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 will train 16 Doctoral Candidates (DCs) across 15 host institutions in 12 European countries, fostering a new generation of leaders in experimental hemato-oncology and providing them with a comprehensive skill set to advance their careers in this vital field.

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

• Candidates must not hold a doctoral degree at the time of recruitment. Researchers who have successfully defended a previous doctoral thesis but have not yet been formally awarded the degree are not eligible.

• To comply with the mobility rule, candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting organization for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately prior to the recruitment date (estimated start: between August and November 2026).

• Candidates must have obtained a master's degree or an equivalent of 300 ECTS credits relevant to the chosen position before the start of the contract.

• Successful candidates must have a high level of proficiency in written and spoken English.

HOW TO APPLY

Please complete the application form below to apply for a maximum of three DC positions and provide the following information in English:

* 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.

• Motivation letter (up to 2 pages) describing your research experience, academic achievements, and your interest in ACHILLES and the specific research project. If applying to more than one project, a separate motivation letter for each project is required.

• 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.

Doctoral Candidate (DC) position:

• 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: 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.

• Interviews - Recruitment workshop: April 2026. The top three candidates for each position will be invited to participate in online interviews. Full details of the interview process will be provided to invited candidates when the interviews are scheduled.

• Communication of the results: May 2026

• Estimated fellowship start: August-November 2026

If you have any questions about the application process or encounter any issues with your application, please contact us at

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