12 Doctoral Candidate Positions for MSCA Doctoral Network CanDoIt on Intelligent Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Monitoring Therapeutic Response.

• MSc, MRes, MEng, or equivalent in Life Science (Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics, etc), Bioengineering, Microfluidics, Micro-nano-engineering, Physics or a related discipline, Data science.
• Lab experience, in particular with biology, biochemistry, electrical engineering, clean-room facilities.
• Interested to work in the field of biosensors, Biology, Biochemistry, and data science.
• Appreciation for interdisciplinary work and proactive drive to collaborate across disciplines
• Proficient in English language

Requirements and obligations

• After acceptance, the Doctoral Candidate (DC) is required to enroll in the local PhD program offering valuable specialized education in both core scientific subjects and transversal skills.
• Additionally, the DC must actively engage in training activities organized by CanDoIt, such as network-wide training sessions, workshops, summer/winter schools, or e-training. This ensures that doctoral candidates are exposed to a diverse range of training activities beyond their host lab, focusing on enhancing their personal, team-wide, and network-wide capabilities.
• A key feature of MSCA Doctoral Network actions is the flexibility of DCs to work among different teams, fostering improved participant interrelations. Consequently, all CanDoIt DCs will undertake a minimum of 7 months of secondments at other CanDoIt teams, including at least 4 weeks in the non-academic sector, following internal regulations that govern interactions with for-profit organizations.

• The selected candidates will receive an attractive salary in compliance with MSCA regulations for Doctoral Candidates (DCs). The specific (net) salary will be confirmed upon appointment, taking into account local tax regulations and the country correction factor to accommodate the varying cost of living across different EU Member States. This salary encompasses a living allowance, mobility allowance, and family allowance (if applicable).
• The assured PhD funding is for a duration of 36 months, representing European Commission (EC) funding. Additional funding may be possible based on the local Supervisor's discretion and in alignment with the standard PhD duration in the candidate's home country. Notably, positions DC11 and DC12 deviate from these conditions and will receive direct funding from UKRI (Public Body for Innovation and Research in the UK).
• Recruited DCs are expected to exclusively dedicate their work to the action. In addition to their individual scientific projects, all fellows will have the opportunity for ongoing education, including internships and secondments. Various training modules and transferable skills relevant to future employment will be acquired through a distinctive immersive learning experience

• Supported researchers must be doctoral candidates, i.e. not already in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of the recruitment.
• Mobility Rule: researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting beneficiary for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment date. This point must be attested by the applicant during the application.

Applicants candidates interested in CanDoIt's Doctoral Candidate (DC) positions are kindly requested to submit their applications via email. Please send a PDF file containing your application to both the project coordinator at abdelkrim.talbi@centralelille.fr and the main supervisors overseeing the respective DC project. We appreciate your attention to this requirement and look forward to reviewing your application. Each applicant is permitted to apply to a maximum of three different DC projects within CanDoIt, and this information should be clearly disclosed in the motivation letters for each position, ranked in order of preference.

The application must include:

• A detailed CV in Europass format
• A motivation letter outlining the applicant's interest in the selected DC project(s)
• Transcripts of bachelor and master's degrees, including official certificates with marks and credits (for BSc and MSc)
• During application, applicants need to demonstrate their eligibility, adhering to DC definition, mobility criteria, and English language proficiency.

The deadline for application is 13/05, 2024. Subsequently, the CanDoIt Recruitment Committees will select between 3 and 5 candidates per DC for the Recruitment Event, scheduled to take place in Lille, France, in first or second week of June 2024.

Selected candidates will be given a domain-relevant peer-reviewed paper by their prioritized Supervisor(s) two weeks before the recruitment event. During the Recruitment Event, candidates will present a 15-minute presentation and undergo an interview with the Committee, including questions about the paper to assess the candidate's suitability for the DC position.

In preparation for the event, Zoom or Teams interviews between the Supervisor(s) team and candidates are recommended.

The final decision on recruitment will be communicated shortly after the Recruitment Event, with a tentative date at the end of June 2024. The selected DCs are expected to commence their research on October 1, 2024 (plus minus two months).

