Open Positions

RESEARCHER PROFILE	First Stage Researcher (R1)
APPLICATION DEADLINE	30/04/2023 17:00 - Europe/Rome
TYPE OF CONTRACT	Temporary
JOB STATUS	Full-time
HOURS PER WEEK	40
EU RESEARCH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME	HE / Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MARIE CURIE GRANT AGREEMENT NUMBER	101072758

 

OFFER DESCRIPTION

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network FC-RELAX “NMR relaxometry for biomedicine and advanced materials” provides research and training in the field of NMR relaxometry by developing its theoretical framework towards biological systems and complex materials, and by exploiting these theoretical models with applications focused on the characterization of biomedical systems and advanced materials. 11 PhD positions are offered by the Consortium related to different and multidisciplinary projects strongly interconnected involving relaxometry.

The PhD students will be recruited by and exposed to both academic Institutions and enterprises, through secondments, in such a way that they can acquire an industrial perspective and experience different work environments.

Recruiting Institution	(Doctorate Course, duration)
- University of Florence, ITALY	(PhD in Structural Biology, 36 months)
- University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, POLAND	(PhD in Biology, 36 months)
- Université de Mons, BELGIUM	(PhD in Chemistry, 36 months)
- Instituto Superior Tecnico, Lisboa, PORTUGAL	(PhD in Physics or Physics Engeneering, 36 months)
- University of Rostock, GERMANY	(PhD in Chemistry, 36 months)
- Ecole normale supérieure, Paris, FRANCE	(PhD in Chemistry, 36 months)
- Stelar s.r.l.u., Mede (Pavia), ITALY	(PhD in Physical and Chemical Sciences at the University of L’Aquila, 36 months)
- Bracco Imaging S.p.A., Trieste, ITALY	(PhD in Structural Biology at the University of Florence, 36 months)
- Resonance Systems GmbH, Kirchheim unter Teck, GERMANY	(PhD in Physics at the Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology, 36-48 months)
- Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology, FINLAND	(PhD in Physics 48 months)
- University of Aberdeen, UK	(PhD in Biomedical Physics, 36 months)

The offered grants cover a period of 36 months, independently of the durations of the PhD courses. The additional 12 months at the Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology will be covered with separate contracts.

Each PhD student will attend the following training activities:

1. advanced courses and soft and transferable skill courses provided by University’s doctorate schools;
2. Joint Training Courses, Complementary Training Courses and Multidisciplinary Research Workshops organized by FC-RELAX;
3. secondments to one of the enterprises and at least to another academic institution, if enrolled by an academic institution, or secondments to at least two academic institutions if enrolled by an enterprise, to take advantage of expertise complementary to that of the home institution.

Objective of the research programme is better understanding key molecular processes occurring in biological systems and materials to unlock innovations in biomedical technology, medical diagnosis, ionic liquids for energy storage, design of innovative drugs and biologics acting on specific molecular targets. The scientific approach is strongly multidisciplinary.

Expected results are:

• extending the fundamental theoretical understanding of NMR relaxation, in particular for paramagnetic relaxation enhancements, for relaxation in complex systems with confined water molecules, and for ionic liquids
• improving our understanding of dynamical properties of molecules and biomolecules at the atomic level
• the characteration of novel nanosized paramagnetic complexes used as safe and efficient theranostics agents and improved MRI contrast agents
• the characterization of the relaxation properties of biomolecules and biological tissues
• the characterization of mobility in rigid partially crystalline materials and in ionic liquids

The recruited students will get multidisciplinary training in the many aspects of NMR relaxometry and its applications, and focused training-through-research in a selected research topic, in the fields of life sciences and material sciences. They will be trained to develop themselves into skilled, open-minded, independent young researchers, to work in multidisciplinary environments, to get used to mobility and transnational collaborations, to participate and communicate their research in international conferences. The expertise acquired during the PhD course fully meets the requirements for future academic professionals and will be of potential interest e.g. for pharmaceutical industries and biotechnology.

JOB SUMMARY

1. ORGANISATION/COMPANY  University of Florence RESEARCH FIELD Chemistry > Physical Chemistry   Chemistry > Biological Chemistry LOCATION Italy > Florence One PhD position is available at the Magnetic Resonance Center (CERM) of the University of Florence for the research project No. 1 titled "Proton relaxivity of paramagnetic proteins and nanoparticles in confined environments" under the supervision of Prof. Giacomo Parigi. Secondments: i) 4 months at Instituto Superior Tecnico, Lisboa for the development of the software code for the analysis of the relaxivity profiles, ii) 3 months at BRACCO for the synthesis of Gd-complexes embedded in nanosystems.

2. ORGANISATION/COMPANY  University of Warmia and Mazury RESEARCH FIELD Physics, Chemistry,   Biology LOCATION Poland > Olsztyn One PhD position is available at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn for the research project No. 2 titled "Slow dynamics of biomolecular systems" under the supervision of Prof. Danuta Kruk. Secondments: i) 4 months at the University of Rostock for comparison of MD simulations outcomes with specific motional models, ii) 3 months at Resonance Systems for time domain NMR measurements. In accordance with Polish law, a diploma of graduation from a foreign country may be recognized as equivalent to the corresponding Polish diploma and professional title on the basis of an international agreement determining equivalence, and in the absence of such an agreement - by nostrification proceedings. The obligation to comply with the above regulations for the recognition of a diploma in Poland rests with the candidate.

