Project PREMUROSA

ANNOUNCEMENT: 13 Marie Sklodowska Early Stage Researchers (PhD research positions) available within the EU Horizon 2020 Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Project: MSCA-ITN-ETN “Precision medicine for musculoskeletal regeneration, prosthetics, and active ageing — PREMUROSA” grant no. 860462

Location of the positions: Italy, Switzerland, Portugal, Finland, Latvia, Ireland, Serbia

All nodes of the PREMUROSA network participate in the training, feeding upon collaborations through the network. The position includes short stays in some of the world leading research centers within the network. Yearly meetings (summer schools and symposia) of the complete network are foreseen.

Positions start: starting date is negotiable but tentatively between March and May 2020.

OUTLINE

The PREMUROSA project, funded by the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 programme (Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Innovative Training Network) calls for applications for 13 fully funded PhD positions (early-stage researcher, ESR), with attractive complementary training activities and generous travel, laboratory and research budgets. The successful candidates will be hosted by a member of a European Consortium of universities, research institutions and companies in Italy, Switzerland, Portugal, Finland, Latvia, Ireland, Serbia and will benefit from an excellent scientific environment, up-to-date technologies and supervision by international leaders in the field. They will learn to integrate academic and industrial aspects in their research work and they will sharpen their experimental and complementary skills in a well-designed and diversified and unprecedented training program.

THE SCIENTIFIC AND FORMATIVE CHALLENGE OF THE PROJECT

The ultimate goal of the ITN PREMUROSA project is to train a new generation of scientists with an integrated vision of the whole value chain in musculo-skeletal regeneration technologies and able to boost the necessary innovations to achieve precision principles in developing innovative devices and optimized clinical applications.

Musculoskeletal diseases are a major burden on individuals, healthcare and welfare systems. Treatment of musculo-skeletal disorders is currently based either on prosthetic or regenerative surgical procedures, often involving medical device implantation. In both cases, individual tissue healing and regeneration, together with the appropriateness of the implanted device, markedly affect the outcome. A great improvement could be achieved by precision medicine, specifically designed on patient’s individual characteristics. This implies to combine the personalized clinical approach with individual ‘omic’ characterization and proper choice of medical device. The concept is “To take care with care”. This is the meaning of the Italian word “premurosa” and the ultimate goal of the ITN PREMUROSA project, aimed to train a new generation of scientists with an integrated vision of the whole value chain in musculo-skeletal regeneration technologies and able to boost the necessary innovations to achieve precision principles in developing innovative devices and optimized clinical applications. This aim will be achieved by a “triple i” (interdisciplinary, intersectoral, international) approach of thirteen ESRs, who will benefit from an excellent scientific environment, up-date technologies and supervision by international leaders in the field. They will learn to integrate academic and industrial aspects and will sharpen their experimental and complementary skills in a well-designed and diversified and unprecedented training program.

AVAILABLE PHD POSITIONS

We have 13 ESR positions available, with the following envisaged research projects:

• Position 1: Materiomics analysis of metallic and ceramic materials for musculoskeletal regeneration (Polytechnic of Turin, Italy);
• Position 2: Smart personalized degradable biomaterials for bone tissue regeneration (Riga Technical University, Latvia);
• Position 3: The role of proteins dynamics in biomaterials/ bone biosystem (Tampere University of Technology, Finland);
• Position 4: Biomimetic bioreactor systems as physiologically relevant environments (University of Belgrade, Serbia);
• Position 5: Smart personalized degradable biomaterials for bone tissue regeneration (Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Italy);
• Position 6: Design of 3D in vitro vascularized organoid model (AO Research Institute Davos, Switzerland);
• Position 7: 3D microfluidic based models for testing innervation of engineered microtissues for medical applications (Instituto de Engenheria Biomedica, Portugal);
• Position 8: Innervation profile of cartilage engineered constructs under exposure to inflammatory insults (Instituto de Engenheria Biomedica, Portugal);
• Position 9: Extracellular microvesicles and exosomes (EVs) as biomarkers/mediators of stem cells differentiation, wound healing and tissue regeneration around materials (University of Eastern Piedmont, Italy);
• Position 10: Understanding the function of immune-system cells and cellular stress adaptation during healing (University of Eastern Piedmont, Italy);
• Position 11: Evaluation of in vitro degradation and associated risks of novel biomaterials for implants (Aalto University Foundation, Finland);
• Position 12: Multi-objective design and optimization (MODAO) of the data from in vitro and in vivo tests data (EnginSoft, Italy);
• Position 13: Development of a glyco functionalised personalised hydrogel for interfacial tissue repair (National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland).

