PhD 4-year contract in Barcelona in the field of EvoDevo, Genomics and Bioinformatics

Job offer: PhD contract (4 years)

Cristian Cañestro’s lab offers a fully funded 4-year FPI PhD contract associated with our newly granted project PID2025-170547NB-I00, “Gene loss impact: evolution of cardioparaxial-neuromesodermal development and genome scrambling in Oikopleura dioica as a case study” (OikoLoss).

The PhD will be carried out within the Genetics Doctoral Programme at the University of Barcelona, in the Section of Genetics and the Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio).

THE CANDIDATES:

We welcome candidates interested in evolutionary developmental biology, genomics, bioinformatics and evolutionary and population genetics.

Applicants must hold bachelor’s and master’s degrees in a field related to Biological Sciences, such as Biology, Genetics or Bioinformatics

THE PROJECT:

OikoLoss investigates how gene loss can drive evolutionary innovation. Using the chordate Oikopleura dioica as a natural “evolutionary knockout” model, the project integrates EvoDevo, functional genomics, single-cell transcriptomics, population genomics and ecology through two complementary aims:

Aim 1. To determine how massive gene loss has reshaped heart, axial muscle and neuromesodermal development in chordates, using single-cell omics, gene-expression analyses and functional experiments.

Aim 2. To uncover how genome scrambling and chromosomal breakpoints generate gene-loss alleles, and to assess their potential adaptive impact to ocean environmental conditions.

THE TECHNIQUES:

The PhD will involve embryo culture and manipulation, microinjection, CRISPR-knockouts, interference-knockdowns, HCR whole-mount in situ hybridization, confocal microscopy, single-cell RNA sequencing, PacBio HiFi long-read genomic sequencing, comparative and population genomics, and bioinformatics.

TRAINING AND COLLABORATIONS:

The successful candidate will join a multidisciplinary research environment and will enjoy opportunities to interact with international partners and undertake research stays, particularly with collaborators at OIST in Okinawa, IGFL in Lyon, SARS in Bergen and CRG in Barcelona.

FUNDING:

The position consists of a fully funded 4-year FPI predoctoral contract associated with the granted PID2025 project. Salary, doctoral fees, mobility support and social-security conditions will follow the official programme and University of Barcelona regulations.

DEADLINES:

Expressions of interest and pre-selection ARE NOW OPEN. Early contact is strongly recommended. The formal application procedure and incorporation date will follow the official FPI and UB timetable.

– The application process is expected to be open in September 2026

– Incorporation is expected at the end of 2026 or 2027.

CONTACT and SELECTION:

Interested candidates should email Cristian Cañestro at canestro@ub.edu, attaching a single PDF containing:

– A motivation letter explaining why they wish to join the laboratory and which project aims interest them most.

– A brief CV, including Bachelor’s and master’s academic transcripts, including average grades.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an online interview. Selection will follow the UB’s responsible recruitment principles and will be based on academic record, relevant experience and motivation, without discrimination and with attention to gender balance.

Further information, related publications and updates:

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