3. ORGANISATION/COMPANY  University of Mons RESEARCH FIELD Chemistry LOCATION Belgium > Mons One PhD position is available at the University of Mons for the research project No. 3 titled "Synthesis and relaxometric studies of Mn-complexes associated to silica nanoparticles" under the supervision of Prof. Sophie Laurent. Secondments: i) 2 months at the Ecole normale supérieure Paris for protein corona of silica nanoparticles by high-resolution relaxometry, ii) 2 months at the University of Aberdeen for relaxometric studies of Mn-complexes on phantoms using whole-body FC imaging, iii) 3 months at BRACCO for synthesis and analysis of Mn and Gd complexes.

4. ORGANISATION/COMPANY  Instituto Superior Tecnico RESEARCH FIELD Physics >  Molecular and Chemical Physics   Chemistry > Material Chemistry LOCATION Portugal > Lisboa One PhD position is available at the Instituto Superior Tecnico for the research project No. 4 titled "Data processing software for FC NMR relaxometry and characterization of advanced materials" under the supervision of Prof. Pedro Sebastiao. Secondments: i) 4 months at the University of Aberdeen for the development of the FitLike software, ii) 3 months at STELAR for the development of software interface tools with FFC relaxometer.

5. ORGANISATION/COMPANY  University of Rostock RESEARCH FIELD Chemistry > Physical Chemistry LOCATION Germany > Rostock One PhD position is available at the University of Rostock for the research project No. 5 titled "Computing dipolar and quadrupolar NMR relaxation data from MD simulations" under the supervision of Prof. Ralf Ludwig. Secondments: i) 4 months at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn for the development of the relaxation theory for anisotropic and internal relaxation, ii) 3 months at STELAR for the design of experimental approaches for ionic liquids.

6. ORGANISATION/COMPANY  University of Aberdeen RESEARCH FIELD Biology   Physics LOCATION UK > Aberdeen One PhD position is available at the University of Aberdeen for the research project No. 6 titled "NMR relaxation mechanisms in biological tissues" under the supervision of Prof. Lionel Broche. Secondments: i) 2 months at the University of Florence for relaxometry in model systems of biological tissues and on partially deuterated biological samples, ii) 2 months at the Ecole normale supérieure Paris for shuttle NMR experiments on model systems of biological tissues using multi-nuclear probes to access the dispersion profiles of non-proton entities, iii) 3 months at the Resonance Systems for  training on NMR relaxation methodologies.

7. ORGANISATION/COMPANY  Ecole normale supérieure RESEARCH FIELD Chemistry > Physical Chemistry   Chemistry > Biological Chemistry LOCATION France > Paris One PhD position is available at the Ecole normale supérieure for the research project No. 7 titled "Interactomics of phosphorus-containing metabolites and lipids with high-resolution relaxometry" under the supervision of Prof. Fabien Ferrage. Secondments: i) 2 months at the University of Mons for interaction NMR experiments in cell cultures, ii) 2 months at the Instituto Superior Tecnico, Lisboa, for the development of models specific for the analysis of high-resolution relaxometry data, iii) 3 months at STELAR for phosphorus-31 FFC relaxometry of complex mixtures and comparison with 1H relaxometry.

8. ORGANISATION/COMPANY  Stelar s.r.l.u. RESEARCH FIELD Engineering and Technology   Physics LOCATION Italy > Pavia > Mede One position is available at Stelar s.r.l.u. for the research project No. 8 titled "Development and optimization of the NMR detection chain" under the supervision of Dr. Gianni Ferrante. The student will be enrolled in a Doctorate Course of the University of L’Aquila. Secondments: i) 4 months at the University of Aberdeen for training on MRI relaxometry and instrumental optimization, ii) 3 months at the Ecole normale supérieure Paris for training on shuttle NMR technique and experimental optimization.

9. ORGANISATION/COMPANY  Bracco Imaging S.p.A. RESEARCH FIELD Chemistry > Inorganic Chemistry   Chemistry > Biological Chemistry LOCATION Italy > Trieste One position is available at Bracco Imaging S.p.A. for the research project No. 9 titled "Pure proton-exchange based relaxation agent for MRI applications" under the supervision of Dr. Zsolt Baranyai. The student will be enrolled in the Doctorate Course in Structural Biology of the University of Florence. Secondments: i) 4 months at the University of Florence for the structural characterization of Ln(III)-complexes in solution, ii) 3 months at the University of Mons for training on synthesis and analysis of Gd complexes and nanoparticles, iii) 2 months at the Ecole normale supérieure Paris for interaction studies between the Gd(III)-complexes, metabolites and macromolecules.

