PhD Position Synthesis and Application of Radiation-triggered Block Copolymer Micelles at TU Delft

Job description 

As part of a large national consortium aimed at the development of nanoparticle-based immunotherapy for cancer treatment, you will design, synthesize and characterize radiation-sensitive block copolymers that self-assemble into micelles, and test their ability to encapsulate and release immunotherapeutic agents. You will develop a library of block copolymers with variations in polymer block length and structure, as well as the radiation-sensitive linker. You will assess the efficiency of radiation-induced polymer degradation and cargo release, as well as initial cell studies. The project will be carried out as a collaboration between the groups of prof. Rienk Eelkema (Chemical Engineering) and prof. Antonia Denkova (Radiation Science and Technology). 

Job requirements 

• You have an MSc degree in chemistry, chemical engineering or equivalent

• You have proven expertise in multistep organic synthesis

• You have experience in purification and characterization of organic molecules

• Experience in polymer synthesis, polymer characterization and physical chemistry are desirable

• You work well in a team

• You have a high level of written and spoken English

You can view the full job vacancy here.

Application deadline: 26 October 2026