Chronic wound infections are dif f icult to assess due to the lack of non-invasive techniques capable of monitoring biof ilm development and infection dynamics within physiologically relevant environments. Current analytical methods are of ten destructive and provide limited insight into real-time biochemical processes.This PhD project focuses on the development of bioengineered plasmonic platforms for label -free detection of infection biomarkers using Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS). In particular, theproject will integrate plasmonic gold nanoparticles into three-dimensional in vitro skin models with increasing structural and biological complexity, progressing towards full -skin human models.

A key objective is to enable non-invasive monitoring of bacterial metabolites directly within the engineered tissue environment. The project will investigate both single- and multi-species biof ilms,including clinically relevant pathogens, to better understand infection progression and interspecies interactions.

The doctoral candidate will be trained in plasmonic nanomaterials, SERS-based detection,bioengineered tissue models, and microbiological techniques. The outcomes will contribute to the development of advanced diagnostic platforms for real -time infection monitoring within the broader HEAL-4WARD programme.

This PhD position will be hosted at the University of Vigo within the Functional NanoBioMaterials Group, specialised in the synthesis and application of plasmonic nanomaterials for sensing and biomedical applications. The group has strong expertise in the colloidal synthesis of metal nanoparticles with precise control over size, shape, and composition, enabling the tuning of their optical properties, particularly in the visible and near-inf rared range.

Research activities focus on the design of advanced plasmonic nanostructures and their assembly into functional materials through approaches such as layer-by-layer deposition and self -assembly on diverse platforms, including hydrogels and polymer-based systems. A central strength of the group lies in the development of SERS for sensitive, label-f ree detection of chemical and biological analytes.

The laboratory also explores the integration of nanomaterials with biological systems, including the development of biosensing platforms, imaging tools, and hybrid materials capable of interacting with bacterial processes. 

This project is carried out in collaboration with the following groups, and visits to their

laboratories are expected during the project. A willingness to travel and spend time abroad is therefore essential:

• Dr. Vincenzo Taresco, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom

• Dr. Natalia Baranova, Centro de Investigación Cooperativa en Biomateriales CIC

(biomaGUNE), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain