Job Information
Organisation/Company: University of Santiago de Compostela
Department: CIMUS Biomedical Research Institute
Research Field: Biological sciences » Biology; Neurosciences » Neurobiology; Biological sciences » Biological engineering; Pharmacological sciences » Pharmacy
Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)
Positions: PhD Positions
Application Deadline: 1 Oct 2026 - 23:45 (Europe/Madrid)
Country: Spain
Type of Contract: Temporary
Job Status: Full-time
Offer Starting Date: 25 Aug 2026
Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?: Horizon Europe - MSCA
Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number: 101312753
Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?: No
Offer Description
EUROPE: 15 PhD positions in the MSCA Doctoral Network DECODES: Deciphering the Splicing Code in Human Disease
Grant Agreement No. 101312753
Alternative splicing (AS) is a fundamental post-transcriptional mechanism that enables a single gene to generate multiple protein isoforms, dramatically expanding proteomic diversity. Dysregulation of AS is now recognised as a hallmark of human disease, contributing directly to cancer progression, neurodegeneration, metabolic syndromes, and numerous rare genetic disorders. Despite major technological advances, the translation of AS biology into clinical benefit remains limited by critical gaps in mechanistic understanding and by the absence of an integrated framework capable of driving discoveries from molecular insight to therapeutic intervention.
DECODES, coordinated by the University of Santiago de Compostela, has been conceived to meet this challenge. It unites leading European scientists with highly complementary expertise to establish a coherent, interdisciplinary, and intersectoral research programme that bridges fundamental RNA biology with clinical and industrial translation. At its core, DECODES is a high-level doctoral programme that will provide advanced, multidisciplinary training spanning computational genomics, structural biology, disease modelling, RNA biochemistry, medicinal chemistry and pharmacological screening.
Embedded in a fully international, interdisciplinary and intersectoral environment, the programme will equip 15 Doctoral Candidates with state-of-the-art research expertise, comprehensive transferable skills and entrepreneurial competencies through structured coursework and immersive industrial secondments.
By integrating these diverse disciplines into a unified pipeline for the discovery of pathogenic isoforms and the development of precision splicing-targeted therapies, DECODES will push the boundaries of RNA splicing research and train a new generation of scientists uniquely prepared to become future leaders in academia, biotechnology and translational medicine.
The 15 positions are distributed among the DECODES beneficiaries as follows:
- DC1 @University of Southampton (UK)
Prof. Diana Baralle
Application of advanced multi-omic technologies as a diagnostic tool for rare diseases and identification of RNA therapeutic targets. - DC2 @University of Basel (Switzerland)
Prof. Dr. Mihaela Zavolan
An integrative approach to the discovery of disease-related isoforms. - DC3 @University Pompeu Fabra (Spain)
Prof. Manuel Irimia
Mapping splicing regulatory programs in beta cell failure and diabetes - DC4 @Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine (GIMM) / Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon (Portugal)
Prof. Maria Carmo-Fonseca
Decoding and correcting splicing in cancer predisposition genes - DC5 @Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) - Zurich (Switzerland)
Prof. Dr. Frederic Allain
A role for liquid-liquid phase separation in co-transcriptional splicing - DC6 @Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (HMGU) / Technical University of Munich (Germany)
Prof. Michael Sattler
Structural biology and mechanisms of branch point selection and quality control in spliceosome assembly - DC7 @University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain)
Prof. Marta Varela Rey
Discovery and functional characterization of the splicing signature during hepatic fibrosis development - DC8 @University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain)
Prof. Ashwin Woodhoo
Molecular and Functional Analysis of Splicing Regulation in Demyelinating Nerve Disorders - DC9 @IMol Polish Academy of Sciences (Poland)
Prof. Maciej Ciesla
Regulatory mechanisms controlling nuclear dynamics of splicing factors during stem-cell activation - DC10 @Centre for Genomic Regulation / University Pompeu Fabra (Spain)
Prof. Juan Valcárcel
Molecular mechanisms of splicing dysregulation in cancer - DC11 @Southern Denmark University (Denmark)
Prof. Brage Storstein Andresen
RNA-binding motif proteins RBM10, RBM12 and RBM12B: Global and autoregulatory alternative splicing in health and disease. - DC12 @University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain)
Prof. Ashwin Woodhoo
Dissecting the biological and molecular function of ZFHX4 in Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors (MPNST) - DC13 @Leiden University Medical Center (Netherlands)
Prof. Annemieke Aartsma-Rus
ASO-mediated splicing modulation for neurodegenerative diseases patients with ultrarare mutations - DC14 @Astra Zeneca Sweeden / University of Gotemburg (Sweeden)
Dr. Christian Leon
Advancing Splice-Switching RNA Therapeutics through novel Oligonucleotide Chemical Approaches and Targeted Delivery Platforms - DC15 @University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain)
Prof. Maria Isabel Loza García
Pharmacological Disruption of LSM2-8–Dependent Splicing in Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors
Where to apply
E-mail: msca.decodes@gmail.com
Requirements
Research Field: Biological sciences » Biology
Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent
Research Field: Biological sciences » Biological engineering
Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent
Research Field: Pharmacological sciences » Pharmacy
Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent
Research Field: Neurosciences » Neurobiology
Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent
Skills/Qualifications
The ideal candidates must meet the following criteria:
- Educational Background: A Master’s degree (or equivalent diploma) in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Biotechnology, Biomedicine, or a closely related Life Sciences discipline.
