Beneficiaries
Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II (UNINA)
The Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II (UNINA) is the coordinating institution and will host two Doctoral Candidates. UNINA is the oldest public university in the world, founded in 1224. It has about 80.000 students per year and 28 different Departments. The UNINA Department of Chemical Sciences has 104 permanent position scientists in all chemistry, chemical biology and biochemistry areas. Furthermore, more than 160 PhD students and Post-Docs, are supported by either MIUR funds from the Italian Ministry for Education, University and Research, grants from the EU (ERC, MSCA and other programs) or industries located at the Department of Chemical Sciences. UNINA has published more than 500 articles in the last five years in peer-reviewed international journals of chemistry and biochemistry.
Universiteit Leiden (UL)
Leiden University (UL) will host two Doctoral Candidates. UL, founded in 1575, is one of Europe’s leading research locations. As a member of the League of European Research Universities (LERU), a partnership of prominent research universities in Europe, the graduates can take advantage of this prominent position when seeking employment both within and out with academia. The university has approximately 34,000 students and 7,600 staff members and has awarded, last year alone, around 4,800 Bachelor, 4,600 Master, 445 PhD degrees and published over 7,000 academic publications. The chemistry and life science research in the Leiden Institute of Chemistry (LIC) is organized around two major themes: Chemical Biology and Energy & Sustainability.
CIC bioGUNE (BIO)
CIC bioGUNE (BIO) is a non-profit biomedical research organisation focused on human health, and will host one Doctoral Candidate. It was awarded with the “Severo Ochoa” accreditation by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, the highest recognition in Spain for excellence in research (2017). BIO is also a founding member of the Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), which includes several technological and research centres from the Basque Country and aims to potentiate technological development and knowledge transfer within the region. BIO plays a strong role in advancing biomedical research and technological innovation, showing scientific leadership in two main areas of research: (i) Metabolism and Cell Signalling in Disease and (ii) Molecular Recognition and Host-Pathogen Interactions. BIO’s mission covers the development of high-level science, including fundamental research, industrial research and experimental development, high-quality training, institutional cooperation, internationalisation and dissemination. It employs 19 research group leaders, more than 110 postdoctoral researchers, technicians and engineers, and provides training opportunities to over 50 PhD students, with a wide seminar programme at the interface of biomedicine, biology, and chemistry. The “Chemical Glycobiolgy” research group, led by Dr Jesús Jiménez-Barbero, is focused on the study of glycan-protein interactions from a chemical perspective, with an emphasis on the structural elements at the atomic and molecular levels that govern these molecular recognition processes.
Universitat de Barcelona (UB)
The University of Barcelona (UB), ranked the first Spanish University, is one of the largest and oldest universities in Spain, being one of the top Universities to have a large number of international students, managing an average of 150 EU projects per year. UB will host one Doctoral Candidate who will be hosted by the Department of Chemistry and the Institute for Theoretical and Computational Chemistry of the UB (IQTCUB). With 80 research-active members and state-of-the art computer equipment, the institute is dedicated to develop and efficiently use computational methods to solve problems related to environment and energy, materials science and biology. The group of Prof. Rovira (ERC grant recipient) is internationally known for work on the computer simulation of catalytic mechanisms in carbohydrate-active enzymes.
Danmarks Tekniske Universitet (DTU)
The Technical University of Denmark (Danmarks Tekniske Universitet, DTU) will host one Doctoral Candidate and is ranked among Europe's leading engineering institutions. DTU has nearly 13,000 full-time students (BSc Eng, BEng, MSc Eng) and presents and international study environment with 2,000 international MSc students and 1,450 PhD students enrolled from more than 100 different countries. The Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (DTU Bioengineering) seeks a fundamental and applied understanding of biological and molecular systems. Within the Department, the Section for Protein Chemistry and Enzyme Technology (PCET) has enzyme discovery and enzyme technology as core research disciplines. PCET has 7 professor groups, in total ca. 70 people. Prof. Henrissat, a global leader in the field of carbohydrate-active enzymes and creator of the widely used CAZy database (link), was recruited in PCET at DTU Bioengineering in April 2021.