Below the list of available projects for Doctoral Candidates (please provide a ranked lists of three preferred projects: see the selection process section). A detailed description of each DC will soon be available on the website (https://candoit-dn.eu/)

DC1: Multiplex bio-impedance and Phononic-crystal PnC transducers biosensor system for BC biomarkers detection. Host:Centrale Lille Institute (CLI) (FR); Main supervisors:  Pr. A. Talbi (CLI/FR), Pr. P. Pernod (CLI/FR) ; abdelkrim.talbi@centralelille.fr

DC2: Phononic-crystal waveguide biosensor system for BC biomarkers detection. Host:University of Bordeaux (UBx) (FR); Main supervisor:  Dr. H. Hallil (UBx/FR), Pr. C. Dejous (UBx/FR); hamida.hallil-abbas@u-bordeaux.fr

DC3: Advanced Lab-on-Chip Magnetic Biosensors: Uniting GMR Spin-Valve and SAW Technologies with Functionalized Iron Oxide Nanoparticles. Host:CHRISTIAN-ALBRECHTS-UNIVERSITAET ZU KIEL (CAU) (GER),;Main supervisors:  Pr. M. Gerken (CAU/GER) / Pr. A. Talbi (CLI/FR); mge@tf.uni-kiel.de

DC4: Nanodiamond and Gold Nanoparticles (Au-NPs) based electrochemical biosensor system for BC biomarkers detection. UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI NAPOLI FEDERICO II (UNINA) (IT) Main supervisor:  Pr. R. Velotta (UNINA/IT); rvelotta@unina.it

DC5:  Multiplex optical detection of breast cancer biomarkers with photonic crystal transducers. Host:CHRISTIAN-ALBRECHTS-UNIVERSITAET ZU KIEL (CAU) (GER) Main supervisor:  Pr. M. Gerken (CAU/GER); mge@tf.uni-kiel.de

DC6: Development of recognition element for BC EVs and carried nucleic acids. UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI NAPOLI FEDERICO II (UNINA) (IT) Main supervisors:  Pr. G. Condorelli (UNINA/IT) / Dr. C. Quintavalle (CNR/IT); gecondor@unina.it

DC7: Identification of EV biomarkers of treatment response in the biofluids of BC patients and preclinical validation in organoid models.Host: University of Lille (ULILLE) (FR) Main supervisor:  Pr. M. Salzet (ULILLE/FR) / Dr. N. Hajjaji (COL/FR); n-hajjaji@o-lambret.fr, michel.salzet@univ-lille.fr

DC8: Profiling of BC cell EVs and functional assessment of “super-malignant” activity. Host:UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI GABRIELE D'ANNUNZIO DI CHIETI-PESCARA (Ud’A) (IT) Main supervisor:  Pr. M.Trerotola (Ud’A/IT); marco.trerotola@unich.it

DC9: Acoustofluidic device for label-free and high accuracy sorting and isolation of living circulating tumour cells. Host:CHRISTIAN-ALBRECHTS-UNIVERSITAET ZU KIEL (CAU) (GER), Main supervisors:  Pr. M. Gerken (CAU/GER)/Pr. O. BouMatar (CLI/FR); mge@tf.uni-kiel.de, olivier.boumatar@centralelille.fr

DC10: AI methods for cancer prediction and improvement of health care. Host :CARETRONIC RAZVOJ IN PROIZVODNJA NAPREDNIH INFORMACIJSKIH RESITEV D.O.O. (CARETRONIC) / Enrolment: Jozef Stefan Institute (SI) Main supervisors:  Pr. M. Gams (JSI) / Dr. S. Brezar (Caretronic/Sl); simona@eurotronik.si, Matjaz.Gams@ijs.si

DC11: Handheld pico-Tesla resolution TMR magnetic Lab-on-Chip platform for BC biomarkers detection. Host:University of Glasgow (UGLA) (UK); Main supervisor: Pr. H. Heidari (UGLA); Hadi.Heidari@glasgow.ac.uk

DC12: Biodegradable micro/nanofluidic platform for TMR biosensors calibration and testing. Host:University of Glasgow (UGLA) (UK); Main supervisor:  Pr. H. Heidari (UGLA); Hadi.Heidari@glasgow.ac.uk