A 3-year fully funded PhD position is available in the Disease Systems Immunology Group at DTU Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark. The PhD project will focus on the development and application of molecular and immunological approaches to improve our understanding and diagnosis of respiratory tract infections and vaccine-induced immune responses in healthy and vulnerable populations.

One part of the PhD project will focus on respiratory infections, with particular emphasis on establishing a pipeline for pathogen detection and microbial profiling from respiratory tract samples. The project will include bioinformatic analysis of respiratory microbiome composition, pathogen signatures and molecular biomarkers in samples from individuals with symptoms of respiratory tract infection, including sore throat. The overall aim is to identify microbial and host-associated signatures that can support improved diagnostic precision and patient stratification. Another part of the PhD project will study immunological responses to vaccines. The PhD project focuses on characterizing antibody glycosylation patterns and antibody functionality in ex vivo assays. These analyses will contribute to understanding how inflammatory conditions, immunosuppressive medication and vaccine-induced immune responses affect antibody quality and function.

We are looking for a highly talented and motivated colleague who can carry out an independent PhD project and has the ambition and commitment to achieve excellence in a collaborative environment of dedicated postdocs, PhD students, technical personnel, clinical collaborators and international research partners. The project bridges respiratory infection biology, molecular diagnostics, microbiome science, bioinformatics, vaccine immunology and antibody glycobiology.

Responsibilities and qualifications
Your overall focus will be to develop and apply computational and experimental approaches for improved diagnosis and mechanistic understanding of throat infections and immune responses. The project will combine metagenomic sequencing, bioinformatics, image-based machine learning, biomarker analysis, antibody glycobiology and functional assays.

As a PhD student, you will:

• Establish and optimize a fast pipeline for pathogen detection and microbial profiling from respiratory tract samples
• Perform bioinformatic analysis of microbiome composition, pathogen signatures and molecular biomarkers in samples from individuals with symptoms of respiratory tract infection
• Characterize antibody glycosylation patterns and antibody functionality in relation to vaccine-induced and antigen-specific immune responses
• Validate, interpret and manage complex molecular, microbiological and immunological datasets
• Lead and contribute to publication of research papers together with supervisors and project partners
• Network with internal and external colleagues and collaborators, and take active part in our dedicated research groups
• Represent our work at conferences and scientific meetings

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.

Candidates should have a strong background in one or more of the following areas: bioinformatics, microbiology, immunology, molecular biology, computational biology, or related disciplines. Experience with sequencing technologies, microbiome analysis, programming, data integration or immunological assays will be considered an advantage. We value scientific curiosity, independence, strong analytical skills and the ability to work across disciplines. The successful candidate should also have excellent communication skills, a strong command of English both written and spoken, and be collaborative, self-motivated and well organized.

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 the applicants will be made by main supervisor, Head of Section, Professor Susanne Brix Pedersen, Technical University of Denmark.

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
You can contact main supervisor Susanne Brix Pedersen ([email protected]) for information, and read more about our group at www.bioengineering.dtu.dk/Research/Research-Sections/Section-for-Medical-Biotechnology/DiseaseSystemsImmunology

You can read more about Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine at www.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 3 September 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

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.

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
2026-09-03T21:59:00+00:00