- Core Scientific Literacy: Solid foundational knowledge of molecular biology mechanisms and standard life science laboratory workflows.
- Analytical Skills: Basic proficiency in statistical analysis, quantitative logic, or digital tools for biological data handling.
- Communication: Excellent written and spoken English language skills, sufficient for collaborative scientific work and international networking.
- Adaptability: High motivation to work in an agile, interdisciplinary environment spanning both academic research and industrial/clinical applications.
Languages: ENGLISH
Level: Excellent
Additional Information
Benefits
Successful candidates will join an international, interdisciplinary and intersectoral doctoral network.
- DECODES fellows will be employed according to the rules applicable to Doctoral Candidates in the 2025 MSCA Doctoral Networks Working Programme and the general regulations of the relevant recruiting participant.
- The financial package will include the monthly allowances applicable under the 2025 MSCA Doctoral Networks Working Programme, during 36-month contracts, subject to the applicable country correction coefficient and the conditions defined by the relevant host institution:
- Living Allowance: 4,010€/month
- Mobility Allowance: 710€/month
- Family Allowance (if applicable): 660€/month
- Special Needs Allowance (if applicable)
* Values should cover gross salary and institution’s employment costs, depending on every hosting country.
Eligibility criteria
- Supported researchers must be Doctoral Candidates (DCs), meaning that they must not already hold a doctoral degree at the date of recruitment. Researchers who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but have not yet formally been awarded the doctoral degree will not be considered eligible.
- Recruited researchers may be of any nationality and must comply with the MSCA mobility rule. At the time of selection by the host organisation, researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting participant for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before recruitment. Short stays, such as holidays, are not taken into account.
- Secondment Readiness: Candidates must be fully willing and able to relocate internationally for secondments (research stays) at other academic or industrial partner institutions within the network.
Selection process
The selection procedure will be open, transparent, merit-based and aligned with the European Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers and the applicable MSCA Doctoral Network requirements.
Candidates should submit the following documents as one single PDF file via email to msca.decodes@gmail.com for one to maximum three positions indicating their preference.
The email subject should be "DECODES_number of DC positions in order of preference (e.g. '1,5,8')_YourSurnameName"
- a detailed CV
- a motivation letter
- transcripts of bachelor’s and master’s degrees
- and an English certificate
We will choose the candidates that fit the most in the different projects in the following steps:
- Eligibility check: the recruitment committee will verify that applications are complete and that applicants meet the eligibility criteria.
- Remote evaluation: each eligible application will be assessed by the appropriate evaluators and/or principal investigators according to the requirements of the selected projects. The principal investigators will select up to four candidates per position to pass through to the following stage.
- Online Interviews: short-listed candidates will be invited for an online interview. Those who have been positively evaluated but not initially called for interviews will be put on a reserve list. Short-listed candidates will be interviewed by their potential supervisor (i.e. the supervisor responsible for the research project of interest), two additional supervisors from the network, and a member of the recruitment committee.
- Notification of selection outcomes: candidates will be informed of the outcome. Selected candidates will then be put in contact with the corresponding principal investigator and the HR Department of the hosting institution to initiate the hiring procedure.
- Candidates who receive a positive evaluation but are not initially selected may be placed on a reserve or waiting list to cover possible renunciations, subject to the applicable recruitment rules.
Recruitment calendar
- Call opening: August 19, 2026.
- Deadline for applications: October 1, 2026.
- Remote evaluation results: October 10, 2026.
- Interviews: October 10–31, 2026.
- Notification to candidates: November 15, 2026.
- Start date of the fellowship: January–December 2027, according to the individual position and host-institution arrangements.
Additional comments
For more information reach out to msca.decodes@gmail.com
Website for additional job details: https://www.linkedin.com/company/141283966
Work Location(s)
- Number of offers available: 4 - Universidad Santiago de Compostela, Spain, Santiago de Compostela
- Number of offers available: 1 - University of Southampton, United Kingdom, Southampton
- Number of offers available: 1 - University of Basel, Switzerland, Basel
- Number of offers available: 1 - University Pompeu Fabra, Spain, Barcelona
- Number of offers available: 1 - Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine (GIMM), Portugal, Lisboa
- Number of offers available: 1 - Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) - Zurich, Switzerland, Zurich
- Number of offers available: 1 - Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (HMGU), Germany, Munich
- Number of offers available: 1 - IMol Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland, Warszawa
- Number of offers available: 1 - Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Spain, Barcelona
- Number of offers available: 1 - Southern Denmark University, Denmark, Odense
- Number of offers available: 1 - Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands, Leiden
- Number of offers available: 1 - AstraZeneca AB, Sweden, Gotheborg
Contact
City: Santiago de Compostela
Website: http://www.cimus.usc.gal, http://www.usc.gal
Street: Avenida de Barcelona s/n
Postal Code: 15706
E-Mail: msca.decodes@gmail.com
Phone: +34 881815374