The University of Twente and the Netherlands Cancer Institute/Antoni van Leeuwenhoek hospital (NKI/AvL) will collaborate to develop an endoscopic system that is able to determine whether a tumor has responded to (chemo)radiotherapy for patients with rectal cancer. Accurate tumor response assessment can reduce unnecessary surgeries. Within this project, you will initially develop a tabletop photoacoustic-ultrasound system that must be able to identify blood and fibrosis in excised tissue. You will use this system at NKI/AvL on fresh ex vivo tissue samples directly after surgery. The aim is to establish the ability to discern healthy from fibrotic and cancer tissue, with collagen and blood as targets. Based on the learnings of this stage, you will implement the technology in a rigid endoscope system which will later be used in an in vivo study in a follow up project. This clinical study will not be part of your appointment.

You will work at the University of Twente in the Biomedical Photonic Imaging research chair, but with strong ties to the Oncologic Surgery department of NKI/AvL where the ex vivo study will be done.

A small teaching task will be part of your appointment.

For this position we are searching for an ambitious candidate with a doctoral degree in physics or a relevant engineering discipline. You preferentially have experience with ultrasound and/or optics. It is important that you have an affinity with the biomedical application field. You must have a good command of English, both in speaking and writing.

• Fulltime position (or parttime for 0.8fte) for 2 years
• The university offers a dynamic ecosystem with enthusiastic colleagues in a stimulating scientific environment.
• The salary amounts, depending on education and experience, minimal € 3.420,- to a maximum of € 4.490,- gross per month in case of a fulltime employment.
• A holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.
• The number of holiday hours for full-time employment is 232 hours per calendar year.
• Professional and personal development programmes.

The BMPI chair develops optical methods for medical diagnosis. Our technologies vary from high resolution microscopes with wavefront shaping for cell level imaging, via Optical Coherence Tomography for multicell level imaging, to photoacoustics, acousto-optics, laser speckle and thermal imaging technologies for imaging on the organ level. BMPI is part of the Techmed Centre of the University of Twente.