The Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (F.S.P.) (CNIC) has been conceived to develop research of excellence, competitive and of international relevance in relation to cardiovascular diseases. The CNIC has a research center of 24,000 m2, located in Madrid, with more than 6,000 m2 for laboratories equipped with a state-of-the-art infrastructure and equipment.
IMPORTANT:
To be eligible, candidates must officially apply in parallel to:
Functions:
The selected person will carry out their tesis in the context of the project UNderstanding Lipid ImmunoMetabolIsm To trEat Disease, acronym: UNLIMITED” ref: 101227259 granted to Dr. David Sancho funded in the call “HORIZON-MSCA-Doctoral Networks-2024”. EC-European Commission”
The selected candidate will perform their doctoral thesis characterizing how fatty acid oxidation manipulation in tissue macrophages shapes their metabolic and functional programming in homeostasis and in preclinical disease models of atherosclerosis and cancer.
This contract will be funded by the HORIZON-MSCA-Doctoral Networks-2024 UNderstanding Lipid ImmunoMetabolIsm To trEat Disease, acronym: UNLIMITED” ref: 101227259 granted to Dr. David Sancho, funded in the call “HORIZON-MSCA-Doctoral Networks-2024”. EC-European Commission”
Mandatory Requirements
Valuable Requirements:
C1. Scientific‐technical contributions. The academic record will be evaluated, as well as previous research experience (research stays, Bachelor’s or Master’s theses), and technical knowledge related to immunology, cellular biology, mitochondrial research, or cardiovascular biology.
C2. Other curricular merits of the candidate will be assessed, such as awards, authorship of research articles and/or reviews in indexed scientific journals, conference contributions, etc.
C3. Mobility and internationalization. The relevance and impact of the candidate’s research stays at national or international centers and/or in the industrial sector will be assessed, taking into account the prestige of the host institution and the activities carried out during the stay.
C4. Experience in biochemistry, molecular biology, flow cytometry, animal handling and experimentation.
C5. Interview.
Positive action: a correction index of 1.5 is established for each year of experience in the evaluation of the number of years in those criteria where experience is evaluated, in the event that the disable person greater than 66% and 1.2 in the event that the disable person greater than 33%.
We offer:
Recruiment Plan:
The RESOLUTION OF THE SECRETARIAT OF STATE FOR PUBLIC FUNCTION APPROVING THE COMMON ACTION CRITERIA FOR THE RECRUITMENT PROCESSES IN THE STATE PUBLIC SECTOR ENTITIES of April 11, 2022, sets forth in point 6.1 that “Unless a specific regulation establishes a merit-bases recruitment system (“concurso”), the competition (“concurso-oposición”) must be the recruitment system”.
In CNIC, the specific regulations approved by the Foundation's board of trustees establish a merit-based recruitment system (“concurso”) including a personal interview.
At least the top three candidates with the highest scores will be interviewed, provided they exceed a total of 70 points in the sum of the evaluable criteria (C1-C4). The candidate with the highest score will be hired, provided they reach 85 points (C1-C5).
In compliance with CNIC internal regulations, all candidates must submit their application through the CNIC website in order to be formally evaluated and considered eligible for recruitment.
In parallel, and in accordance with the recruitment procedure established by the UNLIMITED MSCA Doctoral Network consortium, candidates shortlisted after the first evaluation stage at CNIC will be required to complete the consortium application procedure, including submission of the documentation specified in the UNLIMITED call and participation in the network-level selection process.
Therefore, the recruitment procedure will consist of two consecutive stages:
Only candidates who successfully complete both stages will be eligible for final recruitment.
Recruitment Commission:
The CNIC guarantees, in its field of action, the principle of equality in access to employment, and cannot establish any discrimination, direct or indirect, based on reasons of origin, including racial or ethnic, sex, age, marital status, religion or convictions, political opinion, sexual orientation and identity, gender expression, sexual characteristics, union affiliation, social condition, language within the State and disability, provided that the workers are in conditions of aptitude to carry out the work or employment for which try they are assigned.
By participating in the selection process, the participant agrees that their data appear in the public resolutions of the selection process. Such resolutions (provisional list of admitted and excluded, definitive list of admitted and excluded and resolution of the process) are published on the CNIC website.
