Early Stage Researchers positions

Applications are now invited for 6 Early Stage Researcher (ESR) positions on the DELIVER ITN

A call for 6 PhD positions with three-year funding is open in the recently granted Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network (MSCA-ITN) project DELIVERy of advanced therapies for diabetes training network. The Early Stage Researchers [ESRs]) will spend 50% of their training with one of the industry partners. DELIVER is a major interdisciplinary effort between cell biologists, experts in biomaterials, medical devices and advanced drug delivery, clinical experts and biotech and biomedical companies focused on academic training and spearheading innovative medical devices for insulin producing cell transplantation.

Eligibility requirements

The network will enable innovative medical devices for pancreatic islet transplantation, a cell therapy poised to become more widespread in the treatment of insulin-dependent diabetes. The project will train early stage researchers in the field of advanced therapies and at the same time, develop their innovative and entrepreneurial capacity, their communication and leadership skills, and their commercial awareness, allowing for a career in both academia and industry.

Apply online

One PhD position is available in the research group of Prof. Garry Duffy at NUI Galway in collaboration with Dr. De Lucrezia at Explora Biotech, Italy. The project seeks to find a highly motivated student who will focus on overcoming immunity to transplanted insulin-producing cells. The student will assess immune protection technologies for transplanted cells in vitro and in vivo using preclinical models.

The research project is highly multidisciplinary where the scholar will develop knowledge in drug delivery, cell transplant and cellular biology. The student will develop and assess innovative means of overcoming immunity under the advice and training of academic and industry mentors.

Successful candidates will be within the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers (without a doctoral degree), and not have resided or carried out main activity (studies, work, etc.) in Ireland for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before September 1, 2019. In addition, they should be able to meet the mobility requirement of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network Grants by spending half of their training in Italy, at the programme’s industry partner, Explora Biotech.

PhD Programme Timeline

Sep ’19 – Feb ’21 NUIG (Ireland)

Mar ’21 – Aug ’22 Explora Biotech (Italy)

Recruitment Timeline

Application Deadline: April 30, 2019

Invite to Interview: May 13, 2019

Interviews with Candidates: May 27-29, 2019

Extend Offers: May 31, 2019

Start Date: Sep 1, 2019

Visit our APPLICATIONS PAGE to apply for this position
One PhD position is available under the supervision of Dr. De Lucrezia at Explora Biotech, Italy in collaboration with Prof. Garry Duffy’s research group at NUI Galway. The project seeks to find one highly motivated student who will focus on overcoming immunity to transplanted cells. The student will be trained in the development and production of immune suppressive peptides, and will assess immune protection technologies for transplanted cells in vitro and in vivo using preclinical models.

The research project is highly multidisciplinary where the scholar will develop knowledge in peptide synthesis, biomaterials and cell transplant biology. The student will develop and assess innovative means of overcoming immunity under the advice and training of academic and industry mentors.

Successful candidates will be within the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers (without a doctoral degree), and not have resided or carried out main activity (studies, work, etc.) in Italy for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before September 1, 2019. In addition, they should be able to meet the mobility requirement of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network Grants by spending half of their training in Italy, at the programme’s industry partner, Explora Biotech.

PhD Programme Timeline

Sep ’19 – Oct’19 Explora Biotech (Italy)

Nov ’19 – Feb ’21 NUIG (Ireland)

Mar ’21 – Aug’22 Explora Biotech (Italy)

Recruitment Timeline

Application Deadline: April 30, 2019

Invite to Interview: May 13, 2019

Interviews with Candidates: May 27-29, 2019

Extend Offers: May 31, 2019

Start Date: Sep 1, 2019

Visit our APPLICATIONS PAGE to apply for this position
One PhD position is available in the research group of Prof. Garry Duffy at NUIG in collaboration with Dr. De Lucrezia at Explora Biotech, Italy. The project seeks to find one highly motivated student who will focus on early islet nutrition following transplanted pancreatic cells. The student will be trained in the production and preclinical evaluation of oxygenated biomaterials for islet encapsulation.

The research project is highly multidisciplinary where the scholar will develop knowledge in biomaterials, polymer chemistry and cell transplant biology by establishing early islet nutrition under the advice and training of academic and industry mentors.

Successful candidates will be within the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers (without a doctoral degree), and not have resided or carried out main activity (studies, work, etc.) in Ireland for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before September 1, 2019. In addition, they should be able to meet the mobility requirement of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network Grants by spending half of their training at an industry partner in Italy (Explora) and three months at EKUT in Germany.

