Introduction to the vacant position:
The Biomaterials for Neural Regeneration Research Group at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) offers a fully funded PhD position for a highly motivated student to join our multidisciplinary research team.
The selected candidate will participate in the Spinal-TraHumanoid project, an innovative initiative funded by “la Caixa” Foundation, focused on developing humanized models of spinal cord injury (SCI) to study regeneration and evaluate therapeutic strategies.
Project Overview:
This PhD project aims to develop and compare humanized in vivo and in vitro models of spinal cord injury based on human spinal cord organoids (hSCOs) and vascularized spinal cord organoids (hVSCOs).
The research will involve the generation, characterization, and transplantation of hSCOs into immunocompromised rodents to create chimeric human–mouse spinal cord models, allowing the study of human neural integration and response to injury in vivo.
Parallel studies will use the in vitro vascularized hVSCO system to analyze injury and recovery mechanisms and to test neuroprotective drugs.Together, these complementary approaches aim to advance translational, non-animal alternatives for drug discovery and regenerative therapy validation in SCI.
Main tasks and responsibilities:
- Organoid generation and characterization: Differentiate human iPSCs into spinal cord organoids (hSCOs) and vascularized organoids (hVSCOs), assessing neuronal, glial, and vascular development using immunocytochemistry, proteomics, and functional assays.
- Transplantation and in vivo model development: Inject hSCOs into immunocompromised mice to establish human–rodent chimeric models of the spinal cord.
- Evaluate engraftment, human cell integration, vascularization, and neuronal maturation using histology and advanced imaging.
- Injury induction and analysis: Induce controlled spinal cord injuries in the chimeric animals and compare the responses with those obtained in injured in vitro hVSCOs, analyzing inflammation, regeneration, and functional recovery.
- Drug evaluation: Test the effects of neuroprotective and regenerative treatments (including nanoparticle-encapsulated drugs such as Riluzole and Minocycline) in both the in vivo and in vitro systems.
- Data integration and dissemination: Correlate findings between the in vivo humanized models and the in vitro organoid systems.
- Present results in publications, conferences, and collaborative meetings with clinicians and patient associations.
Requirements for candidates:
We are looking for a highly motivated PhD student who is interested in interdisciplinary research in the fields of biomaterials, tissue engineering and neuroscience. The ideal candidate will meet the following criteria
Essential
- Education: MSc in Biomedical Engineering, Biotechnology, Neuroscience, or related field.
- Technical skills:
Experience in cell culture, stem cell differentiation, and biomaterials. Hands-on experience with animal handling, stereotaxic surgery, or in vivo models is required.
Familiarity with histology, immunofluorescence, confocal microscopy, and molecular biology techniques.
- Analytical skills: Competence in data analysis using ImageJ, GraphPad Prism, or similar software.
- Teamwork and communication: Strong collaborative skills and proficiency in English (spoken and written).
Desirable
- Experience with organoid or neural tissue culture.
- Knowledge of electrophysiology or functional imaging.
- Interest in translational research and neural repair.
We Offer:
- Number of positions: 1
- Expected starting date: November 2025
- A unique opportunity to work at the interface between bioengineering, stem cell biology, and neuroscience.
- Collaboration with leading partners, including IDIBELL, University of Barcelona (UB), and Fundación Lesionados Medulares (FLM).
- Access to state-of-the-art equipment and in vivo/in vitro research platforms.
- Comprehensive supervision and support for publication, presentation, and professional development.
- Opportunity to contribute to high-impact research with potential applications in regenerative medicine and disease modeling.
- Support and guidance in publishing your work in peer-reviewed journals and presenting at international conferences.
Working Conditions:
- Full-time, 3-years Labor Contract.
- Work/life balance policies (including parental leave, flexible working hours, 23 working days of paid leave, 9 days of personal leave).
- IBEC ensures equal access to professional development opportunities regardless of employment status, length of service, or other factors. IBEC’s annual training catalog offers a wide range of training in technical and transferable skills, including mobility grants and a mentoring program for pre-doctoral and post-doctoral researchers.
- Stimulating interdisciplinary research and high quality international scientific environment.
- An induction program to facilitate integration into IBEC, and additional support for foreigners to obtain work visas and settle in Barcelona.
Competencies and Skills:
We value not only technical expertise but also the demonstration of core competencies such as Communication, Teamwork and Collaboration, Commitment, Proactivity, Integrity, and Critical and Analytical Thinking.
How to apply:
Until November 4th an online application form is available through IBEC dedicated site: https://careers.ibecbarcelona.eu/
Only those applications submitted before the deadline will be evaluated.
Reference: PhD-ZA.
If you have any further question regarding your application, please contact us at jobs@ibecbarcelona.eu
Principles of the selection process:
IBEC is committed to the principles of the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers of the European Commission and the Open, Transparent and Merit based Recruitment principles (OTM-R) https://ibecbarcelona.eu/careers-at-ibec/jobs/
IBEC´s Commitment on equal opportunity:
Our strength and excellence as an international transdisciplinary Research Institute are based on diversity. Being an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to diversity and inclusion, so that we support employees irrespective of their gender, nationality, religion, disabilities, age, sexual identity or cultural and socioeconomic background.”
IBEC actively looks for female candidates for Senior positions ensuring that at least 40% of shortlisted applicants invited to interview have to be women with comparable level of CVs as the male candidates. At the end of the evaluation process, in case of equal merit, priority will be given to female candidates.
For candidates with children that come from outside Barcelona, we offer babysitting services during the interview, so you don’t have to worry about anything else than doing a good interview. Contact us if you are interested in this service.
IBEC, as a signatory of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), will consider, especially for early-stage investigators, much more the scientific content of research outputs, than publication metrics or the identity of the journal in which it were published.
Protection of personal data:
IBEC guarantees that candidates’ personal data are processed in accordance with the requirements of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Law 3/2018 on Data Protection.
Personal data will be processed solely for the purposes of the selection process.
Who we are?
The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, IBEC is an interdisciplinary research center focused on Bioengineering and Nanomedicine based in Barcelona. IBEC is one of the top research institutions named as a Severo Ochoa Research Centre by the Ministry of Science, Universities and Innovation, which recognizes excellence at the highest international level in terms of research, training, human resources, outreach and technology transfer.
IBEC’s mission is to develop international high-quality interdisciplinary research that, while creating knowledge, contributes to making a better quality of life, improving health and creating wealth. A close link with key universities, reference hospitals and corporations, are assets that facilitate achieving the mission.
IBEC was established in 2005 by the Generalitat de Catalunya (Autonomous Government of Catalonia), the University of Barcelona (UB) and the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC).
IBEC is located within the Barcelona Science Park and is managing 3.800 square meters facilities, with an annual budget of 22 Mio€; 4.150 square meters of facilities; 21 research groups and a team of researchers and support services of 400 people from 35 different countries. www.ibecbarcelona.eu
