Do you want to engineer stem cells that can deliver therapies directly inside the brain?

Then join the Multiplex Cell Engineering lab at the Department of Health Technology (DTU Health Tech), Technical University of Denmark, for a fully funded 3-year PhD scholarship supported by a Lundbeck Foundation Fellowship.

Neurodegenerative diseases remain among the hardest conditions to treat because many therapeutic molecules cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. In this project, you will engineer human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) as programmable vehicles for brain-targeted therapy. After transplantation, HSC-derived cells can enter the brain and acquire microglia-like properties, creating a unique opportunity to deliver therapeutic molecules from within diseased tissue.

Responsibilities and qualifications
We are looking for an ambitious and highly motivated PhD student with a background in biotechnology, molecular biology, bioengineering, neurobiology, immunology, stem cell biology, or a similar field.

You will work under the supervision of Tenure Track Assistant Professor Dr. Raphael Ferreira in a newly established group focused on programmable cell-based therapies. Your project will combine multiplex CRISPR/recombinase genome engineering, human HSC culture, molecular profiling, and in vivo functional screening.

Primary tasks:

• Optimize CRISPR- and recombinase-based strategies for multiplexed gene insertion in human HSCs.
• Design and build libraries of candidate genes to improve brain entry, engraftment, long-term survival, and therapeutic function.
• Perform molecular and functional validation using cloning, cell culture, flow cytometry, sequencing, and gene expression assays.
• Collaborate with a postdoc and technical assistant to test engineered HSCs in mouse models and analyze in vivo screening data.
• Integrate top-performing gene combinations into disease-relevant models of neurodegeneration.
• Contribute to B.Sc./M.Sc. student supervision, collaborative projects, and the establishment of a new interdisciplinary laboratory.

Essential qualifications:

• MSc degree (120 ECTS) in biotechnology, molecular biology, bioengineering, neurobiology, immunology, stem cell biology, or similar.
• Hands-on experience with molecular biology, cloning, and/or genome engineering.
• Experience with mammalian cell culture; experience with primary cells, HSCs/HSPCs, immune cells, or cell therapy models is an advantage.
• Interest in neurodegenerative disease, microglia biology, blood-brain barrier biology, and/or cell-based therapies.
• Experience with flow cytometry, NGS/single-cell analysis, animal work, or in vivo models is an advantage.
• Programming or data analysis skills, or strong motivation to develop them.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in an interdisciplinary environment.
• Excellent written and spoken English communication skills; curious, rigorous, and highly motivated.

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 Raphael Ferreira 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. The starting date is 1 November 2026 (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 Assistant Professor Raphael Ferreira ([email protected]).

You can read more about DTU Health Tech at 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 14 August 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:

• 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 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.

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 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.

Location
Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark

Apply Before
2026-08-14T21:59:00+00:00