Université de Rouen Normandie (URN)
With over 32,000 students and 37 research units, the University of Rouen Normandy (URN) plays a leading role in teaching and research in Normandy. We are involved in regional teaching and research clusters, and promote interregional research activities by developing nationally and internationally renowned scientific partnerships. We therefore partake in numerous international projects in partnership with over 40 countries. The Glyco-MEV “Glycobiology and Plant Extracellular Matrix” laboratory will host is one of the leading laboratories working in the field of “Plant Glycobiology” in France and is internationally recognized (http://glycomev.univ-rouen.fr/). It will host one Doctoral Candidate. The research aims to understand the structural and functional organization of cell wall polysaccharides, proteoglycans and N-glycoproteins in higher plants and microalgae in relation with development, defence against biotic and abiotic stresses and production of biologics. This is done through multidisciplinary approaches that include genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and functional genomics, structural analysis of oligo-and polysaccharides and cell imaging. The laboratory is the co-founder of the Cell Imaging Platform of Normandy (a nationally recognized IBiSA platform; https://primacen.crihan.fr/) and of the PISSARO Platform (a nationally recognized IBiSA platform; https://pissaro.normandie-univ.fr/). Glyco-MEV research has led to major breakthroughs related to the Golgi-mediated synthesis of N-glycoproteins and cell wall polysaccharides, especially regarding the structural analysis of glycans N-linked to proteins from microalgae and identification of glycoenzymes (glycosidases and glycosyltransferases) involved in their biosynthesis.
Universität Duisburg-Essen (UDE)
The University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) was founded in 2003 and is one of Germany's youngest and largest universities. UDE ranks 29th in the Times Higher Education (THE) Young University Ranking and 251st in the THE World University Ranking. UDE´s interfaculty Center of Medical Biotechnology (ZMB) includes > 80 research groups from the Faculties of Chemistry, Biology, and Medicine, >500 PhDs and Postdocs, its own Graduate School of Biomedical Science and numerous collaborative research projects and structured PhD programmes. The Center for Water and Environmental Research (ZWE) is an interdisciplinary and cross-departmental research center founded in 2003. The ZWE coordinates the UDE profile focus on water research and, with its focus on the topics of biodiversity, urban water cycle and water quality, bundles the experience and resources of scientists and experts working in water and environmental research at the UDE and the Ruhr region. UDE offers its 41,740 students from over 130 nations 267 degree programs. UDE promotes strategic partnerships with over 100 universities around the world. UDE will host two Doctoral Candidates.
Associated Partners
Atlas Molecular Pharma S.L. (AMP)
Atlas Molecular Pharma S.L (AMP) is an SME with a focus on discovering first-in-class innovative therapeutics for rare and ultra-rare diseases and licensing them to larger partners. Specifically, it generates preclinical project packages (candidate drug and back-up/alternative chemical series) that can be partnered prior to safety and toxicology studies/progression into Phase I clinical studies. To that end, we have developed and validated a proprietary Platform Technology process that can act as a “drug discovery engine” for Rare Diseases. AMP will host two Doctoral Candidates for secondment and will be involved in scientific workshops, and transferable skills
Zelula Biopharma SL (ZB)
Zelula Biopharma SL (ZB) is a biotechnology company working in the field of cancer immunotherapy. The entity is located in the Gipuzkoa Technology Park in San Sebastian and research activities are focused on drug development for the treatment of solid tumors, with an emphasis in advanced therapies targeting immunosuppression elicited by glycan interactions. ZB will host two Doctoral Candidates for secondment and will be involved in scientific workshops, and transferable skills
Alga Biologics (AB)
Alga Biologics (AB) is a deeptech company developing and producing recombinant antibodies targeting cancers in microalgae. AB will host two Doctoral Candidates for secondment and will be involved in scientific workshops, and transferable skills.
Samabriva (SAM)
Samabriva (SAM) is a biotechnology company specialized in the bioproduction of high added-value molecules (secondary metabolites, recombinant proteins, VLPs) mainly for the Biopharmaceutical and API markets. The company has developed an innovative platform that combines the advantages of plant-based production systems (low cost, safety, absence of any animal products and any risk of transmission of viruses or prions) with "traditional" bioproduction in large-scale single-use bioreactors (several hundred liters). This system allows a continuous and reproducible production of a wide range of molecules, throughout the year and in any place (relocation). SAM will host three Doctoral Candidates for secondment and will be involved in scientific workshops, and transferable skills
Isuschem Srl (IC)
Isuschem srl (IC) is an innovative start-up and university spin-off with the chemical sciences department of Federico II in Naples. We operate in the industrial field of chemical products from waste vegetable oils. The corporate structure is made up of a group of researchers from the Chemistry department of Federico II in Naples and young local investors. ICs activity consists of basic research and the synthesis at pilot industrial level of products made from waste oils not deriving from crops of edible oils. These oils are part of the so-called waste biomass which does not involve the use of products deriving from food crops and does not reduce soil from the cultivation of products in the food chain. IC will host two Doctoral Candidates for secondment and will be involved in scientific workshops and transferable skills.
