CiMUS offers six internationally oriented PhD contracts, supported by its María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence accreditation.

• The programme offers six fully funded four-year predoctoral training contracts aligned with the Principles for Innovative Doctoral Training established by the European Commission.
• The application period opens today and closes on April 19, 2026.

CiMUS at the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) is launching the selection process for its predoctoral research training programme, framed within its recognition as a María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence, accreditation granted last year by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. This distinction highlights the centre’s scientific impact, its capacity to attract international talent, and its strong record in clinical translation. 

In this call, CiMUS offers six predoctoral contracts, fully funded by the Spanish State Research Agency, each lasting four years. These contracts are designed to support the comprehensive development of early-stage researchers, including international research stays and training activities. The deadline for submitting applications is April 19.

CiMUS, a leading institution in research excellence training

The CiMUS International PhD Programme provides high-level, structured training aligned with the Principles for Innovative Doctoral Training of the European Commission. Successful candidates will join leading research groups, gaining access to advanced infrastructures and an ecosystem that fosters interaction between basic and translational research.

The four-year contract offers the following annual gross salary:
•    €19,007.24 in the first and second year
•    €20,364.96 in the third year
•    €25,456.06 in the fourth year

 Additionally, the programme provides €7,000 to support research stays at other R&D institutions, as well as covering the PhD programme tuition fees for the entire contract.

The programme also includes workshops and mentoring activities aimed at fostering personal and professional development. The centre regularly hosts seminars and meetings led by renowned international experts in the biomedical field, offering participants opportunities to broaden their knowledge and expand their professional networks.

Selected candidates must complete an international research stay of at least three months and participate in scientific outreach activities such as conferences and specialized events. They must also present their work during the annual CiMUS Workshop.

Research projects

There are nine PhD research projects available for applicants:

•    Design and characterization of nanoparticles loaded with siRNA/mRNA for the treatment of liver fibrosis.
Supervisors: Rubén Nogueiras Pozo & María José Alonso Fernández
•    RNA modifications in transposable elements during early cell fate transitions and cancer.
Supervisors: Diana Guallar Artal & Miguel Fidalgo Pérez
•    Role of extracellular SUMO in viral infection, immune activation, and cancer progression.
Supervisors: Carmen Rivas Vázquez & Iria Gómez Touriño
•    Circadian regulation of the response to radiotherapy in adult and pediatric gliomas.
Supervisors: Olga Barca Mayo & Yolanda Prezado Alonso
•    Partial genetic and chemical reprogramming of obesity and metabolic syndrome.
Supervisors: Manuel Collado Rodríguez & Sulay Tovar Carro
•    Role of estrogen in shaping neuromodulatory brain circuits.
Supervisors: Alba Vieites Prado & Ismael González García
•    Extracellular vesicles as mediators of astrocyte–neuron communication in Parkinson’s disease.
Supervisors: Ana Isabel Rodríguez Pérez & José Manuel Castro Tubío
•    Peripheral control of metabolic organ homeostasis.
Supervisors: Marta Varela Rey & Ashwin Woodhoo
•    Inflammatory reprogramming of the blood–brain barrier as an early factor in cancer-associated cachexia.
Supervisors: Rosa Señarís Rodríguez & Dolores Viña Castelao

More information: https://cimus.usc.gal/jobs/public-call-tenders-cimus-052026-recruitment-predoctoral-researchers-framework-cimus-maria-de 

About CiMUS

CiMUS at the University of Santiago de Compostela is dedicated to cutting-edge research in the field of chronic diseases. Its mission is to generate high-impact knowledge that is connected to society and focusses on patients.

Its activity is structured into two major programmes: the Molecular Mechanisms of Disease Programme and the Integrative Translational Programme. These programmes connect fundamental knowledge with clinical translation, with a strong emphasis on technology transfer and therapeutic innovation.

CiMUS is an open and collaborative centre that promotes synergies with universities, healthcare institutions, the business sector and innovation organisations, both at the regional level and at the national and international levels. It holds the CIGUS recognition from the Xunta de Galicia (ED431G/2023/02), and is “funded by the Regional Ministry of Education, Science, Universities and Vocational Training” and “co‑funded by the European Union” through the Galicia ERDF Programme 2021–2027. In addition, it has recently been accredited at the national level as a María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence, awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (grant CEX2024‑001463‑M).