Are you passionate about microscopy and its potential to transform healthcare? We invite applications for a fully funded PhD position on super-resolution microscopy of clinical biopsies for precision medicine within the Nanoscopy for Nanomedicine group in the Biomedical Engineering Department at Eindhoven University of Technology. This project aims to develop and apply advanced super-resolution microscopy methods to address critical challenges in cancer precision diagnostics and therapy.
InformationSuper-resolution optical imaging has transformed cellular and molecular biology allowing to visualize biological process at the molecular level. However, translating these powerful techniques to clinically relevant samples and precision medicine remains a major scientific and technological challenge. This PhD project aims to bridge this gap by developing and applying super-resolution microscopy to study cancer biomarkers at the nanometer and single-molecule level in real patient material.
In this project, you will:
- work with cell line models and lung cancer biopsy samples in close collaboration with clinicians at the Catharina Hospital in Eindhoven
- set up and optimize advanced imaging strategies to visualize and quantify cancer-related biomarkers with unprecedented spatial resolution.
- - combine cutting-edge microscopy with quantitative data analysis, you will investigate how molecular organization and heterogeneity at the nanoscale relate to targeted drug mechanisms of action and individual patient responses.
Precision medicine-matching each patient with the most effective treatment-remains one of the grand challenges in oncology. Despite the availability of targeted therapies, patient responses vary widely, and the molecular origins of treatment resistance are often poorly understood. This project addresses this challenge by introducing novel imaging approaches capable of revealing subtle, nanoscale differences in biomarker expression and organization that are invisible to conventional techniques. Your research will contribute to a deeper understanding of therapy response and resistance and may lay the groundwork for new diagnostic and stratification tools with direct impact on healthcare.
The project is embedded in the Nanoscopy for Nanomedicine group at Eindhoven University of Technology and builds on the group’s strong expertise in super-resolution microscopy and quantitative bioimaging. It is carried out within the framework of the EuroTech University Alliance and involves close collaboration with EPFL (Lausanne, Switzerland). A 6-month research secondment at EPFL is planned, offering an international research experience and exposure to complementary expertise in advanced microscopy and biomedical imaging.
During this PhD you will be trained in state-of-the-art optical microscopy, quantitative image analysis, and interdisciplinary research at the interface of physics, biology, and medicine, preparing you for a career in academia, industry, or clinical technology development.