A training network on glyconanomaterials as precision tools to unveil key insights on the triggering of the antigen presenting cells against cancer.
Applicants must submit their application exclusively through the project website by using the “APPLY NOW” function. Applications submitted through any other channel or by any other means will not be considered.
The positions are open to candidates of any nationality, provided that they fully comply with the eligibility criteria for Doctoral Candidates (DCs) funded under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions – Doctoral Networks (MSCA-DN) scheme (see Annex A on the project website), including the MSCA-DN Mobility Rule, which requires that applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting organization for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately prior to the recruitment date.
Applicants must be not already in possession of a doctoral degree.
Applicants must hold a Master’s Degree or equivalent, suitable for admission to doctoral studies at the date of enrollment.
The salaries of the DCs will be paid in accordance with the MSCA-DN rules under call HORIZON-MSCA-2024-DN-01-01
Department of Chemistry ‘Ugo Schiff’
University of Florence (UNIFI)
Florence, Italy
Bioconjugation of lectin-targeting polysaccharides to polyamines at different density and physicochemical characterization of the resulting GlycoNanoMaterials (GNM) and of the corresponding polyplexes.
Training in synthesis of polyamine/polysaccharide-based polyplexes, enzymatic synthesis of mRNA, advanced microscopy, radiochemistry and bioimaging of radiolabelled GNM.
1) RiboPro (NL), A. H. van Asbeck;
2) CIC biomaGUNE (ES), J. Llop;
Department of Chemistry ‘Ugo Schiff’
University of Florence (UNIFI)
Florence, Italy
Synthesis of cellulose nanocrystal-gold nanoparticle hybrids (CNC-Au), functionalization with immunogenic peptides and their biomolecular interaction studies with lectins.
Training in synthesis of CNC-based GlycoNanoMaterials (GNM), advanced microscopy, expression of recombinant lectins, cell biology.
1) EnGenes (AT), J. Mairhofer;
2) Univ. Nova de Lisboa (PT), P. Videira;
Department of Chemistry ‘Ugo Schiff’
University of Florence (UNIFI)
Florence, Italy
Synthesis of polycationic cellulose nanocrystals (pCNC), functionalization with targeting fragments and fluorescent probes, and preparation of the corresponding polyplexes.
Training in synthesis and characterization of pCNC-based polyplexes, advanced microscopy, antibody isotyping and T cell culture.
1) AUMC (NL), S. van Vliet;
2) Aptuit (IT), M. E. Perico;
Synthesis of Cyclodextrin-based nanocarriers with targeting fragments and fluorescent probes, and preparation of the corresponding polyplexes or conjugation with suitably derivatized immunogenic peptides.
Training in nanotech at industrial scale, cell biology, advanced microscopy, biophysical techniques.
1) CIC biomaGUNE, S. Moya;
2) Univ. Nova de Lisboa (PT), P. Videira;
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Strasbourg, France
Synthesis of polycationic amino acid-based nanoparticles (AA-NPs), functionalization with targeting fragments and fluorescent probes, conjugation with suitably derivatized immunogenic peptides, and their biomolecular interaction studies with lectins.
Training in the synthesis of NPs for peptide delivery, chemical functionalization, physicochemical characterization of multifunctional NPs, cell biology, carbohydrate-lectin interactions, industrial scale-up processes.
1) AUMC (NL), S. van Vliet;
2) CarboHyde (HU), M. Malanga;
Enzymatic synthesis and characterization of high-quality mRNAs encoding for antigenic peptides; use of microfluidic mixing to produce size-defined lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) and their functionalization with targeting fragments and fluorescent probes, preparation of the corresponding lipoplexes or with suitably derivatize immunogenic peptides.
Training in enzymatic synthesis, microfluidics, bionanotechnology, carbohydrate & click chemistry, GlycoNanoMaterials (GNM) formulation and anti-cancer activity.
1) University of Milan (IT), L. Lay;
2) Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (ES), C. Alvarez;
Department of Chemistry
Università degli Studi di Milano (UMIL)
Milan, Italy
Synthesis of carbohydrate fragments and immunogenic peptides bearing suitable linkers for the conjugation with GlycoNanoMaterials (GNM);
Training in carbohydrate & peptide synthesis, regioselectivity on GNM, parameters for optimal GNM formulations for in vivo studies.
1) CarboHyde (HU), M. Malanga;
2) Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (ES), C. Alvarez;
Asociación Centro de investigación cooperativa en biomateriales
CIC biomaGUNE
Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
Study of the GlycoNanoMaterials (GNM)-lectin interactions by advanced analytical, biophysical and physicochemical techniques including Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS), Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS), Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM), Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC).
Training in advanced biophysical and physicochemical techniques, peptide chemistry and predictive methods.
1) University of Milan (IT), L. Lay;
2) EnGenes (AT), J. Mairhofer;
Asociación Centro de investigación cooperativa en biomateriales
CIC biomaGUNE
Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
Development of labelling strategies for the incorporation of radionucleides on GlycoNanoMaterials (GNM), evaluation of radiolabel stability in different media, and biological fate of multilabelled GNM in vivo using a combination of nuclear imaging techniques with anatomical imaging modalities.
Training in radiochemistry, in vivo imaging, enzymatic synthesis, bionanotechnology and GNM bioconjugation.
1) RiboPro (NL), A. H. van Asbeck;
2) University of Florence (IT), B. Richichi;
Expression of selected lectins using growth-decoupled production system and incorporation of reactive tags into lectins by multiple alignment software (MEGA); Production and purification of recombinant plasmids and transient transfection of myeloid cells;
Training in molecular biology, biotechnology, fed-batch bioreactor, analytical methods, advanced microscopy to study the carbohydrate binding activity of lectins.
1) University of Florence (IT), M. Marradi;
2) Univ. Nova de Lisboa (PT), P. Videira;
Screening of GlycoNanoMaterials (GNM) according to their functionalization by lectin arrays and measurement of APC activation by cytokine release and marker expression; evaluation of the induced signaling pathways triggered by GNM in engineered APCs.
Training in cell culture and evaluation of immune activation by flow cytometry, bead array, lipoplexes formation, biotechnology, cancer immunology.
1) RiboPro (NL), A.H. van Asbeck;
2) Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (ES), C. Alvarez;
Dissecting the internal routing of GlycoNanoMaterials (GNM) in antigen presenting cells (APC) and identification of lectins involved in uptake of GNM into APCs; evaluation of the efficacy of GNM in terms of antigen presentation and APC/T-cell crosstalk.
Training in cell culture and immune activation, flow cytometry, antigen presentation in APCs, biophysical techniques, in vivo immunogenicity.
1) CIC biomaGUNE (ES), S.Moya;
2) Aptuit (IT), M. E. Perico;
In vitro evaluation of the innate immune response of selected GlycoNanoMaterials (GNM); evaluation of the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and immunogenicity in healthy mice using different GNM doses, including antibody isotyping, immunohistochemistry and ADCC.
Training in immunotherapy, immunohistochemistry, bio/nano interaction using advanced microscopy, immunoassays, flow cytometry, manipulation and assembly of peptide-loaded GNM.
1) University of Florence (IT), M. Marradi;
2) CNRS (FR), C. Menard-Moyon;
Characterization and transfection of cancer cell lines, kinetics of tumour progression and evaluation of immune response of selected GlycoNanoMaterials (GNM) formulations in vivo;
Training in GNM assembly & formulation, anti-cancer immunotherapy, establishing models of breast cancer in mice, bionanotech, biointeractions.
1) CNRS (FR), C. Menard-Moyon;
2) EnGenes (AT), J. Mairhofer;
