The “A Future in Biomedicine” Programme is aimed at outstanding and highly motivated students in the last year of their degree. Students should show a strong interest in the fields of biology, biomedicine, chemistry, physics, pharmacy, structural biology, computational sciences, or other related areas.
IRB Barcelona is looking for young undergraduate students enroled in local universities who wish to carry out a research project at the institute from September 2026 to July 2027. The selected students will work with IRB Barcelona scientists on diverse topics addressed by the research groups at the institute. The students will be mentored by a senior researcher and will also have the opportunity to participate in the activities undertaken at the institute during their stay.
We offer four grants to carry out a research project with one of the following groups:
- Mitochondrial Biology and Tissue Regeneration - Dr. Ana Victoria Lechuga-Vieco
- Amino Acid Transporters and Disease - Dr. Manuel Palacín
A grant agreement regulating the internship will be signed by the university in which the student is enrolled, IRB Barcelona, and the student.
IRB Barcelona will provide awardees with additional complementary training opportunities.
The project supervisor at IRB Barcelona will provide awardees with a reference letter upon completion of the programme.
Participation in the “A Future in Biomedicine” Programme does not imply any contractual relationship between the awardee and IRB Barcelona.
Duration
Students will spend up to 20 h per week in an IRB Barcelona lab during the last year of their undergraduate studies (Academic year 2026/2027), upon agreement with the project supervisor at the institute.
Stipend
Awardees will receive a stipend of €200 gross per month.
Eligibility
The “A Future in Biomedicine” Programme has been designed to encourage and further the education of young emerging researchers in biomedical research. The programme is addressed to students who fulfill the following:
- Completion of at least 180 ECTS credits of a BSc degree in Biology, Pharmacy, Mathematics, Structural Biology, Physics, Biomedicine, Medicine, Chemistry, or related fields by September 2026. Students who receive the grants are expected to have completed undergraduate studies by July 2027
- Enrolment in a local university. Exceptions for non-local students can be made if their study plan and university guidelines allow them to do an internship under the conditions of this call. These cases will be treated individually
- Minimum BSc Average mark of 7/10
- Good knowledge of English
Candidates will be selected exclusively on merit, on the basis of academic records, motivation letter, as well as other criteria, such as internationalisation, previous research experience, and letter of reference. No selection criteria for positive or negative discrimination will be applied
How to apply
Applicants should send the documents listed below to academicoffice@irbbarcelona.org before the deadline (see below), indicating “A Future in Biomedicine candidacy” in the subject box.
Documents required
- CV
- A scanned copy of the applicant’s certified academic record. The document must show the grades attained
- Motivation letter
- Additional certificates, prizes, and recognitions
- A letter of reference from university lecturers or scientists with whom the applicant has studied or worked*
Applicants should indicate in the e-mail their preferred research group or, if interested in both, list them in order of preference. Moreover, they should refer to any research group of particular interest in the motivation letter. More information on the research activities of each group can be found on the IRB Barcelona website.
*Referees must send their letters directly to IRB Barcelona to the address: academicoffice@irbbarcelona.org. Only letters with an official letterhead and signature will be accepted. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their referees send the letter. Applications not accompanied by this letter will not be processed.
Applicants should submit information wherever possible in English (CV, motivation letter, summary of work experience). If the certified Academic Record is not in Catalan, Spanish, or English, applicants should also attach a translation into one of these languages.
Calendar
- 30 April 2026 - Call opening
- 5 June 2026 - Call deadline and preselection of candidates
- July 2026 - Notification of selection results and start of the programme
- September 2026 – Beginning of the internship
- July 2027 - Receipt of students’ summary reports**
**At the end of the internship, awardees must send a summary report to IRB Barcelona’s Academic Office at academicoffice@irbbarcelona.org, as well as to the project supervisor. Students will present their research project undertaken over the academic year in an open seminar organised for the IRB Barcelona community.
