MSCA-COFUND PhD Scholarship: Applications are invited for a fully funded doctoral (PhD) position under the HORIZON-MSCA-COFUND-2024-1 project (Grant Agreement No. 101216924) within the CSIC Doctoral Network in Synthetic Biology. This PhD project focuses on gene mining, synthetic gene circuits, and plant biopharming for the sustainable production of high-value metabolites, with a special emphasis on the apocarotenoid azafrin. The position will be hosted at the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Plants (IBMCP, CSIC-UPV), Spain, under the supervision of leading experts in plant genomics and biotechnology.
MSCA-COFUND PhD Scholarship in Synthetic Biology: Gene Mining & Synthetic Gene Circuits for Plant Biopharming
Designation
Doctoral Researcher (PhD Scholar)
Research Area
- Synthetic Biology (Top-down Synthetic Biology)
- Plant Genomics & Biotechnology
- Metabolic Engineering
- Gene Mining & Omics
- Synthetic Gene Circuits
- Plant Biopharming
Location
Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Plants (IBMCP),
CSIC – Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), Spain
Eligibility / Qualification
- Master’s degree in Biotechnology, Synthetic Biology, Molecular Biology, or a closely related discipline
- Strong technical skills in molecular biology
- Experience or working knowledge of bioinformatics
- Basic understanding of metabolic engineering and synthetic biology
- Motivation to work in interdisciplinary and international research environments
Job Description
The selected PhD candidate will work on the project “Gene Mining and Synthetic Gene Circuits for Plant Biopharming”, with the following key objectives:
- Identify genes involved in the biosynthesis of azafrin from carotenoids using omics-based and metabolic modeling approaches.
- Design and construct tunable synthetic gene circuits for controlled azafrin production in microbial and plant hosts.
- Optimize azafrin production in plants for efficient and sustainable biopharming.
The research will integrate synthetic promoters, regulatory elements, and automated biocircuit design tools to engineer high-efficiency plant biofactories. The project also includes secondments at collaborating academic labs and biotech companies such as MadeInPlant and Naplatec, providing hands-on industrial and translational research experience.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should prepare a complete application including:
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Academic transcripts
- Motivation letter describing research interests and relevant experience
Applications and inquiries should be directed to the project supervisors:
- Prof. Diego Orzáez – dorzaez@ibmcp.upv.es
- Prof. Manuel Rodríguez-Concepción – manuelrc@ibmcp.upv.es
Last Date for Apply
Until position filled
