Posted: 30 Oct 2026
Job Information
- Organisation/Company: Charles University, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen
- Department: Biomedical Center
- Research Field: Medical sciences
- Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)
- Positions: PhD Positions
- Application Deadline: 30 Nov 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Prague)
- Country: Czech Republic
- Type of Contract: Temporary
- Job Status: Full-time
- Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?: Horizon Europe - MSCA
- Reference Number: [contact details available in the full listing]
- Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?: No
Offer Description
Position: Doctoral Candidate at Experimental surgery doctoral program
Project: BioMuscle – Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network (No [contact details available in the full listing]) BioMuscle addresses the urgent need for regenerative solutions for abdominal wall repair, where current synthetic meshes often fail and lead to high complication and recurrence rates. Using native biomaterials, the project will combine expertise in bioengineered muscle grafts, scalable bioprocessing, preclinical testing, computational modelling, engineering, and regulatory sciences. The consortium will train 13 doctoral candidates and advance clinically translatable, patient-specific muscle grafts for functional tissue regeneration.
Offer description
Biomedical center at the Charles University invites applications for a Doctoral Candidate position within BioMuscle, an international research and training network funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks programme.
This PhD project aims to establish a preclinical porcine model for abdominal wall reconstruction using porcine-derived decellularized muscle matrices. The successful candidate will investigate surgical feasibility, implantability, biological compatibility, and early in vivo performance of these biological scaffolds.
The research will address three main objectives:
- Establish and optimise surgical techniques for abdominal wall reconstruction in a porcine model.
- Evaluate the handling, implantability, and biological compatibility of porcine matrices in a non-survival porcine model.
- Assess short-term graft performance, tissue integration, remodelling, and host immune responses in a survival porcine model.
The project will establish a large-animal model and generate preclinical evidence to support future investigations into functional muscle regeneration and the long-term reconstruction of complex abdominal wall defects.
Moreover, this PhD project is closely interconnected with another currently available PhD position (Perfusion-Based Recellularization of Decellularized Skeletal Muscle Matrices), thus will involve complementary research activities, offering opportunities for collaboration across tissue engineering, perfusion-based recellularization, and the biological evaluation of decellularized muscle matrices. Depending on the progress and needs of the research, the doctoral candidates may contribute to activities related to both projects.
Training and secondments
The doctoral candidate will benefit from interdisciplinary training and international collaboration within BioMuscle, including two planned secondments in Belgium:
- Training in decellularization procedures for porcine abdominal muscle.
- Training in surgical techniques for abdominal wall reconstruction.
These secondments will provide complementary expertise in biological scaffold preparation and reconstructive surgery, each taking approx. 3 months.
Research field: Medical sciences; biomedical sciences; tissue engineering; veterinary medicine; regenerative medicine
Where to apply
Website: https://is.cuni.cz/studium/eng/prijimacky/index.php?KEY=Az1
Requirements
Research Field: Medical sciences
Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent
Skills/Qualifications
Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain a Master's degree or equivalent qualification in veterinary medicine, medicine, biomedical sciences, biological sciences, or a related field relevant to the project before enrolment (1 April 2027).
The ideal candidate will demonstrate:
- A strong interest in preclinical research, regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, biomaterials, or surgical reconstruction.
- Good analytical, organisational, and communication skills.
- The ability to work independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary, international research environment.
- Proficiency in written and spoken English (candidates are expected to demonstrate proficiency at minimum C1 level; C2 preferred).
Experience in experimental surgery, large-animal models, histology, immunology, or biomaterials characterisation will be considered an advantage.
Languages: English
Level: Excellent
Languages: English
Level: Mother Tongue
Additional Information
Benefits
- Employment as a Doctoral Candidate at Charles University within an international Horizon Europe MSCA Doctoral Network.
- A doctoral research project combining preclinical surgical research, biomaterials, and regenerative medicine.
- International training and research secondments.
- Participation in the BioMuscle network's scientific activities, training programme, and international collaborations.
- Opportunities to develop technical, scientific, and transferable skills relevant to academic and non-academic careers.
Employment conditions and remuneration will be provided in accordance with the applicable MSCA funding rules and the regulations of Charles University.
Application deadline: 30 November 2026
Expected starting date: 1 April 2027
Duration: 36 months, full-time
Gross salary: 2790 € - gross salary (excluding employer's social and health contributions); In accordance with MSCA regulations, the recruited doctoral candidate is eligible to receive a mobility allowance to support relocation to the host country and, where applicable, a family allowance for researchers with family responsibilities.
Eligibility criteria
Applicants must meet the MSCA Doctoral Networks eligibility requirements at the date of recruitment:
- They must not already hold a doctoral degree.
- They must comply with the MSCA mobility rule: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the Czech Republic for more than 12 months during the 36 months immediately preceding recruitment, subject to the applicable MSCA rules.
Applicants of any nationality are welcome to apply.
Selection process
Applicants should submit the following documents in English:
- Curriculum vitae (CV).
- Motivation letter describing their research interests and suitability for the project (Clearly indicate how many months of “equivalent research experience” you have / will have in the period between obtaining your MSc and January 2027 and in which countries you have resided during the last 3 years for more than 12 months. If you are applying for multiple positions within BioMuscle, rank the positions based on preference. You can apply for a maximum of 3 positions within BioMuscle.)
- Copies of degree certificates and academic transcripts.
- Contact details for two academic or professional referees.
Applications should be submitted via https://is.cuni.cz/studium/eng/prijimacky/index.php?KEY=Az1 by 30 November 2026.
Interviews (1st round) with candidates will take place between 14 December 2026 and 30 January 2027.
2nd round of interviews will be jointly organized as a live recruitment event with the coordinating institution in Kortrijk, Belgium by the end of February 2027 at the latest.
For informal enquiries regarding the project, please contact: [contact details available in the full listing]
For inquiries regarding the application procedure please contact: [contact details available in the full listing]
The recruitment process will follow the principles of open, transparent, and merit-based recruitment.
BioMuscle is funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks programme (HORIZON-MSCA-2025-DN-01-01).
Additional comments
Supervisor: Dr. Vladimíra Moulisová is a senior scientist specializing in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine at the Biomedical Center of Charles University's Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen. Her research focuses on developing biocompatible 3D scaffolds, specialized hydrogels, and tissue decellularization protocols to solve critical organ shortages, building on over a decade of international research experience from the University of Glasgow. Alongside lecturing on medical biology and genetics, she actively serves the global scientific community through journal reviewing and editorial roles, maintains memberships in several prominent scientific societies, and contributes directly to research funding evaluation through her active participation on grant agency committees.
Work Location(s)
- Number of offers available: 1
- Company/Institute: Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Czech Republic
- Country: Czech Republic
- City: Pilsen
- Postal Code: 323 00
- Street: alej Svobody 76
Contact
- State/Province: Czech republic
- City: Plzeň
- Website: https://lfp.cuni.cz/en/doctoral-study/#admission-process
- Street: alej Svobody 76
- Postal Code: 323 00
- E-Mail: [contact details available in the full listing], [contact details available in the full listing]
