OverviewPrecision modelling of FHHNC using patient-derived kidney organoids for mechanistic and therapeutic discovery.

La siguiente información tiene como objetivo proporcionar a los posibles candidatos una mejor comprensión de los requisitos para este puesto.
VHIR is seeking an outstanding and highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to apply for a Marie Sk?odowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship and join the Kidney Pathophysiology Research Group.

Background
Familial hypomagnesemia with hypercalciuria and nephrocalcinosis (FHHNC) is a devastating ultra-rare renal tubulopathy caused by loss-of-function mutations in CLDN16 and CLDN19.

The disease leads to severe magnesium and calcium wasting, nephrocalcinosis, and progressive chronic kidney disease, often culminating in renal failure at a young age.

Patients carrying CLDN19 mutations may develop early-onset ocular defects.

A striking feature of FHHNC is phenotypic variability, particularly among siblings with identical mutations.





Our group has established one of the largest FHHNC cohorts and uses an interdisciplinary strategy combining clinical research, molecular profiling, and artificial intelligence to uncover mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities.

We recently generated induced pluripotent stem cells (i PSC) from two siblings with the homozygous CLDN19 p.

G20 D mutation and created a CLDN19 p.

G20 D knock-in mouse model.

These resources enable investigation of FHHNC pathophysiology.

Objectives
In this project, patient-derived genetically engineered kidney organoids will be used as advanced human 3 D models to dissect disease mechanisms, understand phenotypic variability, and evaluate therapeutic candidates in a precision medicine framework.

The main goal is to develop and exploit genetically engineered patient-derived kidney organoids to unravel molecular mechanisms driving FHHNC, with a focus on phenotypic variability and sex‑specific disease mechanisms, and to accelerate identification of novel prec

📌 Vhir-Msca-Pf-2026.003_Postdoctoral Fellowship (Barcelona)
🏢 Fundació TIC Salut i Social
📍 Barcelona