Study of NO conjugate photoactivable compounds for simultaneous oxidative stress-triggered cellular imaging and photodynamic therapy, NO-CANCER-NET project

22 Jan 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

Università di Udine

Department

Department of Medicine

Research Field

Medical sciences » Medicine

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

Italy

Application Deadline

29 Feb 2024 - 17:00 (Europe/London)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

HE / MSCA

Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number

101119873

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

Applications are invited from suitably qualified doctoral candidates for a doctoral candidate position to pursue PhD education as part of NO-CANCER-NET project.  One candidate will be located at the Department of Medicine of the University of Udine (DMED-UNIUD) and 9 candidates at other partner beneficiaries.  

The position is available for a 36-month period at 1.0 FTE and are funded through Horizon Europe MSCA DN grant number 101119873. 

Organisation: Department of Medicine, University of Udine

Website: https://dmed.uniud.it/it

About NO-CANCER-NET: 

Recently, Prof. Sharon Glynn, Principal Investigator (PI) at CÚRAM and the Lambe Institute, and colleagues in Italy, Denmark, France, Luxemburg and Spain have been awarded an EU-funded MSCA Doctoral Network Grant – NO-CANCER-NET: Advanced Engineering of Nitric Oxide Based Therapeutics for Triple Negative Breast Cancer Training Network.  

NO-CANCER-NET represents a collaborative six-countries network, encompassing leading universities and government organizations. In addition to our consortium beneficiaries, NO-CANCER-NET has gathered a diverse group of companies, hospitals, and internationally renowned cancer institutions. These associate partners will play a vital role in translating and leveraging the project's outcomes over the medium to long term.   

The overarching goal of NO-CANCER-NET is to establish an interdisciplinary, intersectoral, and international doctoral training and research programme. Our aim is to foster a new generation of leaders dedicated to advancing the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), emphasizing excellence in research and clinical practice.   

NO-CANCER-NET will address three interconnected challenges aimed at identifying novel and effective nitric oxide (NO) based treatments for TNBC, including the discovery of selective biomarkers for effective patient stratification, the development of reliable 3D tumour models to investigate tumour biology and drug response and the development of novel NO-based treatment options. The 10 Doctoral Candidates (DC) will be hosted across the network, and in addition to conducting an original research study they will participate in a 36-month network-wide training program, public engagement activities and collaboration with network members through short-term secondments in European intersectoral partner organisations. NO-CANCER-NET will provide enhanced career perspectives in academic and non-academic sectors for 10 DCs.  

 

Project	Title of Project	Institute (Beneficiary)	Country
DC6	Study of NO conjugate photoactivable compounds for simultaneous oxidative stress-triggered cellular imaging and photodynamic therapy	University of Udine	Italy

The applicants, at the time for the application, should not have resided in the country where are applying to, for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the reference date.   

 

Doctoral Candidate Post at UNIUD:

Host: University of Udine, Italy  

Primary Supervisor: Professor Valentina Rapozzi  

Co-supervisors/mentors: Co-supervisor: Dr. Eros Di Giorgio  

Duration: 36 months  

Required applicant profile: A candidate with an above-average MSc (or equivalent degree) in Biology, Biotechnologies, Pharmacy, pharmaceutical/medicinal chemistry, Medicine. We expect a strong interest in research focusing on cellular/molecular mechanisms involved in tumour response to photoactivable compounds. Required skills include knowledge of the literature on these and related topics, and ability to carry out biology lab research.  

Desired Skills: Cell culture, molecular biology and biochemical assays, in vitro safety and efficacy tests for anticancer drugs.  

Project Objectives: 1. To identify the subcellular compartmentalization of NO conjugated photoactivatable compounds. 2. Investigate the release of NO from the conjugates to evaluate the development of ROS/RNS species. 3. Evaluation of toxicity in the dark compared to phototoxicity Identification of the mechanism of cell death. 4. Evaluation of the antitumour activity of NO conjugates of photoactivatable compounds on breast cancer cells with varying degrees of malignancy compared to healthy normal breast cells. 5. Evaluation of molecular signalling pathways involved in tumour response to photodynamic therapy using iNOS inhibitor and scavenger NO.  

Secondment(s): Danish Cancer Institute (3 months); University of Siena (3 months); Trinity College Dublin (4 months).  

For more information, contact: Professor Valentina Rapozzi, [email protected]   

Lab Website: https://dmed.uniud.it/it

 

Requirements

Research Field

Medical sciences » Medicine

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

As per Job Advertisement attached 

Specific Requirements

As per Job Advertisement attached 

Additional Information
Benefits

Marie Sklodowska-Curie Doctoral Candidates are paid a competitive gross salary of 3,400 €/month, adjusted for their host country, a Mobility Allowance of 600 €/month and, for researchers who have a family, a Family Allowance of 660 €/month. All amounts are subject to deductions and taxes. Family is defined as persons linked to the researcher by (i) marriage, or (ii) a relationship with equivalent status to a marriage recognised by the national legislation of the country of the beneficiary or of nationality of the researcher, or (iii) dependent children maintained by the researcher. Should the fellow’s personal status (marriage, children) change during the action, they will become eligible for family allowance as well. 

Eligibility criteria

To apply for one of this PhD position, the applicant should fulfil the following conditions: 

• Have — at the date of recruitment — a Bachelors and/or Master’s degree in a discipline as indicated in the project description specific to the beneficiary to which you are applying. 
• Trans-national mobility: The applicant — at the date of recruitment — should not have resided in the country where the research training takes place for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to recruitment, and not have carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in that country. For refugees under the Geneva Convention ( 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol), the refugee procedure (i.e. before refugee status is conferred) will not be counted as ‘period of residence/activity in the country of the beneficiary’. 

• Be able to communicate fluently in English (speaking and writing). Oral interview with the prospective advisor may be required. 

Note: A Master's degree (or equivalent) is not necessary at the time of the application, but will be required at the date of recruitment (in June 2024). 

 

For informal enquiries about this post please contact the supervisor associated Prof. Valentina Rapozzi [email protected] .

Selection process

Applications are to include (1) a letter of motivation describing why you wish to apply to NO-CANCER-NET and your specific project of choice, (2) an up to date CV, and (3) the contact details of three referees should be submitted via Google Application https://forms.gle/x2qQrv1p7Bb7PKWU6 .    Please be aware that your application may be shared amongst the beneficiaries.  

Please put reference number University of Galway 001-24 in subject line of all e-mail applications or enquiries. 

Closing date for receipt of applications is 5.00 pm (Irish Time) on the 29th of February 2024

We reserve the right to re-advertise or extend the closing date for this post. 

All positions are recruited in line with Open, Transparent, Merit (OTM) and Competency based recruitment. 

University of Udine is an equal opportunities employer.

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

University of Udine - Department of Medicine

Country

Italy

City

Udine

Postal Code

33100

Street

via Colugna 50

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://forms.gle/x2qQrv1p7Bb7PKWU6

Contact

City

Udine

Website

http://www.uniud.it
https://dmed.uniud.it/it

E-Mail

[email protected]

STATUS: EXPIRED