We are pleased to announce open positions for 13 Doctoral Candidates (DC) for a 36-months period, within the IMPLANTEU project, funded under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network (MSCA-DN). 

IMPLANTEU is dedicated to advancing research in embryo implantation across both human health and agriculture. This international network seeks to develop a comprehensive molecular blueprint of implantation, with the dual goals of enhancing our understanding of human reproductive processes and improving implantation efficiency in livestock. By combining cross-disciplinary expertise in reproductive and stem cell biology, medicine, physiology, ethics, law, and advanced technologies such as stem cell-based embryo models, organoids, machine learning, and organs-on-chip, the project is set to make significant contributions to both fields. 

This program is designed to cultivate the next generation of researchers, equipping them with the necessary skills to contribute significantly to the field of reproductive success and embryo implantation research.

PhD positions can be filled as of November 2024 and tailored towards candidates passionate about the implications of embryo implantation in human health and agriculture. Selected candidates will engage in multidisciplinary research, participate in international secondments across academic and industrial settings, and contribute to high-impact publications and conferences.

Key Features of the PhD Positions:

• Multidisciplinary training: Doctoral candidates will receive comprehensive training across various scientific disciplines, including reproductive and stem cell biology, bioengineering, and ethics.
• International secondments: Each doctoral candidate will spend a period on secondment, visiting another research center or industry partner within the IMPLANTEU network. This transdisciplinary training is designed to ensure knowledge sharing and integration across the entire network.
• Personalized Career Development Plans: Candidates will undergo an initial assessment to determine their training needs. Based on this, a personalized plan for training, secondments, and career development will be established to align each candidate's career aspirations with the scientific objectives of the project.

Host Institutions and Supervisors:

DC1: Impact of chromosomal mosaicism on human peri-implantation in vitro

Host: Eugin Group, Barcelona, Spain

Supervisor: Dr. Mina Popovic

DC2: Understanding molecular mechanisms underlying Recurrent Implantation Failure (RIF)

Host: Eugin Group, Barcelona, Spain

Supervisor: Dr. Irene Miguel-Escalada

DC3: Invasive properties of trophoblast subtypes during implantation

Host: Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria

Supervisor: Prof. Martin Gauster

DC4: Trophoblastic anticoagulant proteins at the implantation front

Host: Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria

Supervisor: Prof. Martin Gauster

DC5: Ethical aspects in embryo research developments

Host: KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

Supervisor: Prof. Pascal Borry

DC6: Human endometrium-on-chip design and development

Host: BiomimX SRL, Milan, Italy

Supervisor: Dr. Paola Occhetta

DC7: Effects of Progesterone in endometrium during euploid blastocyst transfer

Host: Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

Supervisor: Prof. Dominic Stoop

DC8: Optimizing 3D human endometrium models for early pregnancy

Host: Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands

Supervisor: Prof. Susana M. Chuva de Sousa Lopes

DC9: Role of embryonic TLR-mediated innate immune system during preimplantation

Host: University of Milan, Milan, Italy

Supervisor: Prof. Alberto M. Luciano

DC10: Machine learning for endometrial receptivity

Host: Valencia Polytechnic University, Valencia, Spain

Supervisor: Prof. Valery Naranjo Ornedo

DC11: Investigating IVF embryo loss in cattle

Host: University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

Supervisor: Prof. Patrick Lonergan

DC12: Trained immunity in endometrial cells

Host: University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany

Supervisor: Prof. Petra Arck

DC13: Drug screening platform combining blastoids and endometrial cells

Host: Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, Vienna, Austria

Supervisor: Dr. Nicolas Rivron

Eligibility Criteria:

• Master’s degree: Candidates must hold a Master’s Degree (or equivalent) in relevant fields such as biology, medicine, physiology, or machine learning by the start date of the fellowship.

• Research experience: Applicants should be within the first four years of their research careers and must not have been awarded a doctoral degree.

• Mobility rule: Candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activities (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the host institution for more than 12 months in the three years immediately before the recruitment date.

• Language proficiency: All applicants must have a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 or equivalent, or hold a Bachelor’s degree conducted in English. Please provide evidence of this in your application.

Application process: Candidates are invited to apply by submitting a detailed CV, a motivation letter, and all other requested supporting documents as outlined in the application form. Please ensure that you fill out the attached application form. 

Applications submitted without this form or any of the required documents will not be considered. If you are applying for more than one of the IMPLANTEU PhD positions, you may indicate your top 1-3 preferences in the application form by using the DC numbers associated with the projects.

Please send your applications to investigacion@eugin.es using "IMPLANTEU PhD candidate” followed by the DC number associated with the top project of preference.

Interview and start dates: We anticipate that video interviews will be conducted for all candidates starting in October 2024, with the goal of a November 2024-January 2025 start date.