Predoctoral Position at The Neurophotonics and Mechanical Systems Biology Research Group

ICFO is offering **1 Predoctoral fellowship position** to well-qualified graduate students, who wish to **obtain a doctoral degree in the Neurophotonics and Mechanical Systems Biology Research Group at ICFO.**.

Our PhD-program brings together _top-level training and teaching for young scientists_, benefiting from the extensive course offerings of local universities and focused instruction by ICFO professors, _in a stimulating, international and interdisciplinary environment_. PhD-students have the opportunity to take advantage of our _network of excellence_, consisting in partners of national and international research institutes and universities, as well as industrial partners in the field.

This fellowship is associated with the research project Generación de Conocimiento 2024, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.

El proyecto PID2024-157334OB-I00 está financiado por el Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, la AEI y el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional: MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 / FEDER, UE

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**Main Tasks and Responsibilities**

By systematically interrogating how neurons sense, respond to, and repair mechanically induced damage, we will generate the first single-cell atlas of mechanoprotective functions across a diverse array of neuronal subtypes. This resource will not only reveal cell-type-specific activation patterns and stress-protection pathways, but will also illuminate how different neuronal classes differentially balance resilience and susceptibility. The anticipated outcome of this work is a mechanistic framework that links mechanical activation to molecular defense strategies, providing fundamental insights into neuronal robustness and offering new avenues to understand and eventually counteract neu.

**Eligibility**
- Have an excellent academic record, previous research experience and a strong commitment for scientific research.
- Have a high working knowledge of English.

**Conditions**

ICFO PhD positions are offered for a period of 4.5 years. The **conditions** of the positions awarded in the scope of the ICFO PhD fellowship program are as follows:

- Initial contract for a period of up to 6 months (referred to as the “initial trainee period”), while being pre-admitted to the PhD program, with an explicit follow-up/ renewal procedure at the end of this first stage. (1). During this period, students already take part in the ICFO working environment, join a research group, and work with their supervisor to define a research project.
- After this initial training period, students are formally enrolled in a PhD Program with a local university (as a general rule, the UPC PhD in Photonics program administered by ICFO), and the full PhD Fellowship activated.

Salary is offered according to the institutional salary scales.
- All fellowships include medical care coverage and work accident insurance through the Spanish Social Security system, providing access to the Spanish public health care system.
- As part of the fellowship, ICFO will provide budget as deemed necessary and with the corresponding approval from the corresponding Group/Team Leader to enable the PhD fellow to complete his/her assigned research project. This budget is managed by the Group/Team leader, and will include consumables and other materials, training and other related costs, such as registration fees, travel and subsistence costs for participation in national or international events, conference, meetings, schools, and/or other training activities.
- A Curriculum Vitae, including contact details,
- Scanned copies of the complete (Bachelor and Master equivalent) official academic transcripts in English or Spanish,
- Official document or website from the degree granting university
- Academic transcript including this explicit description
- Letter or certificate from faculty, school or department, addressed to ICFO on official letter-head, signed by a person responsible for admissions into the PhD program
- The names and contact details of 2 referees.

**Selection process**

All students admitted into the ICFO PhD program must pass through a selection process involving the evaluation of submitted documents, an eligibility and admissibility check and an interview with a selection committee.

17th of September, 2025