Targeting cardiac amino acid transport and catabolic
reprogramming in heart failure VHIR is seeking an outstanding and
highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to apply for a Marie
Sklodowska-Curie Postdoctoral and join the Cardiovascular Research
Group. Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions – Postdoctoral Fellowships
(MSCA-PF) The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships
(MSCA-PF) are part of the Horizon Europe programme and support
postdoctoral researchers in developing an original research and
innovation project through international mobility. The programme
aims to strengthen researchers’ careers through excellent science,
international collaboration and interdisciplinary experience, while
fostering integration in both academic and non-academic
environments. The MSCA-PF call is highly competitive and represents
an excellent opportunity to attract international talent and
support researchers in consolidating their scientific careers
through an ambitious mobility-based fellowship. The 2026 call
closes on 09/09/2026 (17:00 Brussels time). For candidates applying
to a European Postdoctoral Fellowship, the fellowship duration is
from 12 to 24 months . Full eligibility details: MSCA Postdoctoral
Fellowships 2026 Background Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause
of hospitalization and mortality worldwide, and current therapies
only partially slow its progression. The failing heart undergoes
maladaptive metabolic remodeling, with reduced substrate
flexibility and a striking accumulation of branched-chain amino
acids (BCAAs: leucine, isoleucine, valine) in both plasma and
myocardium. Elevated BCAAs drive insulin resistance and chronic
mTORC1 activation, fueling pathological hypertrophy, fibrosis and
contractile dysfunction. Recent work shows that boosting cardiac
BCAA catabolism alone is insufficient to normalize myocardial BCAA
content, pointing to amino acid transport, rather than intrinsic
oxidation, as the key control point. Our preliminary data identify
the neutral amino acid transporter Slc7a5 (LAT1) as a critical
determinant of cardiac BCAA uptake: it is upregulated in failing
cardiomyocytes, and cardiomyocyte-specific deletion reduces
myocardial BCAA accumulation and attenuates adverse remodeling in
pressure-overload models. This opens an unexplored therapeutic axis
at the intersection of cardiac metabolism, insulin signaling and
HF. Our Group The Cardiovascular Diseases group at VHIR is a
multidisciplinary team integrating basic and clinical researchers,
with a long-standing track record in translational cardiovascular
research, with seminal contributions to ischemia/reperfusion
injury, cardioprotection and the metabolic basis of adverse cardiac
remodeling and HF. The group integrates a wide range of preclinical
HF models in mice, rats and pigs, cardiomyocyte and fibroblast
isolation, ex vivo Langendorff perfusion,



knockout mouse lines and
has privileged access to ventricular biopsies and serum from
cardiology patients. A core current line is supported by several
competitive grants. The team collaborates with international
academic and biotech partners, providing a vibrant,
multidisciplinary environment for an MSCA postdoctoral fellow. Main
responsibilities and duties: The candidate will investigate how
alterations in cardiac BCAA transport contributes to insulin
resistance, adverse remodeling and HF progression, Evaluate
pharmacological and dietary strategies to correct cardiac BCAA
overload. Specific aims include: characterise cardiac amino acid
metabolic rewiring in murine HF models and in endomyocardial
biopsies and serum from patients with aortic stenosis, combining
UPLC-MS/MS metabolomics and RNA-seq; dissect the role of
cardiomyocyte and fibroblast Slc7a5 using inducible tissue-specific
knockout mice, with echocardiographic, histological and
stable-isotope tracing readouts ([U-13C,15N]-leucine,
[U-13C,15N]-glutamine, [U-13C]-glucose); test pharmacological
inhibition of LAT1 and BCAA-modulating diets in TAC mice, including
ovariectomized females, to capture sex-specific effects. The
project is expected to yield mechanistic insight and to seed a
translational program for a new class of metabolic HF therapies.
Work alongside basic researchers and clinicians, with active
collaborations with IRB Barcelona (Prof. A. Zorzano, amino acid
transporters and insulin resistance), the CIBERDEM Metabolomics
Platform (URV) for stable-isotope flux analysis, CIMA (A González,
amino acids and diffuse cardiac fibrosis) and the EU-METAHEART COST
Action, which provides a networking for cardiovascular metabolism
researchers. Education and qualifications: Required: Applicants
must hold a PhD degree or have successfully defended their thesis
before the call deadline (09/09/2026) Applicants must comply with
the mobility rule, meaning they must not have resided or carried
out their main activity (work/studies) in the host country for more
than 12 months during the 36 months prior to the call deadline.
Desirable: Prior postdoctoral experience in cardiovascular research
or metabolism. Official accreditation for work with laboratory
animals. Experience and knowledge: Required: Applicants must have a
maximum of 8 years of postdoctoral research experience by the call
deadline. This means candidates are generally eligible if they




obtained their PhD on or after 10/09/2018 (possible extensions may
apply, e.g. parental leave or long-term illness). Solid molecular
biology toolkit (qPCR, Western blot, immunofluorescence, cloning).
Hands-on experience with in vivo rodent. Strong scientific writing
in English and the ability to work independently in a
translational, multidisciplinary team. Desirable: Experience with
stable-isotope-resolved metabolomics (13C/15N tracing) and
transgenic mouse models. Working conditions, remuneration, contract
type and start date will be established according to the applicable
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship conditions and VHIR regulations. What
can we offer? Incorporation into the Vall d’Hebron Research
Institute (VHIR) , a public sector institution that promotes and
develops biomedical research, innovation and teaching at Vall
d’Hebron University Hospital (HUVH), the largest hospital in
Barcelona and the largest within the Catalan Institute of Health
(ICS) . A dynamic scientific environment of excellence , where
cutting-edge biomedical projects are continuously developed.
Continuous learning and career development pathways . Healthy
offering– “Feel Good, Feel VHIR” : VHIR’s wellbeing programme
offers a variety of activities to help staff thrive—physically,
mentally, and socially. Through four pillars—Feel Well, Feel
Connected, Feel Empowered, Feel Welcomed—it fosters health, growth,
and community. International mobility support (Welcome Services) :
we aim to make your arrival in Barcelona smooth and pleasant by
providing city information, guidance on required procedures, access
to the International Welcome Desk, family support and assistance
with finding accommodation. Deadline to apply: 31-07-2026 VHIR
embraces Equality and Diversity. As reflected in our values we work
toward ensuring inclusion and equal opportunity in recruitment,
hiring, training, and management for all staff within the
organisation, regardless of gender, civil status, family status,
sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, age,
functional diversity or ethnicity. Information on Personal Data
Protection: Data Controller: Fundació Hospital Universitari Vall
d’Hebron Institut de Recerca -VHIR-. Purpose: Personnel selection.
Legal Basis: Your consent. Data retention period: One year. If you
are selected, as long as the employment relationship is in force
and legal responsibilities may arise. Data sharing: Does not occur,
except for communications necessary to fulfill the purpose and
those required by law to public and private bodies. Rights: You can
access, rectify, delete, object to, and limit the processing of
data, as well as request data portability where applicable, by
contacting [email protected] . DPO: [email protected] . More
information can be found here . Data Protection Authority:
APDCAT

📌 VHIR-MSCA-.001_Postdoctoral Fellowship(Cardiovascular Diseases) (Cataluña)
🏢 VHIR
📍 Cataluña