Vac 117 2025 -doctoral Candidates (Achilles Msca Doctoral Network)

**What is ACHILLES?**

**ACHILLES: ADVANCING IN THE CHALLENGE OF IMPROVING LYMPHOMA AND LEUKEMIA SURVIVAL**

ACHILLES is a **Marie Skłodowska Curie Action** **Doctoral Network (MSCA-DN)**funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe framework programme.

ACHILLES is supported by experts in hemato-oncology and experimental therapeutics, integrating research on biomarkers and therapeutic targets, mathematical and computational modeling, therapy design, and preclinical and clinical evaluation to advance new treatments.

This dynamic environment will provide ACHILLES DCs with a thorough understanding of the full journey from basic discoveries to the creation of new therapeutic strategies and diagnostic tools that directly benefit patients with leukemia and lymphoma.

**REQUIREMENTS**

**HOW TO APPLY**

**_All documents must be submitted in PDF format_**.

- Personal details, including full name, gender, nationality, and contact information.

- **Curriculum vitae** including contact details of 2 referees.

- **Master’s certificate**, or if not yet awarded, proof that the degree will be obtained by the time of recruitment along with your Bachelor’s certificate.

- **Academic transcripts or grade reports**from your Master’s and/or Bachelor’s programs.

Before applying, please read carefully the details and specific requirements of the available search projects on the ACHILLES website.

- **DC1**:Mathematical Modelling of the Immunotherapies in Hematologic Malignancies. **A Master's degree in Mathematics is mandatory for this position.**

- **DC2**: Defining the Mechanistic Impact of PTPN11 Mutations on Leukemic Transformation and Disease Progression in Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia

- **DC3**: Investigating Mechanisms of Brain Infiltration and Chemotherapy Resistance in T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

- **DC4**: Determining the Long-lasting Impact of T-cell Leukemia and Lymphoma on Hematopoietic niches

- **DC5**: Identifying Rational Approaches to Enhance the Activity of the Anti-cancer Drug Venetoclax

- **DC6**: Mechanisms of Resistance to MEK Inhibitors in Leukemia and Identification of Targeted Therapeutic Approaches

- **DC7**: Enhancing CAR-NK Cell Therapies to Target Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Overcome Immune Resistance

- **DC8**: Prevent Progression of Myelofibrosis to Acute Myeloid Leukemia

- **DC9**: Characterization of AID-dependent Mutations on MicroRNA Function

- **DC10**: AI-driven Proteoform-based Drug Repurposing for Targeted Cancer Therapies

- **DC11**: RNA Methylation Gain as a Mechanism of Resistance to Therapy in Myelodysplastic Syndromes

- **DC12**: Optimization and Preclinical Evaluation of Novel SHP2

- **DC13**: CAR-T cell Double Targeting Strategies to Overcome Tumor Antigen Escape and Microenvironment Inhibition

- **DC14**: Development of Therapeutic Antibodies for Treating Acute Myeloid Leukemia

- **DC15**: Novel preclinically-validated GATA3 inhibitor/degrader as a therapy for T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

- **DC16**: Targeting Metabolic Pathways in Leukemic Stem Cells for AML Treatment

**TIMELINE**

- **Application deadline**:28.02.2026 23.59 (CET TIME)

- **Announcement of preselection results and call for interviews**: March 2026

**_ Special notice for DC1 applicants only:_**_ During the preselection stage, eligibe applicants are required to take a _**_PhD entry exam in mathematical modeling and numerical methods_**_. Detailed information is available on the ACHILLES website._

- **Communication of the results**:May 2026

- **Estimated fellowship start**:August-November 2026

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 101227725