PhD scholarship in Stem Cell Technology and Eye Disease Modelling DTU Health Tech

If you are passionate about stem cell biology and want to make a real difference for patients suffering from vision loss this PhD position is for you.

At DTU Health Tech we offer a 3-year fully funded PhD position in the Applied Stem Cells group (ASTEM) within the Section for Cell and Drug Technologies. You will join a young and dynamic research environment where we combine stem cell engineering disease modeling molecular biology and advanced microscopy to understand and treat retinal diseases.

Through this PhD project you will work at the interface between stem cell biology and translational medicine establishing patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines carrying genetic mutations that cause blindness and using them to generate in-vitro models of retinal degeneration. Your work will contribute to developing new therapeutic and drug testing strategies for vision preservation.

Responsibilities and qualifications
We are looking for a creative and ambitious aspiring researcher with a . cell biology biochemistry biomedical engineering or similar. Prior experience with stem cell/tissue culture will be considerable advantage.

Your overall focus will be to establish robust stem cellbased models for inherited retinal diseases and use these systems to uncover disease mechanisms and potential treatment strategies.

You will work closely with experienced colleagues and collaborators in molecular biology bioengineering and ophthalmology.

Your primary tasks will be to:

• Generate and characterize patient-specific iPSC lines.
• Differentiate iPSCs into retinal cell types and 2.5D organoid-like tissues
• Apply imaging and molecular biology methods to characterize cellular phenotypes and disease mechanisms
• Present findings at international conferences and publish in high-impact journals
• Contribute to supervision of MSc students and to maintaining the shared lab environment

You must have a two-year masters degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year masters 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 DTUs rules for the PhD education.

Assessment
The assessment of the applicants will be made by Associate Professor Johan Ulrik Lind and Assistant Professor Anne Z. Eriksen.

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.

Further information
Additional information may be obtained from Assistant Professor Anne Zebitz Eriksen who leads the Applied Stem Cells group at the Department of Health Technology.

If you are applying from abroad you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU Moving to you have the option of joining our monthly free seminar PhDrelocation 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 than15 December 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 orm and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
• Curriculum vitae
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale
• List of professional references

You may apply prior to obtaining your masters 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.

DTU Health Tech
With a vision to improve health and quality of life through technology DTU Health Tech engages in research education and innovation based on technical and natural science. We educate tomorrows health tech engineers and create the foundation for new and innovative services and technologies for the globally expanding healthcare sector with its demands for the most advanced technological solutions. DTU Health Techs expertise can be described through five overall research areas: Diagnostic Imaging Digital Health Personalised Therapy Precision Diagnostics and Sensory and Neural Technology. Our technologies and solutions are developed with the aim of benefiting people and creating value for society. The department has a scientific staff of about 210 persons 140 PhD Students and a technical/administrative support staff of about 100 persons of which a large majority contributes to our research infrastructure and related commercial activities.

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 UNs 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 13500 students and 6000 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.