진학프로석·박사 채용 접수 플랫폼

The Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS)/University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain) is looking for candidates to apply for a Postdoctoral Fellowship in the framework of the Marie-Sklodowska Curie Programme 2026.

2 positions are offered in the Gene Regulatory Control in Disease Laboratory (Supervisor: Prof. Ashwin Woodhoo), and the Liver Metabolism and Disorders Laboratory (Supervisor: Prof. Marta Varela Rey).

Who are we?

Using both experimental and computational approaches, our laboratory aims to uncover the mechanistic basis of gene expression control in developmental and pathological contexts, from individual genes to whole genomes. We investigate multiple layers of gene expression regulation, including transcriptional, translational, and post-translational mechanisms, with a particular focus on nerve disorders and liver disease.

Selected candidates will join a multidisciplinary team comprising computational, molecular, and cellular biologists.

The laboratory is funded by the European Commission (ERC Consolidator Grant) and the Spanish Ministry of Science, as well as private foundations (AECC).

Background Project 1 (Ashwin Woodhoo):

The myelin sheath is essential for neuronal function and health: myelinating glial cells speed up propagation of axonal potentials, fuel the energetic demands and regulate the ionic environment of neurons. Lesions to the myelin sheath thus result in devastating neurological disorders that include multiple sclerosis, diabetic neuropathy and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. On the other hand, Schwann cell plasticity i.e. their ability to breakdown myelin and subsequent de-differentiation, can actually be beneficial in other situations, namely in peripheral nerve regeneration. Peripheral nerves have a striking ability to regenerate after injury, whereby axons can grow readily back to their targets, redundant myelin is removed and new myelin formed around regenerated axons, with the result that nerve tissue that is broadly normal in structure and function, is restored in a surprisingly short time.

There is emerging evidence, enabled by modern techniques, that ribosomes, typically viewed as invariant, passive molecular machines, may instead be heterogeneous in composition, with particular ribosomal components having a ‘specialized’ regulatory capacity for preferential translation of specific mRNAs. In this project (MyeRIBO, financed by an ERC Consolidator grant) we propose that translation control by specialized ribosomes is a novel layer of regulation that shapes the proteome of the myelinating glial cell during myelination and in nerve repair. The candidate, in collaboration with leading European groups, will exploit advances in cryo-EM and quantitative proteomics analyses to discover the nature and diversity of ribosomes in myelinating cells, employ genome-wide ribosome profiling to obtain mechanistic insights into selective mRNA translation by heterogeneous ribosomes, and generate genetic mouse models to determine the functional consequences of this specialization for myelination in vivo. MyeRIBO will push further the boundaries of our current understanding of the molecular control of myelination, which could have a profound impact for understanding neural development and myelin disorders.

https://cimus.usc.gal/es/group/genecontrol

Background Project 2 (Marta Varela Rey):

The liver is one of the most vital and functionally diverse organs in the human body. It serves as a metabolic hub, regulating numerous physiological processes essential for systemic homeostasis. These include energy metabolism, nutrient storage, detoxification, protein synthesis, immune surveillance, and bile production. However, the liver is also a frequent target of various pathologies—ranging from metabolic disorders to chronic inflammation and cancer. A unique hallmark of this organ is its exceptional capacity to regenerate, a property that holds enormous therapeutic promise. Ongoing research is rapidly advancing our understanding of the molecular and cellular basis of liver physiology and pathology, paving the way for the development of diagnostic biomarkers, targeted therapies, and regenerative strategies aimed at preserving and restoring liver function. The selected candidate will investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying hepatic cellular responses to chronic liver diseases of diverse etiologies, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), cholestatic liver disease, as well as liver regenerative responses following hepatic resection and the development of cholangiocarcinoma.

https://cimus.usc.gal/group/liver-metabolism-and-disorders-laboratory

Key publications:

1.         Woodhoo A, Varela-Rey M. Transient steatosis reprograms MDMs for liver repair. Nature Metabolism. 2026 Mar 11. doi: 10.1038/s42255-026-01479-y. 

2.         Capelo-Diz A, Lachiondo-Ortega S, Fernández-Ramos D, Cañas-Martín J, et al, Varela-Rey M. Hepatic levels of S-adenosylmethionine regulate the adaptive response to fasting. Cell Metabolism. 2023 Aug 8;35(8):1373-1389.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.07.002. 

3.         Ayuso-García P, Sánchez-Rueda A, et al, Varela-Rey M & Woodhoo A. Neddylation orchestrates the complex transcriptional and posttranscriptional program that drives Schwann cell myelination. Science Advances. 2024 Apr 12;10(15):eadm7600. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adm7600. 

4.         Novoa E, et al, Varela-Rey M, Gonzalez-Rellan MJ, Gracia-Sancho J, Iruzubieta P, Schwaninger M, Nogueiras R. Lack of PCK1 in hepatic stellate cells causes liver fibrosis by fueling tricarboxylic acid cycle and increasing glycolysis. Cell Metabolism. 2026 Feb 23:S1550-4131(26)00016-1.