PhD position at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona funded by the TOUCH COFUND project

14 Mar 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB)

Research Field

Neurosciences

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

Spain

Application Deadline

30 Jun 2024 - 23:59 (Europe/Madrid)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

H2020 / Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND

Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number

101126533

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

No

Offer Description

Topic: Molecular determinants of sex-specific vulnerability to neuropsychiatric symptoms and cognitive disability during aging.

A PhD position is available at the Research Group on Systems Neurobiology of Aging and Alzheimer's Disease, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), under the supervision of Arnaldo Parra Damas (Neuroscience) and Carlos A. Saura (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology). We are looking for a highly motivated and talented candidate to investigate the molecular profiles associated with sex-specific vulnerability to dementia and neuropsychiatric disorders during aging.

Mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression, affect disproportionally more women than men and are associated with increased risk of cognitive disability and dementia during normal and pathological aging. Strategies to develop novel precision diagnostics and therapies for age-related mental health management must account for these sex and neuropsychiatric differences. However, the neurobiological bases of these sex- and neuropsychiatric-specific vulnerabilities remain largely unknown. In this project, we hypothesize that transcriptional and genomic features of specific brain cell subpopulations are associated with sex-specific vulnerability to neuropsychiatric traits impacting brain function and mental health during aging. To identify brain cell type-specific gene signatures associated with sex-specific neuropsychiatric traits during aging, we will integrate behavioral and cell type-specific transcriptomics data from young and cognitively impaired female and male transgenic mice (APP/Tau model of pathological aging) with human gene expression data from the human Religious Orders Study and Rush Memory and Aging Project (ROSMAP) cohort (ongoing collaboration with Dr. De Jager lab, Columbia University, NY https://www.neurology.columbia.edu/profile/philip-l-de-jager-md ).

In this project we aim to 1) Identify cell- and sex-specific gene networks and pathways that impact on age-related fear and anxiety phenotypes in mice and human, and 2) identify potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for molecular diagnosis and modulation of sex-specific vulnerability to these neuropsychiatric alterations during aging. We expect that the results obtained in this project will contribute to elucidate key sex-specific molecular determinants of age-related neuropsychiatric vulnerability, and to identify relevant targets for personalized therapeutic strategies for age-related neuropsychiatric disorders.

The successful candidate will be enrolled in the Neurosciences doctoral program at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) in the framework of the TOUCH project. TOUCH (“Towards the next generatiOn of excellent yoUng doctoral researchers on mental health by developing an intersectoral & transdisciplinary approaCH”) is a new excellent doctoral program co-funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA) Actions of the European Commission and led by the UAB for the recruitment and training of 24 doctoral candidates in the field of mental health and wellbeing.

The Research Group on Systems Neurobiology of Aging and Alzheimer's Disease investigates the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying memory loss, emotional disturbances and neurodegeneration during normal and pathological (e.g, Alzheimer’s disease, AD) aging.  We aim to unravel cell-specific transcriptional mechanisms underlying neuropsychiatric and cognitive disturbances during aging by applying novel methodologies (cell-specific transcriptomics, super-resolution imaging, chemogenetics, epigenetic editing, behavior) in new mouse models of neurodegeneration. Our research projects provide knowledge of novel molecular targets and therapeutic strategies for early treatment of emotional and memory changes in age-related brain disorders. https://www.sauralab.com

We are looking for talented candidates with an excellent CV, ahigh degree of ambition and motivation, and with good personal qualities to work in our Team. We offer a 3-year full-time contract (37,5 hours/week) and a gross salary of 2.375 €/month (the salary will be the same for the 3 years).

The candidates must fulfil the following eligibility criteria from the EC: Mobility rule: candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Spain for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately preceding the deadline for the program call. Experience rule: researchers must be doctoral candidates at the date of recruitment, i.e. not already in possession of a doctoral degree at the deadline of the open calls. Researchers who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but have not yet formally awarded the doctoral degree will not be considered eligible. Candidates must hold a degree that allows admission to the official doctoral program at UAB: https://www.uab.cat/en/phds/neurosciences .

Additional requirements for a stronger application are:

• A candidate with a Master's degree in Neuroscience, Psychology, Biomedicine, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Bioinformatics or related filed is required with high academic grades in the Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.
• The candidate must have theoretical knowledge in Neuroscience and experimental experience in biomedical research laboratories and demonstrate independence and motivation for research in psychobiology, physiology, and molecular neurobiology.
• Research experience in genetics, behavior, cell biology, animal models, and analysis of human data will be valued, as well as in bioinformatic analysis of omics data.

Interested applicants should apply through the TOUCH online platform by submitting a full CV, a motivation letter, two letters of recommendation and academic and English level certificates. The call will be open from the 1st of April to the 30th of June 2024. More information about the TOUCH project, the recruitment process, and the application platform are available on the TOUCH website .

 

Requirements

Research Field

Neurosciences

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Languages

ENGLISH

Level

Excellent

Additional Information
Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB)

Country

Spain

City

Bellaterra (Barcelona)

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://webs.uab.cat/touch/

Contact

State/Province

Barcelona

City

Cerdanyola del Vallés

Website

http://www.uab.cat

Street

Campus UAB

Postal Code

08193

E-Mail

[email protected]

STATUS: EXPIRED