Advancing Cardiotoxicity Testing with Electrical Pacing and CMOS Biosensing

Project Overview
Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) are transforming cardiac research by providing patient-specific models for disease studies and drug safety testing. However, their full potential depends on achieving an adult-like, mature phenotype — a challenge that remains unresolved. Electrical pacing has emerged as a promising strategy to accelerate cardiomyocyte maturation, yet optimal protocols are still under investigation.

This internship focuses on developing and optimizing electrical pacing protocols to enhance the physiological relevance of hiPSC-CMs. By improving key maturation markers — such as force-frequency response, reduced automaticity, and anisotropic cell morphology — you will contribute to creating more predictive models for cardiotoxicity assessment and cardiac disease research.

Why Join Us?
Modern life sciences increasingly integrate advanced electronics for high-resolution monitoring and stimulation of living systems. At imec, our state-of-the-art CMOS micro-electrode array (CMOS-MEA) platform enables high-precision electrical interfacing with cell cultures at single cell resolution. As part of this project, you will also explore how environmental factors (e.g., light, temperature, electromagnetic interference) and system parameters (e.g., frequency, voltage, electrode configuration) influence signal quality and stability. Your work will help improve robustness and reproducibility in real-world biological experiments.

What You’ll Gain
•    Hands-on experience at the intersection of bioelectronics and stem cell biology
•    Skills in electrical stimulation protocols, biosensing technologies, and data analysis
•    Contribution to cutting-edge research with direct impact on drug safety and cardiac health

Type of Internship: Master internship

Master's degree: Master of Science; Master of Bioengineering; Master of Engineering Science; Master of Engineering Technology     

Duration: 1 year

Required educational background: Biomedical engineering; Electrotechnics/Electrical Engineering

University Promotor: Liesbet Lagae (KU Leuven)

For more information or application, please contact the supervising scientists Yoke Chin Chai (yoke.chin.chai@imec.be), Babu Linkoon Meenaketan (babulinkoon.meenaketan@imec.be) and Lukas Fan (lukas.fan@imec.be).