7 Apr 2026
Hosting Information
Offer Deadline: Wed, 9 Sep 2026 - 16:00
EU Research Framework Programme: Horizon Europe - MSCA
Country: Spain
City: Granada
Organisation/Institute
Organisation / Company: University of Granada
Department: Microbiology
Laboratory: Microbial Antagonism Lab
Is the Hosting related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?: No
Contact Information
Organisation / Company Type: Higher Education Institution
Website: http://www.ofpi.ugr.es
https://www.researchgate.net/lab/Avian-Microbiome-and-Behavioural-Ecology-Lab-Juan-Jose-Soler
Email: promofpi@ugr.es
ammartin@ugr.es
State/Province: Granada
Postal Code: 18071
Street: Fuentenueva s/n
Description
MSCA-PF: Joint application at the University of Granada. Department of Microbiology.
Professor Antonio M. Martín Platero, from the Department of Microbiology at the University of Granada, welcomes postdoctoral candidates interested in applying for a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship (MSCA-PF) in 2026 at this University. Please note that applicants must comply with the Mobility Rule (for more information about the 2026 call, please consult this link).
Brief description of the institution:
The University of Granada (UGR), founded in 1531, is one of the largest and most important universities in Spain. With more than 57,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students and almost 7,000 members of staff, the UGR offers 97 undergraduate degrees, 157 master’s degrees (7 of which are double degrees) and 28 doctoral programmes via its 124 departments and nearly 50 centers. Accordingly, the UGR offers one of the most extensive and diverse ranges of higher education programmes in Spain.
The UGR has been awarded with the "Human Resources Excellence in Research (HRS4R)", which reflects the institution’s commitment to continuously improve its human resource policies in line with the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. The UGR is also internationally renowned for its excellence in diverse research fields and ranked among the top Spanish universities in a variety of ranking criteria, such as national R&D projects, fellowships awarded, publications, and international funding.
The UGR is one of the few Spanish Universities listed in the Shanghai Top 500 ranking - Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU). The 2025 edition of the ARWU places the UGR in 301-400th position in the world and as the 3-8 highest ranked University in Spain, reaffirming its position as an institution at the forefront of national and international research. From the perspective of specialist areas in the ARWU rankings, the UGR is outstanding in Mathematics, Artificial Intelligence and Dentistry & Oral Sciences (ranked between 51th-75th position), Computer Science & Engineering, Education and Hospitality & Tourism Management (between 76-100th position), and in the areas of Food Science & Technology and Business Administration (between 101-150th position). A little lower in the ranking, the UGR also stands out in the areas of Earth Sciences, Law, Management, Nursing, Psychology and Statistics, in which the UGR is positioned in the 151-200th position.
Additionally, the UGR counts with 4 researchers at the top of the Highly Cited Researchers (HCR) list, most of them related to the Computer Science and Mathematics scientific areas. It is also well recognised for its presence in the top 200 Universities in Europe at 83th place.
Internationally, the University of Granada is firmly committed to its participation in the calls of the Framework Programme of the European Union. For the duration of the prevoius Framework Programme, Horizon 2020, the UGR obtained a total of 124 projects with a total funding of more than €30 million. For the current Framework Programme, Horizon Europe, the UGR has obtained 136 projects, so far, with a total funding of more than €38 million.
Brief description of the Centre/Research Group:
The research activity carried out by Prof. A.M. Martín-Platero is developed in the Microbial Antagonism Lab of the University of Granada (UGR), led by Prof. M. Martínez-Bueno; and the Avian Microbiome and Behavioural Ecology Lab, which is a research associated unit led by J.J. Soler that includes the Behavioural Ecology Group of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), the Animal Behavior and ecology group of the Department of Zoology of the UGR led by M. Martín-Vivaldi, and the Microbial Antagonism Lab of the Department of Microbiology of the UGR. This unit is a multidisciplinary research group that combines molecular microbiological expertise with the ecological context of how antagonistic bacteria affect wild bird survival and reproduction.
Overall, the hosting lab is focused on applied and molecular microbial ecology, mainly by the study of antimicrobial peptides produced by lactic acid bacteria, and the role of microbiomes as symbiotic communities. On one hand the group studies the factors that drive microbial assemblages and the role of antagonistic interactions in the wild. On the other hand, the group studies the application of such antagonistic substances and microbial populations in farming animals, food preservation and clinical applications. To this end, the group combines classical microbiological methods with up-to-date omics methods and data analysis in the context of behavioural ecology of the animal-symbionts systems.
Project description:
Symbiotic associations between microorganisms and animals are essential for host physiology, immunology, and behavior. While research has traditionally focused on pathogenesis, we are just beginning to understand the key role of microbiota driving adaptive responses to environmental challenges, such as defending against parasites or communicating with conspecifics. We are exploring the possibility that birds cultivate beneficial bacterial symbionts in specialized body parts (such as the uropygial gland in hoopoes) that play important roles in defense against parasites or pathogens, and in social communication. We have previously shown the importance of Enterococcus populations, producers of antimicrobial peptides (i.e. bacteriocins), as a key component of the hoopoe’s uropygial gland microbiome during breeding. But while this genus is the main bacteria isolated in culture, metagenomics approaches show a higher complexity in these communities than previously anticipated. Thus, we are expanding our studies to analyze the anaerobic portion of the community, and its interactions with symbiotic enterococci. Current genomics technologies in combination with molecular ecological approaches will be used to understand the mechanisms by which hoopoes manage to control such complex symbiotic communities and the key adaptative traits of their microbiological symbionts.
Research Area:
- Environment and Geosciences (ENV)
- Life Sciences (LIFE)
For a correct evaluation of your candidature, please send the documents below to Professor Antonio M. Martín Platero (ammartin@ugr.es):
- CV
- Letter of recommendation (optional)
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