A funded PhD position at SDU Physics - Interdisciplinary research within experimental soft matter/biophysics

Job description

I am looking for a PhD student to conduct research education in my lab at the Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy at the University of Southern Denmark in Odense. The position is for a project in experimental soft matter and biological physics in the area of active liquid crystals, funded by Novo Nordisk Foundation. Starting Date: 1 September 2026: Application deadline: 10 May 2026: Project background The PhD project fits within the scope of the project “Cells layers for artificial tissue morphogenesis and soft robots (CLAMS)”. We have recently discovered that cells behave like special types of elongated elastic rubbers. Layers of cells grown at high density on flat dishes can detach altogether and get complex shapes, depending on their initial orientation. By controlling the orientation, we can predict the final shape, in the same way that the folds in origami determine the final shape of paper. The aim of the project is to investigate the mechanisms behind the shape of cell layers in order to create controlled biomaterials where the initial orientation of cells controls the final shape. Research Group: You will be part of my group and of the broader Phylife group at the...