Phd Student

The Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ) is seeking a PhD student to work in Prof. Ruben Martin’s Research Group.

Our mission is to lead, from the vantage point of molecular science, cross-strategies for solving major social and economic challenges, such as climate change and sustainable supply of energetic and raw materials, thereby contributing to the establishment of a knowledge-based economy and improving citizens’ quality of life in our influence area.

This objective is achieved by:

- The performance of an individual research project under the direction of Prof. Rubén Martin, Group Leader, in a creative and stimulating scientific environment.
- Opportunities for short stays in distinguished international research institutions.

**Project Title and Description**:
**BREAKthrough: Breaking the barrier - An integrated multidisciplinary approach to kill Gram-negative bacteria through existing antibiotics by making their outer membrane permeable**

Antimicrobial resistance, which is caused by multi-drug-resistant bacterial pathogens is a global health emergency. Gram-negative bacteria notably hinder effective treatment because of their impermeable outer membrane (OM). Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the major component of OM outer leaflet, is the key determinant of the OM barrier properties. Consequently, many standard-of-care antibiotics cannot access intracellular targets in Gram-negative species. The objective of the BREAKthrough European Training Network is to destabilize the OM to make Gram-negative bacteria sensitive to these antibiotics.

In this context a PhD position is available in the group of Prof. Rubén Martin:
**DC08: Synthesis of innovative Bam inhibitors passing the OM**

The main objectives of this organic synthesis project are:

- Deconvolute known Bam inhibitors into fragments and incorporate SPPR for design of novel compounds
- Synthesise key small compounds to inhibit Bam
- Support generation of the SPPR library

The project will involve collaborations and short research stays in ABAC Therapeutics (Spain) and Vrije Universiteit (the Netherlands).

**Requirements**:

- Ability to work in a team environment
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English are expected for an effective interaction with our multidisciplinary research team and other members of the Doctoral Network

**Eligibility criteria**
- You have not already completed (or successfully defended) a PhD degree
- You have not resided or carried out your main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Spain for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before your starting date.

**Required Documentation**:

- A full **Curriculum Vitae** (in PDF format). It should include the academic background, work or research experience, publications, conferences, grants and awards, previous participation in ICIQ programmes, other relevant merits and references.

**Desirable documentation**
- ** Chemistry level**: Graduate Record Examination (GRE) - Chemistry Test scores are an added advantage for evaluation.

**Grant Conditions**
- The awardees of an ICIQ PhD fellowship will be considered research personnel in training and they will have an employment contract (a pre-doctoral contract) which is regulated in the Spanish Law 14/2011, of June 1st, of Science, Technology and Education.
- The gross yearly salary of the contract shall be split into 12 monthly payments and distributed as shown below:
- The first 36 months are funded within the BREAKthrough project with a gross salary of 33.996,00 €/year, including mobility allowance.
- In the case that the PhD position is extended for an extra 4th year, salary will be according to the Spanish “Investigation staff in formation statement” (EPIF) rates.
- The fellowship includes full social security coverage through the Spanish Social Security system, providing access to the Spanish public health care system and pension and unemployment benefits.
- The grant holder is entitled to temporarily interrupt the fellowship in the following situations: temporary disability, risk during pregnancy, maternity, paternity and adoption or foster care. The time elapsed during this interruption will not be accounted for against the total time.
- The contract will take effect on the date when the awarded student joins the centre.
- The PhD fellowship includes the costs of enrolment in the PhD programme. These costs will be paid by each beneficiary to the university, and later they will be refunded by ICIQ. The PhD thesis has to be completed within 4 years.
- The PhD fellowship awardees will work full-time at ICIQ and may not receive any other fellowship or regular income.
- The PhD fellowship is incompatible with any other fellowship with the same purpose.

**Benefits**
- We offer a dynamic and resource-rich environment with the state-of-the-art scientific instrumentation where the predoctoral student will perform cutting-edge research and participate in scientific, technical, and s