PostDoc - Reproductive Biology and Andrology

Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Augusto Pi i Sunyer

Barcelona, Spain

Description

REPRO-TRAIN is a Marie Curie Initial Training Network funded by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme and is composed of 7 strong academic research groups and 2 pharmaceutical companies from 6 different European countries: France, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, UK and Spain. The network started on January 1st 2012 and will end on December 31st 2015. REPRO-TRAIN is seeking highly motivated, enthusiastic, creative and talented fellows for the development and implementation of a cutting edge research project related to male Reproductive Biology and Andrology. REPRO-TRAIN offers 1 Experienced Researcher (ER) position in Dr Rafael Oliva group with funding for 23 months. Our hypothesis is that many of the sperm nuclear proteins may have an epigenetic function marking up different sperm chromatin domains. The function will be explored through immunolocation experiments together with ESR1, measuring the phenotypic effect of knocking-out /down the corresponding genes in the Drosophila or Mus models in collaboration with R. Renkawitz-Pohl and D. Miller. A short stay of this ER with D. Miller will offer the opportunity to learn from the expertise of this partner in epigenetic characterisation methods. Also it will be interesting to determine the epigenetic potential of the identified proteins through tracking using immunocytochemistry in their initial stages of fertilisation and development in the mouse model. The differential distribution of the proteins in the nucleohistone and nucleoprotamine domains within the sperm nuclei will be developed through a short stay with R. Renkawitz-Pohl. This ER will also be expected to learn teaching skills through partial supervision of ESR1. This ER will also be invited to get involved in the extremely novel Exome Sequencing approach, targeting only 5% of the coding genome, with the Solexa 1G equipment available at the IDIBAPS, in normal sperm cells and in sperm cells from a selected group of infertile patients.

Requirements

- At the time of recruitment, candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Spain for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the reference date.

- ER: at the time of recruitment, candidates must be in possession of a doctoral degree or have at least four but less than five years of full-time equivalent research experience.  Full-time equivalent research experience is measured from the date when the candidate obtained the degree which would formally entitle him/her to embark on a doctorate, either in the country in which the degree was obtained or in the country in which the research training is provided.

- A good honours (or equivalent) degree in a biological or biomedical discipline. Medical, veterinary or dental graduates with an interest in reproductive research are also eligible to apply.

- Good verbal and written communication skills in English are required.

More information and applications

Selection criteria and application forms are available on the www.reprotrain.eu

For queries about scientific aspects, please contact roliva@ub.edu