Internship: Proof of principle for vitrification cooling rates

Are you a student with an interest in cryogenic technology, thermal engineering and scientific instrumentation? Would you like to apply your theoretical knowledge to a challenging real-world problem and contribute to the further development of cryo-electron microscopy technology?

At Demcon Kryoz, we develop innovative cooling technologies and solutions for high-tech applications worldwide, including the medical, aerospace and semiconductor industries.

During this internship, you will contribute to a project focused on improving vitrification for cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Vitrification is a crucial step in cryo-EM, in which biological samples are rapidly frozen to prevent ice crystal formation and preserve their structure. Current techniques work well for thin samples but are more challenging for thicker and more complex specimens, such as mammalian cells and organoids. The aim of this project is to establish a proof of principle for enhancing vitrification cooling rates.

This internship focuses on the hands-on phase of the project. You will build a fundamental understanding of vitrification and use this knowledge to validate and improve a proof-of-principle setup.

During the assignment, you will:

• Define the requirements for an enhanced vitrification strategy;
• Identify suitable methods to quantify and validate these requirements;
• Develop a test plan for the proof-of-principle setup;
• Perform measurements in our cryogenic laboratory;
• Analyze the results and use them to improve the setup;
• Evaluate the technical feasibility and document your findings in a feasibility report;
• You will combine theoretical analysis with experimental work and gain practical experience with vitrification, cryogenic technology, precision engineering and the cryo-EM workflow.

You are curious and analytical and enjoy translating scientific principles into practical experiments. You are comfortable diving into complex technical challenges and working hands-on in a laboratory environment.

In addition, you:

• Are pursuing a relevant MSc degree, for example in Applied Physics, Mechanical Engineering or a related technical field;
• Have a strong interest in thermal engineering, cryogenics and/or scientific instrumentation;
• Enjoy combining theoretical research with experimental work;
• Are able to work independently while actively collaborating with technical experts;
• Have a structured and critical approach to experiments, measurements and data analysis;
• Are motivated to contribute to innovative technology with applications in scientific research and high-tech industries.