The Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC) is looking for a highly motivated PhD student who will work on a project exploring the idea that modern proteins originated from short peptides, under the supervision of María Luisa Romero. By focusing on potential precursors to Last Universal Common Ancestors’ proteome, the work will investigate how short peptides can give rise to complex functional structures. The results will contribute to the design of simple functional proteins and advance our understanding of the evolutionary processes underlying early life.
The selected candidate must hold a BSc and MSc in physics, chemistry, biology, bioinformatics, or related field.
Working conditions
- Contract duration: 3-year
- Estimated annual gross salary: Competitive salary according to national PhD fellowship schemes (FPI/AEI)
- Target start date: Autumn 2026
How to apply?
Interested candidates should send the following documents to maria.romero@iqac.csic.es with the subject PhD LUCA proteome:
- CV
- Motivation letter
- Contact details of two referees
Deadline: 30th July