills for Medical Device Research - SOLVER

Due to the constantly growing world population and an increasingly ageing society, there is a high demand for innovative medical products. This requires high-level research in various fields, as well as communication and cooperation between scientists working in different areas. This is where the multidisciplinary Doctoral Programme "SOLVER Skills for Medical Device Research begins; SOLVER, which is at the interface between engineering, material sciences and biotechnology, is set up to educate and train a new generation of highly achieving and exceptional young researchers. SOLVER combines the life science expertise of the FH Campus Wien (FHCW) with the engineering competences of the Technische Universität Wien (TUW). The SOLVER faculty is comprised of researchers with excellent track records in their respective fields. To provide the doctoral students with a diverse research and mentoring environment, there is a balance between established professors with extensive experience in the supervision of doctoral students, and young emerging researchers. The SOLVER faculty defined three current topics for promising academic research: (1) Bioactive and biodegradable materials, (2) digital methods for manufacturing patient-specific devices, and (3) novel bioassays for predicting host cell responses. The SOLVER doctoral students will be able to develop and apply novel materials, technologies and engineering solutions in conjunction with appropriate biocompatibility assessment for new generations of medical devices. The SOLVER programme, which is based on creativity, curiosity, ability, and passion, plans to encourage the doctoral students to become curious about different research disciplines and to develop their critical thinking and problem- solving skills. SOLVER guarantees an interdisciplinary research training supported by mandatory lab rotations between the two institutions, secondments at partner industrial or academic organizations, regular meetings and retreats. The complementary know-how of FHCW and TUW will allow to educate the young researchers in key competences in the field of biomedical engineering. This includes knowledge about regulatory aspects for the development of novel medical devices. The cooperation between TUW and FHCW will also expand the knowledge and research perspectives of the scientists involved and will provide decisive impulses for further collaboration in the field of medical device research.