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Programa de doctorado

Information for IRB Barcelona PhD applicants 2008

• Background information
  • About IRB Barcelona
  • The campus context
  • Barcelona: a place to work and live

• Introduction to PhD activities at IRB Barcelona
  • Research activities
    • Barcelona BioMed Seminars
    • Internal Seminars
    • Journal clubs
    • Workshop
    • International conferences
    • Communications activities
• Language
• Thesis Supervision
• PhD Committee
• Fellowships
• Eligibility
• Admissions and Selection Procedure
• Application
• Letters of Recommendation
• Deadline
• Contact

Background information

About IRB Barcelona
The Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) is an independent, non-profit research institution engaged in basic and applied biomedical sciences. IRB Barcelona was founded in October 2005 by the Government of Catalonia (Generalitat de Catalunya), the University of Barcelona (UB) and the Barcelona Science Park (Parc Científic de Barcelona).

IRB Barcelona currently consists of 27 research groups, organized into five programmes: Cell and Developmental Biology, Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Molecular Medicine, Structural and Computational Biology, and Oncology. Well-equipped laboratories are complemented by a network of technical services, including advanced optical microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), proteomics and transcriptomics units, a high-throughput crystallography platform and an animal facility. Our researchers work in a stimulating, multidisciplinary environment at the interface between biology, chemistry and medicine.

IRB Barcelona is a relatively new institute and has already achieved international recognition through its top-level research and related activities, including the prestigious Barcelona BioMed Conference series. Leading scientists are currently being recruited from across the world to join a growing international staff. Over the next five years, IRB Barcelona plans to expand to accommodate up to 40 research groups and around 800 scientific, technical and administrative staff.

We are 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.

The Campus Context
IRB Barcelona is housed in the Parc Científic de Barcelona (PCB, Barcelona Science Park), situated on the Diagonal Campus of the University of Barcelona (next to the FC Barcelona Camp Nou football stadium). The PCB hosts research groups from both the public and private sectors and offers a wide range of technological facilities, thus providing an important platform for translating basic research into innovation.

Barcelona: A Place to Work and Live
Barcelona is located in the northeastern region of the Iberian peninsula, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. It is Spain's second largest city in both size and population (1.5 million inhabitants), and is the administrative and cultural capital of Catalonia. There are two official languages spoken in Barcelona: Catalan and Spanish. Barcelona is one of the world's most dynamic, cosmopolitan cities, figuring among the top European cities in quality of life rankings. It is a modern, tolerant and open city, offering a wide range of cultural and tourist attractions. Barcelona's geographical location - a seaside city not far from the Pyrenees - makes it an ideal setting for a wide range of outdoor activities, such as hiking, climbing, cycling, skiing and water sports. Several European countries are within a short traveling distance from Barcelona, making it an ideal base from which to take weekend retreats.

Scientifically speaking, Barcelona is a major focal point in the new and prominent Southern European Bioregion. The Bioregion of Catalonia comprises 12 universities that offer specialist training in life sciences, three science parks, six leading hospitals in terms of scientific output, and a network of research centres of excellence. The city is host to extensive technological and scientific platforms and facilities, including a new synchrotron light facility, ALBA (currently under construction), as well as the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, home to the MareNostrum supercomputer.

Introduction to PhD activities at IRB Barcelona

IRB Barcelona PhD activities aim to provide life sciences students from across the world with the opportunity to do training and research toward their degree in a unique international and multidisciplinary scientific environment. IRB Barcelona is committed to high quality training for its students, offering close mentoring and access to a wide variety of scientific activities, services and networks. Our goal is to give our students everything they need for a solid start to a successful career in biomedical science.

Students are selected from a pool of highly qualified international applicants on the basis of academic and technical excellence. Successful candidates enroll in a university of their choice, normally a local one (Universidad de Barcelona, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya, or Universidad Pompeu Fabra). They complete their coursework at this university, while concurrently doing the practical training and work toward their thesis in an IRB Barcelona research laboratory. Students generally spend up to four years at IRB Barcelona, after which they complete and defend their thesis.

