Two PhD scholarships in precision medicine technologies - DTU Bioengineering

Do you want to be part of a team that is developing novel tools to create genetic medicines and better model systems to test them?

Then join the Precision Medicine Technologies Lab at the Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), for one of two fully funded 3-year PhD scholarships. In our team, you will be using state-of-the-art genome editing tools in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons and glia cells to advance the field of genetic medicines.

Responsibilities
We are looking for two ambitious and highly motivated PhD students with a background in biomedical engineering, biotechnology or similar. You will work under the supervision of Assistant Professor Lisa Maria Riedmayr on one of two projects: (1) To develop regulatory tools to improve CRISPR-Cas editing and (2) to develop (co-)culture systems of iPSC-derived neural cells suitable for genetic medicine testing. 

You will both work with a wide range of methods, including molecular biology , culture and differentiation of human iPSCs , multi-omics analysis such as RNA-seq and ATAC-seq, and high-throughput analysis techniques in healthy and disease model systems.

The main tasks of project 1 include:

• Culturing of human iPSCs and other mammalian cells
• single cell and bulk RNA-seq
• Analysis of gene expression profiles
• Pooled library designs and high-throughput screens
• Contributions to B.Sc./M.Sc. student supervision and collaborative projects 

The main tasks of project 2 include:

• Culturing of human iPSCs, ESCs and other mammalian cells
• Differentiation of iPSCs into neural cells using diverse protocols
• Brain organoid culture and co-culture systems, such as organ-on-a-chip
• Setup of high-throughput culture systems
• Contributions to B.Sc./M.Sc. student supervision and collaborative projects

Essential qualifications for both candidates

• hold a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points), or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree in biomedical engineering, biotechnology or similar
• be ambitious, curious, and highly motivated
• have the ability to work in a team as well as independently
• have excellent communication skills in written and spoken English
• have the persistence to work on challenging tasks and succeed in a competitive research field

Essential skills for project 1:

• Broad background knowledge in molecular biology, cell biology and biotechnology 
• Hands-on experience with human iPSC culture
• Practical experience with single-cell RNA sequencing workflows 

Essential skills for project 2:

• Broad background knowledge in cell biology and neuroscience, with a focus on CNS biology and iPSC-derived models
• Experience with human iPSC and ESC culture and differentiation, including neuronal and glial cell differentiation
• Hands-on experience with  brain organoids and co-culture systems

Additional desirable, but not essential skills for both projects:

• Proficiency in molecular biology techniques, such as (q)PCR
• Experience in computational data analysis, e.g., for scRNA-seq

You must have a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree.

Approval and Enrolment  
The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see DTU's rules for the PhD education . 

Assessment
The assessment of applicants will be made by Assistant Professor Lisa Maria Riedmayr together with relevant project partners.

We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

Salary and appointment terms
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. The period of employment is 3 years.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here http://www.dtu.dk/english/about/job-and-career/working-at-dtu/career-paths.

Starting date is August 1st 2025 (or according to mutual agreement). The position is a full-time position.

Further information
Further information may be obtained from Assistant Professor Lisa Maria Riedmayr ([email protected] ).

You can read more about the Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine at http://bioengineering.dtu.dk 

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark . Furthermore, you have the option of joining our monthly free seminar “PhD relocation to Denmark and startup “Zoom” seminar ” for all questions regarding the practical matters of moving to Denmark and working as a PhD at DTU. 

Application procedure 
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 10 April 2025 (23:59 Danish time) . 

Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply now", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file . The file must include:

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter) - Please state in your motivational letter whether you are applying for project 1 or 2
• Curriculum vitae 
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale
• List of publications (if any)

You may apply prior to ob­tai­ning your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it. 

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. As DTU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.

The Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (DTU Bioengineering)  is an international leader in the areas of biotechnology and biomedicine. Our engineering approach to all aspects of biotechnology and biomedicine positions us as a valuable player with unique competences in a growing bio-based economy and with health systems transforming towards personalized medicine. We have a clear focus on the needs in the life science- and biotech industries and point towards innovation, new businesses, and scientific services for the benefit of society. The department has extensive collaborations with national and international research units and industry. DTU Bioengineering has approx. 400 employees, of which 2/3 are scientific staff. The department is located at DTU Lyngby Campus.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.