Score criteria:
C1. Scientific‐technical contributions. The academic record will be evaluated, as well as previous research experience (research stays, Bachelor’s or Master’s theses), and technical knowledge related to immunology, cellular biology, mitochondrial research, or cardiovascular biology. 30%
C2. Scientific‐technical contributions. The academic record will be evaluated, as well as previous research experience (research stays, Bachelor’s or Master’s theses), and technical knowledge related to immunology, cellular biology, mitochondrial research, or cardiovascular biology. 15%
C3. Mobility and internationalization. The relevance and impact of the candidate’s research stays at national or international centers and/or in the industrial sector will be assessed, taking into account the prestige of the host institution and the activities carried out during the stay. 5%
C4. Experience in biochemistry, molecular biology, flow cytometry, animal handling and experimentation (to be evaluated as a whole, taking into account the time/specialization ratio). 30%
C5. Interview (command of English will be valued). 20%
Additional data on the project:
DC8
Spain
Host Institution
Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III F.S.P. (CNIC)
University awarding PhD
Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (UAM)
Project Title
FAO in macrophage function in inflammation and immunity
Name of Principal Supervisor
Prof. Dr. David Sancho (CNIC. Spain)
Co-supervisors
Dr. Luciana Berod (UMCM, Mainz, Germany) and Dr. Guido Dallman (Biocrates, Austria)
Lab expert area
Genetic mouse models of FAO manipulation in tissue macrophages; Preclinical disease models of inflammation (Atherosclerosis, Cancer); Development of therapeutic intervention employing liposome targeting strategies.
Start/End date
Summer 2026-2029 (3 Years) + 1 extra year if needed.
Required/Preferred Skills
Required training/skills: Master's in Immunology, molecular biology, biomedicine science, and cell biology. Cell culture, Molecular biology. Preferred: Experience with Flow Cytometry, animal handling/ experimentation, and metabolomics
Brief outline of the project
Background: Tissue macrophages (TMs) maintain tissue homeostasis and coordinate responses to pathological challenges. Their adaptability to environmental cues enables them to meet tissue needs while preserving core functions. Importantly, most macrophage functions are closely tied to their cellular metabolism. Metabolic pathways not only provide bioenergetic support but also serve as platforms that control metabolite and redox balance and signalling. Although much research has focused on how metabolic pathways polarize macrophages in vitro, their role in macrophage polarization and impact on macrophage function within specific tissue environments is still emerging1.
This project will explore how manipulating fatty acid oxidation (FAO) by targeting the rate-limiting enzyme CPT1A in TMs affects their functionality in maintaining homeostasis and in disease contexts.
Aim of the project: To assess how FAO manipulation in tissue macrophages shapes their metabolic and functional programming in homeostasis and in preclinical disease models of atherosclerosis and tumour models.
Objectives:
(1) Analyse the metabolic profile in vitro and ex vivo following FAO manipulation in macrophages.
(2) Explore how FAO controls macrophage function.
(3) Study the effect of FAO induction or inhibition in TMs on tissue homeostasis and on the modulation of inflammation in the context of atherosclerosis or tumor models (MC38, B16- F10).
(4) Explore therapeutic modulation of FAO in TMs in vivo by employing liposome-based delivery strategies (similar to 2).
Additional Laboratories you will also work in for specific training:
(1) Finley lab, TCD, Ireland – Learn click chemistry-based uptake assays to test CPT1A gain or loss of function in macrophages.
(2) Lemonciel lab, BC, Austria – Training on metabolomics/lipidomics techniques with application to investigate lipid profiles and lipid metabolism in TMs of genetic mouse models.
(3) Van den Bossche lab, AUMC, Netherlands – Training in Met-flow to study metabolic properties in TMs across different tissues in homeostasis.
Additional information:
[1] Stefanie K. Wculek et al., “Oxidative Phosphorylation Selectively Orchestrates Tissue Macrophage Homeostasis,” Immunity 56, no. 3 (2023): 516-530.e9, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2023.01.011.
2 Miguel Galán et al., “cDC1s Promote Atherosclerosis via Local Immunity and Are Targetable for Therapy,” Circulation Research, May 30, 2025, CIRCRESAHA.124.325792, https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.124.325792.
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