2 PhD Positions in Milan related to the UNION Project "UnderstandiNg fraIlty tOwards a future o[...]

Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences

Organisation/Company: Università degli Studi di Milano

Department: Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences

Research Field: Medical sciences » Health sciences

Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)

Positions: PhD Positions

Country: Italy

Application Deadline: 16 Apr 2025 - 08:30 (Europe/Rome)

Type of Contract: Temporary

Job Status: Full-time

Offer Starting Date: 8 Mar 2025

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - MSCA Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number 101167421

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Our society is ageing due to declining birth rates and longer life expectancy. While more people are living longer, the average adult spends the last 15-20 years in poor health. Frailty in old age contributes to this, increasing vulnerability to stressors like falls, surgeries, and infections. Consequently, there is a growing focus on improving the period of healthy living, known as healthspan. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the UNION project will educate 13 early-stage researchers about frailty for healthy ageing. It involves experts from various disciplines and uses cutting-edge technologies applied to clinical settings. The project aims to address the challenges of our ageing society.

Specifically, we are offering two PhD positions at Ruscica's Lab at the Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences (Università degli Studi di Milano), supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions UNION Network: UnderstandiNg fraIlty tOwards a future of healthy ageiNg. We seek two early-stage researchers to:

• Understand the impact of lactate on the disease tissue microenvironment immune response.
• Unravel extracellular vesicles as a fingerprint of frailty.

Application Requirements:

a) Personal details, including your full name, gender, nationality, and contact information.

b) A curriculum vitae, including academic grades from examination periods (bachelor’s - and master’s if already available), and referees’ contact details.

c) A motivation letter (up to 2 pages) outlining your research experience, academic accomplishments, and your interest in UNION and the specific research project.

Where to apply

E-mail: massimiliano.ruscica@unimi.it

Requirements

Research Field: Biological sciences » Biology

Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent

Languages: ENGLISH Level Excellent

Research Field: Medical sciences » Health sciences

Additional Information

Eligibility criteria:

• Eligible candidates must not have a doctoral degree at the date of their recruitment.
• To comply with the mobility rule, eligible candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting organisation for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment date (i.e. approximately July 2025).
• Eligible candidates must have obtained a master’s degree relevant for the chosen position (including biology, medicine, biochemistry, bioinformatics or a related discipline) or an equivalent qualification that allows them to pursue a PhD before the start of the contract.
• The degree must be officially recognized within the European Higher Education Area.

Announcement of preselection results and call for interviews: By 21st April 2025, the three top candidates per position will be invited to the online interviews. Full details regarding the interview process will be sent to invited candidates during the arrangement of interviews.

Interviews: 28th-30th April 2025

Communication of the results: By 2nd May 2025

The expected start of the fellowship: From July to December 2025

• The selected candidates will be hired full-time and with a fixed-term contract governed by the Italian labor legislation in force at the time of hiring, by the regulations of the University of Milan and by the rules of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions.
• The gross salary before taxes and fees will be €3,911/month.