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Programa de doctorat

IRB Barcelona PhD Programme fellowships

IRB Barcelona is looking for young scientists from the national and international community who wish to do their PhD in a stimulating environment, rich in technological resources and campus life. We encourage applications from highly motivated biologists, biochemists, chemists, physicists, pharmacologists and computational scientists with outstanding qualifications. Successful candidates will join research groups with top-level scientists and will carry out their research in cutting-edge areas of biomedicine.

Students that have obtained a degree within the European Higher Education Area of a minimum of 240 ECTS are eligible to apply to do their PhD research training at IRB Barcelona. The university degree should qualify for the start of a PhD thesis in the student's home country. Non-European university degrees should be equivalent to a European diploma or degree.

For the 2011-2012 academic year we offer a total of 6 doctoral fellowships to carry out research with the following group leaders at IRB Barcelona:

• Miquel Coll: Proteins, Nucleic Acids and Complexes
  
  
• Antonio Zorzano: Heterogenic and Polygenic Diseases
  
  
• Carme Caelles: Cell Signalling
  
  
• Lluis Ribas de Pouplana: Gene Translation Laboratory
  
  
• Eduardo Soriano: Neurobiology and Regeneration
  
  
• Ramon Eritja: Nucleic Acid Chemistry
  
  
• Antoni Riera: Asymmetric Synthesis
  
  
• Maria J. Macias: Protein NMR Spectroscopy Laboratory
  
  
• Antonio Celada: Gene Expression

Eligibility

1. Applicants should have finished one of the following options by September 2011:

• studies that lead to the official Spanish title of “licenciado”
  
  
• a degree from a non-Spanish university not adapted to the European Higher Education Area that gives access to doctoral studies in Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacy, Physics, Medicine, Chemistry or related areas.
  
  
• a degree within the European Higher Education Area with a minimum of 240 ECTS in Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacy, Physics, Medicine, Chemistry or related areas.
  
  

2. Applicants should have obtained the degree after January 2009.

3. Those students that are already PhD students at IRB Barcelona are not eligible to apply.

How to apply

Applicants should complete and submit the online form available at http://phd.irbbarcelona.org/

Applicants will be asked to attach the following documents:

• Curriculum vitae
  
  
• A motivation letter
  
  
• A scanned copy of the student’s certified Academic Record. These documents must show the grades attained in exam periods and should be presented in English, Spanish or Catalan. Sworn translation is needed if the certificate is written in other language.
  
  
• Any additional files considered relevant to the application.
  
  
• Two recommendation letters from university lecturers or scientists with who the applicant has studied or worked. Only letters with official letterhead and signature will be accepted.
  
  

Students will be required to provide a brief summary of work experience and to request letters of recommendation from two scientists who are familiar with their academic work and who can judge their potential as a PhD student. Letters requesting recommendations may be downloaded and sent to potential referees. Only letters with official letterhead and signature will be accepted. Referees must send their letters directly to IRB Barcelona either by e-mail or airmail at the address below. Candidates are responsible for ensuring that referees submit these letters. Applications without them will not be processed.

Applicants should indicate up to two research groups in which they would like to work, in order of preference. More information on the research activities of each group can be found on the IRB Barcelona web pages.

Applicants should submit information wherever possible in English (CV, motivation letter, summary of work experience). If the certified academic records are not in Catalan, Spanish or English applicants should also attach a sworn translation in one of the above mentioned languages.

Selection procedure

Selection process results 2011

Students are selected from a pool of highly qualified applicants on the basis of academic and technical excellence.

The Director of IRB Barcelona will set up a selection committee consisting of IRB Barcelona group leaders that will review the on-line applications. Short-listed candidates will visit IRB Barcelona for interviews on 12 July 2011. Offers of admission will be made to the successful candidates shortly after the interview period. Students should expect to take up their positions at IRB Barcelona by September 1, 2011.

Applicants who have not been successful but have received a positive evaluation will be put on a waiting list to cover possible renunciations.

2011 application call IRB Barcelona PhD Fellowship Programme

Deadline for applications

Deadline for receipt of completed applications is Tuesday, June 2, 2011.

Contact information

Enquiries and letters of recommendation should be addressed to:

Patricia Nadal Jordá
Research and Academic Administration
Institute for Research in Biomedicine
Parc Científic de Barcelona
C/ Baldiri Reixac 10
08028 Barcelona, Spain
email: phdirbbarcelona.org