VAC_66_2026 - PREDOCTORAL RESEARCHER_SEVERO OCHOA DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS

The Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC) is a comprehensive cancer research center dedicated to conduct research and drive innovation in the epidemiological, preventive, clinical, translational, and basic aspects of leukaemia and other hematologic malignancies, with the final aim of finding a cure for these diseases. It was created in 2010, and since then has experienced an exponential growth.

The IJC is also part of the network of Excellence Research Centers of Catalonia (CERCA) and was accredited as a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence by the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities in 2024. Since 2018, the Institute has also been accredited by the Scientific Foundation of the Spanish Association Against Cancer (FCAECC) Additionally, IJC is one of the centers integrated into the Institut de Recerca Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP) accreditation as Accredited Health Research Institute (IIS) by the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII).

The IJC's main headquarters is located within the Can Ruti Biomedical Campus, alongside other leading biomedical institutions, providing direct access to cutting-edge scientific and technological facilities, as well as complementary community services. The IJC has six locations integrated into reference hospitals: Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Hospital Clínic, Hospital Sant Pau, Hospital Josep Trueta, Hospital del Mar and Hospital San Joan de Déu. This facilitates close collaboration between basic and clinical researchers, fostering translational research that integrates basic science with clinical practice in clinical settings.

JOSEP CARRERAS INSTITUTE SEVERO OCHOA DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Josep Carreras Institute Severo Ochoa Doctoral Fellowships Program offers 10 doctoral fellowships to train outstanding early-stage researchers in blood cancer research within a highly interdisciplinary and translational environment. The program is funded within the Severo Ochoa Excellence Program, granted in 2024 to the Institute.

The Institute structures its Severo Ochoa doctoral training environment around interdisciplinary Working Groups that bring together complementary expertise across basic, computational, translational, diagnostic and clinical blood cancer research, connecting mechanistic questions in blood cancer biology with advanced experimental or computational approaches and clinically anchored translational objectives. The two doctoral projects offered in this supplementary call are both embedded in the Origin of Disease and Predisposition Working Group, which focuses on mechanisms underlying the emergence of blood cancers, including pre-malignant states, disease predisposition, early cancer evolution and clinically relevant opportunities for risk stratification, interception or translation.

Successful candidates will be recruited under a predoctoral employment contract in accordance with the applicable Spanish legal framework. Fellowships have a maximum duration of four years, and incorporation into IJC must take place no later than 1 January 2027, with the start date falling on the first day of the corresponding month.

If you are interested in applying, please consult the full program guidelines at this link for detailed information.

Available Doctoral Projects

Candidates must indicate whether they wish to be considered for one or both of the following projects. Candidates interested in both projects must provide a project preference order and address their suitability for each project in the Motivation Letter.

SO_PhD_02 – Mapping Hematopoietic Gene Regulation to Uncover the Origins of Myeloid Leukemia Susceptibility and Enable Clinical Translation [ML-RISK]

Working Group: Origin of Disease and Predisposition

Co-supervision team: DrBiola Javierre (IJC and BSC) and Dr Blanca Xicoy (IJC and Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol).

Project overview and objective: Most leukemia susceptibility variants identified through GWAS are located in non-coding regions, making it challenging to understand how they affect gene regulation and contribute to disease risk. This project aims to uncover how inherited regulatory variants influence early hematopoietic programs and myeloid leukemia susceptibility by integrating 3D epigenomics, single-cell multi-omics, GWAS fine-mapping and computational genomics. The PhD candidate will contribute to identifying variant–regulatory element–gene links, prioritizing disease-relevant cell states, genes and pathways, and supporting the translation of these findings toward risk stratification, biomarker discovery or target prioritization.

Translational and training environment: The project connects 3D epigenomics and computational genomics expertise at IJC and BSC with clinical myeloid malignancy expertise at IJC and Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, providing a multidisciplinary environment that bridges regulatory genomics, computational biology, hematology and clinical translation.

Candidate profile sought: MSc or BSc in Bioinformatics, (epi)genomics, or a related discipline. The ideal candidate has a strong interest in gene regulation and the molecular mechanisms underlying leukemia susceptibility. Proficiency in programming languages such as R and/or Python is required. Experience with single-cell data analysis, GWAS, and chromatin biology is considered highly desirable.

SO_PhD_09 – Apoptosis Failure and Clonal Evolution in Aggressive T-cell Lymphomas

Working Group: Origin of Disease and Predisposition

Co-supervision team: Laura Mondragón (IJC) and Anna Mozos (Hospital Sant Pau).

Project overview and objective: Mature T-cell lymphomas are rare but aggressive malignancies with limited targeted or immune-based therapeutic options, particularly in relapsed disease. This project aims to understand how failure of mitochondrial apoptosis in the T-cell lineage can contribute to lymphoma development, disease progression and clonal evolution. The PhD candidate will investigate how apoptosis impairment influences tumour phenotype, metabolic adaptation, TCR signalling and clonal behavior, combining experimental lymphoma models with human material and pathology-guided interpretation.

Translational and training environment: The project connects mechanistic lymphoma biology at IJC with hematopathology, immunohistochemistry and molecular pathology expertise at Hospital Sant Pau, providing a translational framework to interpret findings in relation to human T-cell malignancies.

Candidate profile sought: MSc in molecular biology, immunology, cancer biology, hematology or related field. Strong fit for candidates interested in T-cell lymphoma, apoptosis, developmental misprogramming and in vivo models. Experience with flow cytometry, mouse work, histology, immunohistochemistry, sequencing or data analysis is desirable.

WHAT WE NEEED

We are looking for excellent and highly motivated early-stage researchers with a strong interest in blood cancer research and in pursuing doctoral training within an interdisciplinary and translational environment.

Ideal candidates will:

• demonstrate a strong academic record and scientific potential
• show clear interest in the research directions represented across the IJC Working Groups
• demonstrate curiosity, initiative, critical thinking, and willingness to develop new scientific and technical skills
• be able to communicate effectively and work collaboratively in an international research environment
• be interested in contributing to high-quality research with potential relevance for blood cancer biology and patient benefit

REQUIREMENTS

Candidates must also meet all the following eligibility requirements established in the Severo Ochoa call, including:

• Hold, or be in a position to hold before contract signature, a university degree granting access to a doctoral program in life sciences or related disciplines, and be formally admitted to a doctoral program at the time of contract formalization.
• Do not hold a doctoral degree
• Have not previously benefited from a predoctoral grant under the Spanish National R&D Plans
• Have not been employed under a predoctoral contract for more than 12 months prior to the application deadline

Applications that do not meet all the minimum eligibility criteria will be excluded from the evaluation process and will not be further assessed.

WHAT WE OFFER

Successful candidates will be recruited by the IJC under a four-year predoctoral employment contract. The fellowship covers employment costs and provides 6.860 € to support doctoral tuition fees and eligible research stays.

The salary conditions offered under this program are above the minimum applicable under the current legal and collective bargaining framework. The gross annual salary will be 22.000 € in year 1, 22.000 € in year 2, 25.000 € in year 3, and 30.000 € in year 4, plus the severance payment applicable at the end of the contract in accordance with the relevant legal framework.

These predoctoral fellowships are part of the Severo Ochoa Program CEX2023-001258-S, funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. Severo Ochoa funds cover the eligible costs established in the CEX2023 call, as detailed in the program guidelines.

In addition, the Fundació Josep Carreras provides up to 30.000€ per fellowship in complementary co-funding to supplement employment costs not covered by the Severo Ochoa funds.

Fellowship holders must comply with the program conditions and reporting obligations,as detailed in the program guidelines. They are expected to:

• submit an individual training program within 15 working days of incorporation
• notify IJC of the defense and successful completion of the doctoral thesis
• provide the documentation required for scientific and financial monitoring
• acknowledge Severo Ochoa funding in publications, presentations, and dissemination outputs
• notify IJC immediately of interruptions, resignations, or other relevant incidents.

HOW TO APPLY

Please complete the application form below (“Apply for this job” section).

In the application form, candidates must indicate whether they wish to be considered for SO_PhD_02, SO_PhD_09, or both projects. Candidates applying for both projects must rank them by preference and explain their fit for each project in the Motivation Letter.

Previous applicants to the first external candidate call may apply to this supplementary call if they remain eligible and wish to be considered for one or both of these vacant projects. A complete application must be submitted under this supplementary call; previous applications and evaluation outcomes will not be automatically transferred or confer priority.

Candidates already provisionally allocated to and proceeding with a Severo Ochoa Doctoral Fellowship under the first call are not eligible to apply to this supplementary call.

All documents must be submitted in English (or accompanied by an English translation) and uploaded in PDF format to the online platform by the application deadline.

The following documents are mandatory:

• Proof of degree completion or a provisional certificate demonstrating that degree requirements will be fulfilled before contract signature in life sciences or related disciplines. Eligible degrees include, but are not limited to biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, biomedical sciences, medicine, pharmacy, bioinformatics, computational biology, biomedical engineering or other disciplines relevant to blood cancer research.
• Academic transcripts specifying the grading scale and final grade.
• CV (narrative CVs are preferred)
• Motivation Letter addressing the candidate’s interest and suitability for one or both of the available projects.
• Contact details of two referees (name, institution, position, and email address), to whom IJC will send a structured reference form with specific questions regarding the candidate’s academic profile and suitability.
• Any supporting documentation needed to substantiate achievements that the candidate wishes to have considered under the evaluation criteria set out in Section 2.2.2 (for example, evidence of research stays).

Achievements not adequately supported by the documentation submitted by the application deadline will not be considered in the evaluation, and no claims may be made subsequently in relation to merits or achievements for which supporting evidence was not provided.

SELECTION PROCESS

Stage 1 — Remote Criterion 1 evaluation

Criterion 1 assesses applicants’ academic and scientific-technical trajectory and is worth 50 points in total. It includes:

• Academic performance — up to 25 points
• Research experience and technical preparation — up to 15 points
• Additional curricular merits — up to 5 points
• Mobility and internationalization — up to 5 points

Candidates must score at least 30 out of 50 in Criterion 1 to be shortlisted. Approximately the top 30 ranked candidates proceed to the next stage.

Stage 2 — Interview and evaluation of Criterion 2

Criterion 2 evaluates suitability for the research activities and is also worth 50 points. It includes:

• Technical fit — up to 15 points
• Motivation and potential — up to 25 points
• Understanding of the project — up to 10 points

Criterion 2 is assessed through the structured interview, the Motivation Letter and structured feedback from referees.

Candidates must score at least 37.5 out of 50 in Criterion 2 to remain eligible. o Call outline and detailed internal schedule for candidate’s evaluation: Final Score= Criterion 1 + Criterion 2.

Candidates are then ranked within each project, and only candidates scoring at least 80 out of 100 overall are eligible for funding. For each selected project, the fellowship is awarded to the highest-ranked eligible candidate within that project.

DEADLINE

Please submit your application by 21/08/2026

WHO WE ARE?

What makes us different?

The mission of the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute is to conduct research and drive innovation in the epidemiological, preventive, clinical, translational, and basic aspects of cancer, with a special emphasis on Leukaemia and other malignant blood diseases, with the aim of finding a cure for these diseases.

The IJC’s vision is to be a world-class reference and excellent research center that contributes to the improvement of results, and the cure of patients affected by leukaemia and other malignant haemopathies, through innovation, sustainability, social responsibility, talent, and professional experience.

HR Excellence

In 2019, IJC was honored with the “Human Resources Excellence in Research Award” by the European Commission, recognizing the alignment of our human resources policies with the European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. The Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R) guides research centers of excellence in implementing and upholding these standards within their policies, emphasizing training, professional development, and mobility opportunities.

The IJC’s commitment to these values and principles strengthens our internal policies and ensures that our members have the optimal conditions and environment for their professional development.

The Board of Trustees is composed of representatives of the Generalitat de Catalunya (regional government), University of Barcelona, Autonomous University of Barcelona, the City of Badalona and the Jose Carreras International Leukaemia Foundation

The Catalan government provides hard money on an annual basis. The Jose Carreras International Leukaemia Foundation provides start-up funds, project funds as well as financial support for investments.

The JCI has an international scientific advisory board served by prominent researchers from US and Europe.

The IJC has been awarded ERC and other EU grants.

The IJC is an equal-opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or other legally protected characteristics.