진학프로석·박사 채용 접수 플랫폼

Reference: Fellow_BI/FCT_Proj2025/i3S/11032403/2026

i3S – Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (hereinafter i3S) is opening a call to award a grant for the development of R&D activities by Master´s enrolled in non-academic degree courses integrated into the educational project of a higher education institution, within the project “HELIPY- Outsmarting HELIcobacter PYlori infection using lipid based-decoys”, ref. - COMPETE2030-FEDER-00686400, Operation No. 15757, funded by COMPETE2030 and national funds (FCT) under Notice no. MPr-2023-12.

Host Institution: i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Porto, Portugal

Scientific Area: Biomedical Engineering.

Project Title: “HELIPY- Outsmarting HELIcobacter PYlori infection using lipid based-decoys”.

Workplan:

Helicobacter pylori infects the stomach of approximately 50% (~4 billion) of the worldwide population. While often asymptomatic in early stages, infection invariably results in chronic gastritis and may progress to peptic ulcer disease, atrophic gastritis or gastric cancer, being implicated in circa 90% of all gastric cancers. Infection usually occurs in early childhood and persists life-long, despite a strong inflammatory defense reaction in the gastric mucosa. Cholesterol scavenging from host cell membranes is essential for H. pylori survival and plays a key role in immune evasion. Although antibiotic-based therapies are recommended for all infected individuals, the widespread use of eradication treatments has contributed to rising rates of therapeutic failure, leading to the need of new strategies to counteract infection. The HELIPY project aims to develop functionalized nanoparticles designed to specifically target H. pylori’s cholesterol auxotrophy.

Objectives:

• • Development and characterization of functionalized nanoparticles;
• • In vitro antibacterial and immunomodulatory response assays.

Admission Requirements:

Mandatory:

• • Candidates are required to have a Master’s Degree in Bioengineering or related area with average final classification equal to or higher than 14 (out of 20);
• • Candidates must be enrolled in a non-academic degree course integrated into the educational project of a higher education institution; Or:
• • An honor statement of capacity to enroll in the aforementioned course until the grant is contracted;
• • Hands-on laboratorial experience (M.Sc. thesis, summer internships etc.);
• • Fluency in written and spoken English;

Preferential:

• • Demonstrated laboratory and research experience working in BSL2 conditions;
• • Previous experience working with nanoparticle systems;
• • Previous publications in the field and/or attendance at relevant scientific conferences;
• • Candidates with international scientific experience;
• • Immediate availability to start the contract.

Legislation and other applicable regulations: Research Fellowship Holder Statute enacted by Law no. 40/2004 of August 18th, as amended; FCT Research Grants Regulation, approved by way of Regulation nr. 950/2019, published in the II Series of DR of December 16th, 2019; i3S Research Grants Regulation.

Place: The research activities will be hosted at i3S, under the scientific coordination of Doctor Paula Parreira.

Length time: The duration of the fellowship is 12 months. The expected starting date is April, 16th of 2026, upon availability of the financed funds.

Monthly maintenance stipend: €1.309,64, according to the values table of FCT, at Portugal (https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Tabela_valores_SMM_2025.pdf). The payments will be made by bank transference. Research grants may also include other components, as the voluntary social insurance, under the terms of the Research Fellowship Holder Statute, article 10.

Evaluation Criteria: The selection will be carried out through curricular evaluation (70%), taking into account previous experience in the areas described under the Admission Requirements, motivation letter in English (20%), and interview (10%). Candidates will be assessed on a scale from 1 to 100, followed by a ranking based on the total score obtained according to the criteria defined above. Up to two highest-ranked candidates will be invited for an interview.

Evaluation Panel: President – Doctor Paula Parreira; Other members – Doctor Bruna Costa and Doctor Flávia Castro. Substitute members – Doutora Cristina Martins e Doutora Cláudia Monteiro.

Information and Publicity of Funding Granted: The results of the evaluation will be notified by email to all candidates. After notification, candidates have 10 working days to comment and, within that period, a complaint may be submitted by email to rh.i3s@i3s.up.pt.

Applications: The call will be open between 11-03-2026 and 24-03-2026. The applications must be submitted electronically at:

https://dozer.i3s.up.pt/applicationmanagement/#/addapplications/11d8548b7ca6f614e8185539bb32ed4

The required documents composing the applications are: Certificate of Qualifications, Curriculum Vitae, letter of motivation in English, proof of enrollment in a course that does not confer an academic degree (proof of enrollment Or an honor statement of capacity to enroll in the aforementioned course until the grant is contracted), and other documents, considered as relevant by the candidate, taking into account what is described in the admission requirements and the preferential factors.

Documents to be provided at the time of contracting: in addition to those mentioned in the previous point, it is necessary to present proof of enrollment in non-academic degree course integrated into the educational project of a higher education institution.

Full announcement at: https://dozer.i3s.up.pt/fileupload/downloadfile/viewpdfnewtab/ee26549b1…