Universidad del Pais Vasco (UPV/EHU)
The UPV/EHU is the leading teaching and research institution in the Basque Country. It is recognised as International Excellence Campus by Spain. The region's success and scientific and technological progress are underpinned by UPV/EHU, a vibrant 40-year-old institution with 45000 students, 5000 academic staff and state-of-the-art facilities distributed in three campuses. In 2021, UPV/EHU received the HR Excellence in Research Award. At postgraduate level, we offer 103 official master and 71 PhD programmes. The Doctoral Programme in Synthetic & Industrial Chemistry, in which ESRs will be enrolled, has > 60 PhDs, supported by regional, national, EU funds and industry displays a Quality Distinction Award from the Spanish Ministry of Education. UPV/EHU will Award Doctoral Degree to one Doctoral Candidate.
Innovation Acta (INNACTA)
INN-ACTA is a company specialized in managing H2020 and HE project proposals and actions. INN-ACTA Grants Managers are highly qualified and have acquired a renowned competence in grants management and dissemination activities from over 20-year experience in EU-funded projects, including Collaborative Projects in Health Programmes, Coordination and Supporting Actions, IMI projects, Marie Curie Actions. INN-ACTA’s expertise ranges from grants management to dissemination activities (e.g. printed materials, flyers, brochures, newsletters, project websites, videos), training activities, organization of meetings, conferences, workshops and Project events. INN-ACTA will organise training courses, and assist UNINA in coordination and management
Imperial College Londo (ICL)
Imperial College London (ICL) is among the most successful Universities in the world, with a heavy focus on research and learning in STEM. The College has 18.400 students and has been ranking consistently among the top Universities globally, being the most international University in the UK (Times Higher Ed.) and the 2nd most innovative University in Europe Reuters) in 2022. Imperial has 200 active student and academic startups, securing > £100m investment. The Department of Chemistry hosts more than 80 research groups and admits 65-70 PhD students per year in the brand-new £167m Molecular Sciences Research Hub. Chemical Biology and Healthcare is a strategic theme of the Department, with heavy investments in infrastructure and the Institute of Chemical Biology that hosts the £5m Centre for Doctoral Training in Chemical Biology. ICL will Recruit and host one Doctoral Candidate as Associated Partner.
The Francis Crick Institute (Crick)
The Francis Crick Institute (Crick) is a world-leading research institute, established in 2016, as a merger between the Cancer Research Institute and the Medical Research, along with four founding partners (Imperial College London (ICL), King’s College London and University College London and the Wellcome Trust Foundation). Built on hugely successful legacies and bringing together different research fields and areas of expertise, the Crick creates the perfect multidisciplinary environment to tackle major biological and biomedical questions. It constitutes Europe’s largest biomedical research institute, having under its roof more than 1200 scientists (organised in 108 labs) and 700 support staff. Postdocs constitute more than 30% of the Crick’s scientist community and have very diverse backgrounds (~80% from outside the UK). All Crick postdocs are part of a world class “Postdoc Training Program”, which is committed to provide the maximum of support to foster their professional evolution through a wide range of actions. In order to accelerate discovery and produce top-quality research, the Crick contains 16 core facilities (known as “Science and Technology Platforms” or STPs) that offer training and access to state-of-the-art equipment and methodology. The additional supportive structures of the Crick include numerous administrative and operational facilities (i.e. HR, Laboratory Operations, IT&S, Library & Information Services, Grants & Finance, Translation etc). Moreover, Crick develops and runs an excellent training program, providing a plethora of scientific and career development opportunities to all its staff; with particular attention to PhD students and postdocs. Being committed to pursue discovery without boundaries, engage and inspire the public, the Crick has dedicated “Public Engagement” and “Communication” teams, and holds a large range of seminar, symposia, conferences, events for a variety of audiences and partakes in several outreach activities. CRICK will host one Doctoral Candidate to carry out the doctoral thesis.