Open PhD Position at UKON – apply now

The Chemistry Department of the University of Konstanz is currently offering a PhD position as an Early Stage Researcher within the MUSIQ project. The successful candidates will be expected to conduct research under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Andreas Zumbusch at the University of Konstanz with the aim of obtaining a PhD in Physics or Chemistry. The position will allow the student to participate in an exciting program comprising international schools, workshops, and secondments at academic as well as industrial partners.

To enhance the career perspective of the ESRs who will be choosen by training them in a broad range of cutting-edge scientific, technical and transferable skills, through a unique combination of projects and tailored courses.

Interested? Find out more via the detailed job profile and apply today.

MUSIQ Roadmap on bio-nano-photonics published

From June to September 2020 the ESRs organised a virtual Journal Club as part of the continuous training. Part of the regular Journal Club was to discuss relevant papers that they thought may potentially be used as references to develope and write a MUSIQ Roadmap. This is one of our dissemination activities, to produce a technology Roadmap about the challenges and future directions of optical microscopy exploiting quantum coherent nonlinear phenomena. Groups of ESRs presented papers during the Journal Club which were then discussed. The MUSIQ Roadmap has been published in the Journal of Optics which is openly accessible to all.



Read the full article online: https://doi.org/10.1088/2040-8986/abff94.

Abstract

In the quest to decipher the chain of life from molecules to cells, the biological and biophysical questions being asked increasingly demand techniques that are capable of identifying specific biomolecules in their native environment, and can measure biomolecular interactions quantitatively, at the smallest possible scale in space and time, without perturbing the system under observation. The interaction of light with biomolecules offers a wealth of phenomena and tools that can be exploited to drive this progress. This Roadmap is written collectively by prominent researchers and encompasses selected aspects of bio-nano-photonics, spanning from the development of optical micro/nano-spectroscopy technologies for quantitative bioimaging and biosensing to the fundamental understanding of light–matter interaction phenomena with biomolecules at the nanoscale. It will be of interest to a wide cross-disciplinary audience in the physical sciences and life sciences.

Read the full article online: https://doi.org/10.1088/2040-8986/abff94.

1st MUSIQ Week, 9-14 December 2019

The 1st Week School took place in Marseille, France from 9-14 December 2019 and brought together the MUSIQ partners and the ESRs for the first time to discuss developing the next-generation optical microscopy exploiting quantum coherent nonlinear phenomena. The program consisted of different networking and training elements starting off with a two day symposium where all PIs presented their research and activities within the MUSIQ project. The ESRs also each had the opportunity to present themselves and their individual ESR projects and had organised posters related to their research which helped all participants to receive a detailed overview of how each person will be contributing to the project.

The second element of the 1st MUSIQ week was dedicated to the training of the ESRs. Over the next four days the ESRs received the first sessions of the multi-disciplinary training programme that specifically addresses the scientific, technical and career development challenges associated with MUSIQ’s vision of developing the next-generation optical microscopy exploiting quantum coherent nonlinear phenomena. These topics included the 1st School on Molecular nonlinear optics held by CNRS and two transferable skills trainings on time project management for scientists and on gender equality held by Hertz.

The full MUSIQ training programme is structured around 6 weeks of network-wide face-to-face events that will equip the ESRs with the combination of research-related and transferable competences needed to succeed in the European science, technology and innovation sector.

You can follow the MUSIQ ESRs via Instagram https://www.instagram.com/musiq.msca

Official Project Start

The MUSIQ project officially started on 1. April and will run for the next four years under the coordination of Prof. Paola Borri from the University of Cardiff in the United Kingdom.

MUSIQ has received 3.9 million euro funding from the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union. The following scientific objectives highlight the research training goals of this project:

  • Investigate nonlinear optical phenomena originating from the intrinsic response of natural biomolecules.
  • Combine nonlinear imaging with ultrafast two-dimensional spectroscopy
  • Achieve single molecule detection and super-resolution in coherent nonlinear imaging.

MUSIQ is designed as an integrated research and training network where we will recruit 15 early stage researchers (ESRs) to work towards the central ambitious goal of developing the ‘quantum microscopes of tomorrow’.

To enhance the career perspective of the ESRs by training them in a broad range of cutting-edge scientific, technical and transferable skills, through a unique combination of projects, secondments, and tailored courses provided by world-leading academic institutions, high-tech companies and professional partners, across different European countries.

PhD Positions officially open – apply now!

The recruitment phase for the open MUSIQ PhD positions has officially started. MUSIQ is looking to recruit 15 Early Stage Researchers (ERS).

The overarching training objective of MUSIQ is to form the next generation of creative, innovative, well-connected scientists in this technologically demanding field of multiphoton microscopy technology developments. Therefore MUSIQ, implements a multidisciplinary intersectoral training and research programme at the interface between physics, chemistry and life sciences.

To enhance the career perspective of the ESRs who will be choosen by training them in a broad range of cutting-edge scientific, technical and transferable skills, through a unique combination of projects, secondments, and tailored courses.

For further details check the open positions here. Apply soon for the limmited MUSIQ PhD positions and become part of this journey.

Projects starts on 1st April 2019 – No Joke

The EU funded project MUSIQ will officially start on 1st April 2019 and aims to develope with the help of 15 early stage researchers (ESRs) the next generation optical microscopy exploitin quantum coherent nonlinear phenomena.

It trains the ESRs on a unique mixture of experimental and computational skills at the physics/chemistry/life science interface. By bringing together a unique team of 6 world-leading academic groups, at the forefront of nonlinear optical microscopy and ultrafast coherent light-matter interaction phenomena, and 6 high tech companies, to translate the results into biomedical/pharmaceutical real-world applications.

The project will run for 48 months under the coordination of Prof Paola Borri from the Cardiff University.

MUSIQ successfully evaluated

The MUSIQ proposal has been evaluated positively and will therefore receive funding under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (H2020-MSCA-ITN-2018), more precise as an European Training Network (ETN), under grant agreement no. 812992.

MUSIQ – Multiphoton Microscopy and Ultrafast Spectroscopy: Imaging meets Quantum – is designed as an innovative and pioneering training network, with the unique vision of developing the next-generation optical microscopy exploiting quantum coherent nonlinear phenomena.

MUSIQ brings together a multidisciplinary team of physicists, optical engineers, biologists, chemists, from academia and industry, using a broad set of complementary techniques. Through their projects, secondments and collaborative exchanges, all 15 ESRs will have access to an excellent  combination of tools, technologies and expertise.

The following scientific objectives highlight the research training goals of this project:

  • Investigate nonlinear optical phenomena originating from the intrinsic response of natural biomolecules, to achieve label-free imaging and overcome artefacts from sample staining/fluorescence methods.
  • Combine nonlinear (i.e. multiphoton) imaging with ultrafast two-dimensional spectroscopy to increase specificity and unravel quantum coherences in biomolecules.
  • Achieve single molecule detection and super-resolution in coherent nonlinear imaging via a combination of approaches, including the enhancement of the light field in the vicinity of metallic (plasmonic) nanostructures.