AMOUNT OF THE SCHOLARSHIP

The salary consists of the gross Monthly Living Allowance of 3,270 EUR per month pondered by the EU correction coefficient (specific for the countries where the enrolling Institutions are located, available at http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/other/mga/tmpl/h2020-annex2a-tmpl-estim-budget_en.pdf); in addition, a Mobility Allowance of 600 EUR per month will be paid, and also possibly another 500 EUR per month of Family Allowance depending on marital status. A family allowance of 500 EUR per month will be paid should the researcher have family, regardless of whether the family will move with the researcher or not. In this context, 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 or relevant regional legislation of the country where this relationship was formalised; or (iii) dependent children who are actually being maintained by the researcher.
The ESR salary is subject to local tax, social benefit and other deductions following national regulations.

DURATION

The positions are offered full-time for 3 years (36 months).

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The 13 PhD positions as Early Stage Researchers (ESR1 to ESR13) are open to applicants of all nationalities fulfilling with the following eligibility requirements:

1. should have — at the date of recruitment — LESS than 4 years of a research career, and not have a doctoral degree. The 4 years are measured from the date when the applicant obtained the degree which would formally entitle him/her to embark on a PhD, either in the country where the degree was obtained or in the country where the PhD is provided;
2. should NOT have — at the date of recruitment — 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 his/her 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’;
3. should satisfy the eligibility requirements to enroll on a PhD degree. This includes i) master degree compliant with the research fields described in the INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH PROJECTS AVAILABLE (e.g. biomedical sciences, biotechnologies physics, chemistry, materials sciences, and mathematics…), ii) excellent/good oral and written English language skills, if English is not his/her first language, iii) good skills in scientific writing and results presentation.

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

Candidates will be asked to apply on-line for one to maximum three of the above-mentioned positions. The application must include the following:

1. A copy of the CV in English and in European format (max 5 pages);
2. A copy of a valid ID document (password or equivalent);
3. A motivation letter in English (max 1 page);
4. Degree transcripts;
5. Letters of reference (at least two);
6. Statement that the applicant fulfills all eligible criteria listed in the paragraph above.

All documents and the application form must be applied to premurosa@uniupo.it within March 9th, 2020 12.00 PM (CET).

Application form and statements for eligibility may be downloaded here:

•  Application form
•  Requirements declaration
•  Privacy notice on the processing of personal data

The selection procedure will be based on two steps: the first step will consist on the screening of all applications received and on the selection of a shortlist of candidates based on CV, academic transcripts, motivation and relevance with the specific research project; the second step will consist in an interview (held in person or Skype), at the end of which successful candidates will be recruited.

Prior to recruitment, successful applicants will be requested to produce the original copies of all certificates and documents declared. Incorrect or lacking of documentation may invalidate the recruitment procedure.

MORE INFORMATION

For more general information contact the Project Coordinator Prof. Lia Rimondini (lia.rimondini@med.uniupo.it). For information specifically related to the individual research project, please contact the supervisor responsible of each.

INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH PROJECTS AVAILABLE

ESR 1

ESR 2

ESR 3

ESR 4

ESR 5

ESR 6

ESR 7

ESR 8

ESR 9

ESR 10

ESR 11

ESR 12

ESR 13