M2/3A Internship: Multifunctional Degradable Polymers for Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogels: Controlled Drug Delivery and Shape-Morphing
Project Description
Stimuli-responsive biomaterials, capable of modifying their properties (active compound release, shape changes) in response to non-invasive external stimuli (magnetic fields, infrared irradiation), are attracting increasing interest in regenerative medicine.
Thanks to their multivalent architecture, star-shaped polymers offer opportunities to tailor the structure and properties of the resulting hydrogel networks. However, controlling both the formulation and the response to external stimuli remains a major technical challenge, whether for controlled drug delivery or programmed shape changes (shape-morphing).
This internship is part of the research activities of the Polymers for Health and Biomaterials (PHBM) team at the Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron (IBMM). It is directly linked to the European DAEDALUS project, contributing a complementary research direction focused on exploring new star-shaped polymer architectures and investigating the response of the resulting hydrogels to external infrared or magnetic stimuli.
In addition to polymer synthesis and hydrogel formulation, the intern will investigate either the controlled release of a model active compound in response to these stimuli or the shape-morphing behavior of the material under the same conditions.
Student Missions
During the internship, you will be involved in:
- Synthesizing star-shaped polymers;
- Characterizing the resulting polymers using NMR and SEC-MALS;
- Formulating the polymers into hydrogels;
- Investigating hydrogel properties using (photo)rheology;
- Monitoring the response of the materials to external stimuli (infrared or magnetic), by studying the controlled release of a model active compound and/or the controlled deformation of the material, depending on the selected research direction.
This multidisciplinary internship will allow you to strengthen your skills in the synthesis and characterization of advanced biomaterials, gain insight into the challenges of a European research network, and further develop your scientific communication skills.
Candidate Profile
We are looking for a Master’s (M2) student in materials chemistry or polymer chemistry, or a final-year chemical engineering student specializing in materials or polymers, with an interest in materials for healthcare applications.
The ideal candidate should be:
- Curious, rigorous, and able to work independently;
- Motivated to contribute to an exploratory research project;
- Interested in a multidisciplinary approach combining synthesis, formulation, and material characterization.
This internship offers the opportunity to develop a broad range of skills within a dynamic research team involved in a European project, in an environment that encourages scientific initiative.
Practical Information
Duration: 6 months
Starting date: January 2027
Host Institute: Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron (IBMM)
Research Team: Polymers for Health and Biomaterials (PHBM)
Internship location:
Pôle Chimie Balard Recherche
1919 route de Mende
Montpellier, France
Supervisors – Contact:
How to Apply
Applicants are invited to send their CV by email, along with a brief description of their interests and motivation in the body of the message, to: