DTU - Technical University of Denmark
PhD scholarship in Tissue Optics and Deep-Tissue Optical Coherence Tomography for Detection of Pancreatic Cancer - DTU Health Tech
🇩🇰Kongens Lyngby, Capital Region, Denmark23 days ago
EntryFull Time
If you want to start your scientific career in biophotonics while working towards real-world impact in healthcare, this opportunity is for you.
DTU Health Tech invites applications for a PhD researcher investigating how tissue optics can improve both the imaging depth of optical coherence tomography and the sensitivity of this method for detecting pancreatic cancer. Funded by the ERC Synergy Grant Zee-Zoom-Zap, the position will be part of the Biophotonic Imaging Group in the Optical Imaging and Sensing (OASIS) section. You will be joining a dynamic, collaborative and interdisciplinary team where you will get all the necessary support to turn your ideas into great results. Additionally, you will be part of a vibrant international collaboration with opportunities to expand your knowledge through external research visits.
In the Biophotonic Imaging Group, our aim is to drive cutting-edge research in multimodal, functional optical bio-imaging, and to establish a biophotonic imaging resource for translational research at DTU Health Tech. We develop and innovate new optical imaging concepts and technologies that enable novel insights into tissue function and disease biomarkers, and new clinical achievements that improve healthcare.
Pancreatic cancer is the 12th most common cancer, but one of the deadliest, with a 5-year survival rate around 13%. This poor prognosis is due to the lack of screening technologies that can detect pancreatic cancer at an early stage – diagnosis at stage Ia would increase the 5-year survival rate 10-fold. This is your opportunity to contribute to the development of an exciting new theragnostic platform for screening, early diagnosis, and in situ treatment of pancreatic cancer.
We are looking for a candidate with experience in tissue optics and who is comfortable working in a photonics lab to explore how spatial offset optical coherence tomography (SO-OCT) can be advanced for cancer detection over a large depth range in tissue. SO-OCT is a new technology pioneered at DTU that leverages multiply scattered light to extend the imaging depth of OCT, potentially beyond, potentially beyond 5 mm and thereby revolutionize non-invasive diagnostics. Your role will be to explore the link between tissue optical properties, offset magnitude range, spatial resolution, and the maximum achievable imaging depth with SO-OCT. Additionally, you will investigate how optical properties including the scattering coefficient and polarization properties of tissue can be used to improve the sensitivity of SO-OCT for cancer detection. Your work will be applied through experimental investigations on human and animal pancreas tissue.
Responsibilities and qualifications
Your overall focus will be to investigate the limits of imaging depth with SO-OCT, with an emphasis on exploring the role of tissue optical properties. You will additionally contribute to the development of a modelling framework for extracting optical properties from SO-OCT images. Your modelling work will be experimentally validated in tissue phantoms and ex vivo pancreas tissue with the aim of developing novel cancer biomarkers and protocols for tumour margin detection.
Your primary tasks will be to:
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. Your background should preferably be in applied physics, biophotonics, or photonics engineering, i.e., a solid background in optics, photonics, optical imaging and data processing is an asset, and knowledge of microscopy is an advantage. We expect the candidate to have strong laboratory skills in the above areas. Good communication skills in written and spoken English is a must.
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.
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. Starting date is 1 September (or according to mutual agreement). The position is a full-time position.
You can read more about career paths at DTU here.
Further information
Further information may be obtained from Peter E. Andersen (peta@dtu.dk).
You can read more about DTU Health Tech at www. www.healthtech.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 15 June 2026 (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:
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.
DTU HealthTech
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 tomorrow’s 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 Tech’s 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.
DTU – For the benefit of society since 1829
DTU is one of Europe's leading elite technical universities. Through research and education at an international top level, we create solutions to the major societal challenges of our time and help secure Europe's global leadership in sustainable technological development. Since Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU almost 200 years ago, our mission has remained the same: We develop and create value through the natural and technical sciences for the benefit of society. DTU has 13,800 students, 1,600 PhD students, and 6,500 employees. We work in an international environment and have an inclusive, stimulating, and informal work culture. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland and collaborates with the best universities around the world.