PhD Programme Timeline

Sep’19 – Nov’20 NUIG (Ireland)

Dec’19 – Feb’20 EKUT (Germany)

Mar ’21 – Aug’22 Explora Biotech (Italy)

Recruitment Timeline

Application Deadline: April 30, 2019

Invite to Interview: May 13, 2019

Interviews with Candidates: May 27-29, 2019

Extend Offers: May 31, 2019

Start Date: Sep 1, 2019

Visit our APPLICATIONS PAGE to apply for this position
One PhD position is available under the supervision of Dr. De Lucrezia at Explora Biotech, Italy in collaboration with Prof. Garry Duffy’s research group at NUI Galway. The project seeks to find one highly motivated student who will focus on early islet nutrition following transplanted pancreatic cells. The student will be trained in the development and assessment of vascularization strategies in pre-transplantation of islets subcutaneously.

The research project is highly multidisciplinary where the scholar will develop knowledge in drug delivery, biomaterials and cell transplant biology by establishing early islet nutrition under the advice and training of academic and industry mentors.

Successful candidates will be within the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers (without a doctoral degree), and not have resided or carried out main activity (studies, work, etc.) in Italy for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before September 1, 2019. In addition, they should be able to meet the mobility requirement of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network Grants by spending half of their training at in Italy, at the programme’s industry partner, Explora Biotech

PhD Programme Timeline

Sep’19 – Mar’20 Explora Biotech (Italy)

Apr’20 – Nov’20 NUIG (Ireland)

Dec’19 – Feb’20 EKUT (Germany)

Mar ’21 – Aug’22 Explora Biotech (Italy)

Recruitment Timeline

Application Deadline: April 30, 2019

Invite to Interview: May 13, 2019

Interviews with Candidates: May 27-29, 2019

Extend Offers: May 31, 2019

Start Date: Sep 1, 2019

Visit our APPLICATIONS PAGE to apply for this position
One PhD positions is available in the research group of Prof. Dr. Schenke-Layland at Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen (EKUT) in collaboration with Boston Scientific, Galway. The project seeks to find one highly motivated student who will develop a novel delivery site for pancreatic cell transplantation. The students will be trained in the design and development of a drug-coated medical device for preparation of a site for islet transplantation.

The research project is highly multidisciplinary where the scholar will develop knowledge in drug delivery, medical device design and cell transplant biology by enabling a novel delivery site for islet cell transplantation under the advice and training of academic and industry mentors.

Successful candidates will have completed a Master of Science in biology, chemistry, biochemical chemistry, physics, biomaterial or biomedical engineering and be within the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers (without a doctoral degree), and not have resided or carried out main activity (studies, work, etc.) in Germany for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before September 1, 2019. In addition, they should be able to meet the mobility requirement of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network Grants by spending half of their training at an industry partner in Ireland (Boston Scientific).

PhD Programme Timeline

Sep’19 – Nov’19 EKUT (Germany)

Dec’19 – Nov’20 Boston Scientific (Ireland)

Dec’20– Nov’21 EKUT (Germany)

Dec’21 – Aug’22 Boston Scientific (Ireland)

Recruitment Timeline

Application Deadline: April 30, 2019

Invite to Interview: May 13, 2019

Interviews with Candidates: May 27-29, 2019

Extend Offers: May 31, 2019

Start Date: Sep 1, 2019

Visit our APPLICATIONS PAGE to apply for this position
One PhD position is available in the research group of Prof. Dr. Schenke-Layland at Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen (EKUT) in collaboration with Boston Scientific, Galway. The project seeks to find one highly motivated student who will develop a novel delivery site for pancreatic cell transplantation. The student will be trained in the industrial production of growth factor proteins, their encapsulation in polymeric microparticles, the coating of these on medical devices for subcutaneous islet transplantation and the in vitro and in vivo analysis of these technologies using imaging modalities such as Raman microspectroscopy and imaging, as well as FLIM.

The research project is highly multidisciplinary where the scholar will develop knowledge in physical chemistry, proteomics and cellular biology by enabling a novel delivery site for islet cell transplantation under the advice and training of academic and industry mentors.

Successful candidates will have completed a Master of Science in biology, chemistry, biochemical chemistry, physics, biomaterial or biomedical engineering and be within the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers (without a doctoral degree), and not have resided or carried out main activity (studies, work, etc.) in Germany for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before September 1, 2019. Experience in induced-pluripotent stem cell cultures is beneficial. In addition, they should be able to meet the mobility requirement of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network Grants by spending half of their training at an industry partner in Ireland (Boston Scientific).

PhD Programme Timeline

Sep’19 – Feb’21 EKUT (Germany)

Mar’21 – Aug’22 Boston Scientific (Ireland)

Recruitment Timeline

Application Deadline: April 30, 2019

Invite to Interview: May 13, 2019

Interviews with Candidates: May 27-29, 2019

Extend Offers: May 31, 2019

Start Date: Sep 1, 2019

Visit our APPLICATIONS PAGE to apply for this position