Postdoc in the Development of Micromotor Technologies for Nose-to-Brain Drug Delivery - DTU Health Tech

If you are establishing your career as an independent researcher in drug delivery, nanomedicine, or neuroscience and want to work on a truly unexplored, high-impact concept, this position offers a unique opportunity.

At DTU Health Tech, within the interdisciplinary IDUN research section, you will take a leading role in developing the first self-propelled, biodegradable micromotor platform for rapid nose-to-brain drug delivery aimed at acute seizure treatment. You will work at the interface of micro/nanofabrication, pharmaceutical technology, and neuroscience, translating fundamental micromotor concepts into a clinically relevant solution that has the potential to transform how acute seizures are treated.

Responsibilities
The main purpose of this position is to develop and validate a novel micromotor-based platform for rapid nose-to-brain drug delivery for acute seizure treatment. The postdoc will drive the design, fabrication, and biological evaluation of biodegradable, self-propelled micromotors capable of actively penetrating nasal mucus and delivering anti-epileptic drugs to seizure-relevant brain regions. The position offers substantial scientific independence and responsibility within a highly interdisciplinary research environment.

Your primary tasks will be to:

• Design and fabricate biodegradable micromotors with chemically triggered propulsion mechanisms
• Develop drug loading, encapsulation, and surface functionalization strategies for nasal delivery
• Characterize micromotor motion, stability, and drug release in biosimilar mucus and nasal environments
• Perform in vitro and ex vivo evaluation using nasal epithelial models and tissue
• Contribute to in vivo validation in an established mouse model of acute seizures
• Analyze pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and therapeutic efficacy data
• Co-supervise MSc/PhD students and contribute to the dissemination of results through publications and conferences

Qualifications
As a formal qualification, you must hold a PhD degree (or equivalent) in pharmaceutical sciences, nanotechnology, chemistry, materials science, biomedical engineering, or a closely related field.

You have hands-on experience with micro- or nanofabrication and experimental characterization of advanced drug delivery systems, with demonstrated experience in the design, fabrication, and characterization of micro- and/or nanomotors. Experience with in vitro biological models is required, and prior exposure to ex vivo or in vivo studies is highly relevant for the position. You are an independent, highly motivated researcher with a strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals and the ability to work across disciplines. You are comfortable collaborating with scientists from different backgrounds and have a clear interest in translational drug delivery and neuroscience-oriented research.

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 terms of employment
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 2 years. The starting date is 1 May 2026. The position is a full-time position.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

Further information
Further information may be obtained from Assistant Professor Tijana Miseljic and Associate Professor Line Hagner Nielsen.

You can read more about DTU Health Tech at www.healthtech.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.

Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 12 February 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:

• Application (cover letter)
• CV
• Academic Diplomas (MSc/PhD – in English)
• List of publications

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.

DTU Health Tech
With a vision to improve health and quality of life through technology, DTU Health Tech engages in research, education, and innovation based on technical and natural science. We educate tomorrow’s health tech engineers and create the foundation for new and innovative services and technologies for the globally expanding healthcare sector with its demands for the most advanced technological solutions. DTU Health Tech’s expertise can be described through five overall research areas: Diagnostic Imaging, Digital Health, Personalised Therapy, Precision Diagnostics, and Sensory and Neural Technology. Our technologies and solutions are developed with the aim of benefiting people and creating value for society. The department has a scientific staff of about 210 persons, 140 PhD Students, and a technical/administrative support staff of about 100 persons of which a large majority contributes to our research infrastructure and related commercial activities.

Technology for people 
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.