10. ORGANISATION/COMPANY  Resonance Systems GmbH RESEARCH FIELD Engineering and Technology   Physics  LOCATION Germany > Kirchheim unter Teck One position is available at Resonance Systems for the research project No. 10 titled "Molecular dynamics and structure of partially crystalline materials by Time-Domain NMR" under the supervision of Dr. Leonid Grunin. The student will be enrolled in a Doctorate Course of the Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology. Secondments: i) 4 months at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn for FFC relaxometry theory and practice, and software development, ii) 3 months at the University of Rostock for molecular dynamics simulations.

11. ORGANISATION/COMPANY  Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology RESEARCH FIELD Physics   Engineering and Technology LOCATION Finland > Lappeenranta One PhD position (junior researcher/doctoral student) is available at the Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT University) for the research project No. 11 titled "Theory and molecular dynamics simulations of NMR relaxation of dendrimers and colloidal systems" under the supervision of Prof. Erkki Lähderanta. A junior researcher/doctoral student needs to have a valid right to complete doctoral studies at LUT University throughout their employment relationship. Secondments: i) 3 months at Resonance Systems for training on NMR relaxation methodologies and features, ii) 2 months at the University of Aberdeen for training on MRI relaxometry and instrumental optimization for biological samples, iii) 2 months at the Ecole normale supérieure Paris for training on NMR and high-resolution relaxometry.

 

Benefits

Each PhD student will be entitled to a 36-month grant to cover his/her participation costs, living, travel and installation allowance, as follows:

	Living allowance (€/month)*	Mobility allowance (€/month)	Total grant (€, gross amount for 36 months)*
University of Florence (IT)	3,311.60	600.00	140,817.60
University of Warmia and Mazury (PL)	2,397.00	600.00	107,892.00
Université de Mons (BE)	3,400.00	600.00	144,000.00
Instituto Superior Tecnico (PT)	2,866.20	600.00	124,783.20
University of Rostock (DE)	3,342.20	600.00	141,919.20
Ecole normale supérieure Paris (FR)	3,957.60	600.00	164,073.60
Stelar s.r.l.u. (IT)	3,311.60	600.00	140,817.60
Bracco Imaging S.p.A. (IT)	3,311.60	600.00	140,817.60
Resonance Systems GmbH (DE)	3,342.20	600.00	141,919.20
Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (FI)	4,063.00	600.00	167,868.00
University of Aberdeen (UK)#	3,036.58 £/month	391 £/month	123,393 £

*This amount varies because of the application of a correction coefficient to the living allowance of the country in which the researcher will be recruited.
^#gross amounts in UK pounds offered to the researcher, not including employer’s social contributions.

These are gross amounts including compulsory deductions under national laws, such as employer and employee social security contributions and direct taxes. The recruited researcher will be paid the amount indicated above minus all compulsory deductions under national legislation.
If the recruited researcher has a family (persons linked to the researcher by marriage or dependent children who are actually being maintained by the researcher) a family allowance of 660.00 €/month is foreseen.
The cost of the PhD educational activities, as well as all expenses related to travels performed to attend schools, workshops, and network-organized events, will be sustained by the network through the HORIZON EUROPE MSCA-DOCTORAL NETWORK grant.
The PhD student will be provided with office space and all facilities for his/her research programme.
The offered grants cover a period of 36 months, independently of the durations of the PhD courses.

Eligibility criteria

There are strict eligibility requirements for the PhD positions in MSCA-DN. Please ensure to be qualified before applying, as ineligible candidates cannot be considered.

• Requirements set by the Consortium concern master’s degree (or equivalent) graduates in the fields of chemistry, physics, engineering, pharmacy, biology, biotechnology, math, informatics or equivalent subjects.
• Applicants are required to be proficient in the English language (at least B2 level).
• Applicants should not yet have been awarded a doctorate.
• Applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting beneficiary for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the recruitment date — unless as part of a compulsory national service or a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention.

Selection process

Applications must be submitted by email at the address fcrelax@cerm.unifi.it within April 30th 2023 at 17:00 CET, and should include CV, certificates/university transcripts, up to two recommendation letters and a motivation letter. In the application, the candidates should indicate the preferred scientific projects/participant groups they wish to join.
The fellows will be pre-selected on the basis of submitted documentation. The pre-selected candidates will be invited for a job interview by videoconference.
The candidates will be selected on the basis of the following criteria (in random order):

• scientific skills and research experience;
• ability to collaborate and communicate;
• career profile and potential for excellence;
• expected impact of the proposed training on their career;
• research project.

In the recruitment, special attention will be paid to respect gender balance and minority rights.

Skills/Qualifications

Master Degree or equivalent.

Specific Requirements

Master degree in fields of chemistry, physics, engineering, pharmacy, biology, biotechnology, math, informatics or equivalent subjects.

REQUIRED LANGUAGES: ENGLISH

 

FC-RELAX

Funded by the European Union
Horizon Europe (HORIZON)
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Doctoral Networks (MSCA-DN)

Project details:
HORIZON-MSCA-DN-2021
Starting date: 1 March 2023
Duration: 4 years
Grant Agreement: 101072758
Budget: € 2 601 108.00

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101072758

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