Research activities
Students work on a research project that is chosen in mutual agreement with their group leader. They also participate in all day-to-day activities of the laboratory to learn a variety of skills and techniques. In addition to their laboratory work, IRB Barcelona PhD students participate in the following activities:

• Barcelona BioMed Seminars:
  Leading international scientists from several fields of biomedical science are invited to present and discuss their results and ideas in a series of weekly seminars. These sessions allow PhD students to learn about the latest developments in the life sciences, and give them the opportunity to have direct contact with seminar speakers. PhD students are also encouraged to invite seminar speakers of their own choice.
• Internal seminars:
  IRB Barcelona scientists and invited speakers give weekly departmental seminars, providing an important opportunity for scientific exchange within IRB Barcelona's multidisciplinary environment.
• Journal clubs:
  Recent scientific publications are discussed by researchers at all levels in several journal clubs.
• Workshop:
  Students are encouraged to organize their own scientific workshop with international participants.
• International conferences:
  PhD students are encouraged to present their data at international scientific conferences throughout their PhD studies. Funds are available to help students attend international meetings of their choice.
• Communications activities:
  PhD students will also practice their communication skills through regular presentations, workshops and participation in outreach and education events.

Language

English is the working language at IRB Barcelona. Some universities offer science curriculum courses in English (e.g., Universidad Pompeu Fabra), while courses at other local universities are normally taught in Catalan and/or Spanish.

Thesis supervision

In addition to day-to-day supervision by the group leader, students are followed throughout the course of their studies by a Thesis Advisory Committee, consisting of two IRB Barcelona group leaders and one external advisor. After each year, students write a report on their work, give a seminar, and discuss the report and seminar with their Thesis Advisory Committee. Upon completion of their practical work, students must write their thesis and successfully defend it at the university in which they are enrolled. The PhD degree will be awarded by the university.

PhD Committee

PhD activities at IRB Barcelona are directed by a committee of group leaders and including representatives from each of the research programmes. This group is responsible for shaping PhD activities at IRB Barcelona and identifying and implementing future directions.

Fellowships

A number of competitive IRB Barcelona PhD fellowships are made available each year, and are eligible to European and non-European candidates alike. “la Caixa” is sponsoring 10 generous grants, which will be awarded to the top ten short-listed candidates in this year’s call.

Eligibility

Students under the age of 30 holding an undergraduate degree from a national university as well as undergraduates in the final year of their studies 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. Spanish law requires that they be homologised by the Ministry of Education and Science.

Admissions and selection procedure

Students should complete and submit the online application form, indicating the two research programmes in which they would like to work. More information on the research activities of each group can be found on the IRB Barcelona web pages. Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee consisting of IRB Barcelona group leaders. Short-listed candidates will receive invitations to visit IRB Barcelona for interviews and information during March 2008. Travel expenses will be reimbursed (up to a maximum of 300 euros), and accommodation will be provided. 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 the autumn of 2008.

Applications

Online application forms should be submitted by Thursday January 31, 2008.

Letters of recommendation

Students should request letters of recommendation from two scientists who are familiar with their academic work and who can judge their potential as a PhD student. In the online application form you can download a letter that should be sent to referees with the request that they send their recommendation directly to IRB Barcelona either by e-mail or airmail at the address below. Candidates are responsible for ensuring that referees submit these letters. We will be unable to process applications without them.

Deadline

Deadline for receipt of completed application is Thursday, January 31, 2008.

Contact information

Enquiries and letters of recommendation should be addressed to:

Dr. Clara Caminal
IRB Barcelona PhD Activities
Institute for Research in Biomedicine
Parc Científic de Barcelona
C/ Baldiri Reixac 10-12
08028 Barcelona, Spain
email: phdirbbarcelona.org