PhD position in Organic Synthesis

The project is entitled “Optical detection of novel fluorescent markers for the rapid identification of sepsis.”

Sepsis is a life-threatening response of the body to an infection, and about 20% of all deaths worldwide are caused by sepsis. Its detection is very difficult and typically slow (several hours to days), which often delays appropriate treatment and leads to unnecessary deaths.

This PhD project aims to develop new fluorescent labels, specific for white blood cells that develop in the very early stages of sepsis. These labels should allow for rapid optical detection with high sensitivity in a complex matrix. Within a collaboration between the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) and the University Medical Centre in Groningen (UMCG) this project is jointly supervised by Profs. A. Minnaard and R. Hildner at FSE with support from B.-J. Kroesen and J. Pillay at the UMCG.

We are looking for creative, motivated, and determined candidates, who meet the following requirements:

• Master degree in (physical) chemistry.
• Readiness to work in an interdisciplinary and international team.
• Good written and spoken English proficiency is required.
• Experience in optical spectroscopy / microscopy and/or organic synthesis is a plus, but not a requirement.

Do you meet our qualification criteria? Then please upload the following documents to complete your application:

• A letter stating your motivation to apply and your key qualities relevant for this position.
• A curriculum vitae.
• Copies of your academic records from your BSc and MSc studies.
• Contact information of two academic references.

You may apply for this position until July 15 11:59 pm (2026) Dutch local time (CET) by means of the electronic application form on the UG website: