The “A Future in Biomedicine” Programme is aimed at outstanding and highly motivated students in the last year of their degree. Students should show a strong interest in the fields of biology, biomedicine, chemistry, physics, pharmacy, structural biology, computational sciences, or other related areas.
IRB Barcelona is looking for young undergraduate students enrolled in local universities who wish to carry out a research project at the institute from October 2019 to August 2020. The selected students will work with IRB Barcelona scientists on diverse topics addressed by the research groups at the institute. The students will be mentored by a senior researcher and will also have the opportunity to participate in the activities undertaken at the institute during their stay.
The best students of the programme will be preselected by IRB Barcelona and invited to enter the selection procedure for the Molecular Mechanisms of Disease MsC Programme, led by the Radboud Institute of Molecular Life Sciences (The Netherlands).
We offer a total of five grants to carry out a research project with one of the following groups:
- Structural Characterization of Macromolecular Assemblies
- Comparative Genomics
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics
- Structural Biology of Protein & Nucleic Acid Complexes and Molecular Machines
- Chromatin Structure and Function
- Cell Signaling
- Amino Acid Transporters and Disease
- Complex Metabolic Diseases and Mitochondria
- Metabolic Engineering and Diabetes Therapy
Duration
Students will spend up to 20 h per week in an IRB Barcelona lab during the last year of their undergraduate studies (Academic year 2019/2020), upon agreement with the project supervisor at IRB Barcelona.
Stipend
Awardees will receive a stipend of 200€ per month. IRB Barcelona will provide medical and accident insurance.
IRB Barcelona will provide students with additional complementary training opportunities.
The project supervisor at IRB Barcelona will provide awardees with a reference letter upon completion of the programme.
Participation in the “A Future in Biomedicine” Programme does not imply any contractual relationship between the awardee and IRB Barcelona.
Eligibility
The “A Future in Biomedicine” Programme has been designed to encourage and further the education of young emerging researchers in biomedical research. The programme is addressed to students who fulfil the following:
- Completion of at least 180 ECTS credits of a BSc degree in Biology, Pharmacy, Mathematics, Structural Biology, Physics, Biomedicine, Medicine, Chemistry, or related fields by September 2019. Students who receive the grants are expected to have completed undergraduate studies by July 2020.
- Enrolment in a local university. Exceptions for non-local students can be made if their study plan and university guidelines allow them to do an internship under the conditions of this call. These cases will be treated individually.
- Minimum BSc Average mark of 7/10
- Good knowledge of English
Applicants will be evaluated on basis of academic record, motivation letter, as well as other criteria, such as internationalization, previous research experience, and letter of reference.
How to apply
Applicants should send the documents listed below to phd@irbbarcelona.org before the deadline (see below), indicating “A Future in Biomedicine candidacy” in the subject box.
Documents required
- CV
- A scanned copy of the applicant’s certified Academic Record. These documents must show the grades attained in exam periods
- Additional certificates, prizes, and recognitions
- Motivation letter
- A letter of reference from university lecturers or scientists with whom the applicant has studied or worked. Letters must be sent to phd@irbbarcelona.org. Only letters with an official letterhead and signature will be accepted.
Applicants should indicate in the e-mail up to two research groups—in order of preference— in which they would like to work. Moreover, if interested in a particular research group, they should make reference to it in the motivation letter. More information on the research activities of each group can be found on the IRB Barcelona website.
Referees must send their letters directly to IRB Barcelona to the address: phd@irbbarcelona.org. Only letters with an official letterhead and signature will be accepted. Candidates are responsible for ensuring that their referee sends the letter. Applications not accompanied by this letter will not be processed.
Applicants should submit information wherever possible in English (CV, motivation letter, summary of work experience). If the certified Academic Record is not in Catalan, Spanish, or English, applicants should also attach a translation into one of these languages.
Calendar
- 29 May 2019 - Call opening
- 19 June 2019 - Call deadline and preselection of the candidates
- July 2019 - Notification of selection results and start of the programme
- October 2019 - Beginning of the internship
- July 2020 - Receipt of students' summary reports
At the end of the internship, students must prepare a summary report, which will be sent to the IRB Barcelona Academic Office at phd@irbbarcelona.org, as well as the project supervisor. Students will present their research project undertaken over the academic year in an open seminar organised for the IRB Barcelona community.
