PhD position: Pioneering photoacoustic imaging for tumour-specific image-guided photopharmacology PHONIC

For the PHONIC project, funded through the Dutch Research Council Open Competition Domain Science-M programme, we are looking for an enthusiastic PhD student who is willing to work in a multidisciplinary environment on a clinical translational project.

PhD position: Pioneering photoacoustic imaging for tumour-specific image-guided photopharmacology (PHONIC)

Closing date: February 8

The estimated starting date will be 1st of April 2026. The aim of the PHONIC project is to synergize photopharmacology with medical imaging to reveal the location of disease and subsequently follow therapy activation and effect. PHONIC is a collaborative between the University Medical Center Groningen and the Szymanski lab of the Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy (GRIP), Faculty of Science and Engineering.

You will have the following main responsibilities and tasks

• Performing photoacoustic imaging experiments on PHONIC contrast agents using dedicated photoacoustic imaging systems.
• Developing and optimizing tissue-mimicking phantoms and experimental workflows to characterize PA spectra, depth performance, sensitivity, and drug activation readouts.
• Working with patient-derived organoids and other biological models to evaluate the feasibility of image-guided photopharmacology.
• Contributing to clinical translation efforts, including safety evaluation, imaging protocol development, and translational study preparation.
• Integrating data with the appointed chemistry PhD student and co-supervisors to align the design of photopharmacological agents with imaging performance.
• Quantitative image analysis and data modeling.
• Writing of original research articles and reviews about the topic.

Working environment

You will be appointed at the Medical Imaging Center (MIC) of the University Medical Center Groningen, within the departments of Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging and Radiology. The MIC is a leading national center in molecular imaging research combining clinical expertise and state-of-the-art imaging facilities (PET, SPECT, MRI, optical imaging). You will be part of the Optical Molecular Imaging Groningen (OMIG) research group, a vibrant, interdisciplinary team of physicians, biomedical engineers, pharmacists, and physicists. The PHONIC project benefits from close collaboration with the Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy (GRIP) of the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE), where the complementary chemistry-focused PhD of the PHONIC project will be based.

What do we ask

• MSc degree in Technical Medicine, Engineering, Physics or a related field.
• Experience in the field of photoacoustic or ultrasound imaging will be seen as a strong asset.
• Hands-on affinity with experimental laboratory work, imaging hardware, or phantom/biological model development.
• Experience with MATLAB of Python for data analysis.
• Interest in and willingness to expand the expertise towards biomedical 3D-organoid models.
• High motivation to work on translational research at the interface of technology and clinical application.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, creativity, and independence.
• Being able to work with excellent organisational skills in a multidisciplinary environment, have good communicative skills and be proficient in the English language.

What do we offer

The successful candidate will be able to develop his or her research skills within highly experienced and internationally recognized research groups and in addition will receive education within institute research schools. This is a four-year full-time PhD position with an estimated starting date of April 1st 2026. In addition, the UMCG will offer an 8% holiday pay and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus. The conditions of employment comply with the Collective Labour Agreement for Medical Centres (CAO-UMC).