PhD Student - Mechanisms Regulating Cardiomyocyte Maturation - The Stem Cell Potency group

REF: 25-140_R_AR

About the research group

The Stem Cell Potency group led by Prof. Angel Raya in IDIBELL’s Regenerative Medicine Program specializes in cardiac regeneration, leveraging the zebrafish model (which can regenerate up to 20% of its ventricle) and human iPSC-based cardiac tissue engineering. Our work focuses on deciphering how cardiomyocytes dedifferentiate, proliferate, and redifferentiate during regeneration, with the ultimate goal of engineering functional human myocardium in vitro.

About the role

The selected candidate will join a dynamic project combining in vitro and in vivo approaches to unravel the mechanisms that control cardiomyocyte maturation:

- Human iPSC/Cardiomyocyte Differentiation: Optimize protocols using advanced cell culture and transcriptomics (bulk RNA-seq, scRNA-seq).
- Zebrafish Heart Regeneration: Apply proteomics to identify extracellular matrix (ECM) changes critical for regeneration.

Job requirements

Professional experience

• Strong molecular biology expertise
  
  
• Previous internships or stays in other laboratories
  
  
• Knowledge of heart development and/or regenerative biology
  
  
• Basic bioinformatic tools

Education and training

•  MSc in Biological related science (e.g. Biology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Molecular Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Environmental Sciences, etc.) 

Technical & soft skills

• Passionate and motivated by science
  
  
• Team player but also with the capacity to work autonomously
  
  
• Analytical and critical thinking with ethics and integrity
  
  
• Excellent communication skills

Languages

• Good command of the English language

We will value, but not required

• Animal handling certification
  
  
• Bioinformatics training

What do we offer

• No. of positions: 1
• Estimated start date: 01/12/2025
• Contract duration: 4 years
• Estimated annual gross salary: The salary will be related to and in accordance with the IDIBELL salary scales.
• You will be part of a multicultural team. We have a fun loving and friendly international work environment.
• Flexible working schedule - We know you have a life outside of work and we will work with you to make sure it's kept that way.
• Possibility to work some days in remote -Teleworking
• 26 working days of holiday per year
• System of accumulated hours for employees, from 88 to 104 hours depending on the year (11 to 13 working days), to attend to personal matters.
• Paid leave package
• Benefits of constant training are offered
• We offer and promote diverse and inclusive conditions. Applicants are made free from any discrimination. Specifically IDIBELL works to improve gender equality in all areas with the aim of achieving gender balance, but maintaining the most scrupulous respect to any choice at the level of gender identity. Please express yourself freely, safely and non-binarily, if that's the case.

Deadline: Please submit your application by  01/11/2025

Data protection notice

In compliance with the obligations established in the General Regulation of Data Protection (RGPD), which is the Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the Parliament and of the Council, of April 27, 2016, and the Organic Law 3/2018, of December 5, Protection of Personal Data and guarantee of digital rights, it is reported that the Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), CIF G58863317, with address Av. Granvia de l'Hospitalet, 199-203, 08908, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, will process your personal data, as the controller, to apply for the position, maintain communication concerning the status of the candidature, to access the delivered CV; to compare that your data is in accordance with the offers announced by IDIBELL and to verify, where appropriate, that the information provided is accurate. You can find more information in our Privacy Policy at https://idibell.cat/en/privacy-policy-2/, request more information about the data processing carried out and exercise your rights of access, rectification, deletion, opposition, portability, limitation of processing by sending a request at email: dataprotection@idibell.cat. If you consider that you have not obtained satisfaction in exercising your rights, you may submit a claim to Catalan Data Protection Authority.

Our institute

IDIBELL is a research center that integrates the biomedical research of the Bellvitge University Hospital (HUB), the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), and the University of Barcelona in the Bellvitge Campus (UB), and the Viladecans Hospital (HV). The research focuses of IDIBELL are cancer, neuroscience, translational medicine and regenerative medicine. Research, innovation and society are the pivots on which researchers work every day in order to improve the quality of life of citizens.

Observations:

The 'HR Excellence in Research' award represents IDIBELL’s commitment to the implementation of Human Resources policies, which oversee the attracting and development of talent in an open, transparent, and based on personal merit, in alignment with the principles of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment Researchers (Charter and Code).

IDIBELL is committed to the principles of the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers of the European Commission and the implementation of open, transparent and merit-based recruitment (OTMR).