The Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC) is a comprehensive cancer research center dedicated to conduct research and drive innovation in the epidemiological, preventive, clinical, translational, and basic aspects of leukaemia and other hematologic malignancies, with the final aim of finding a cure for these diseases. It was created in 2010, and since then has experienced an exponential growth. The IJC is also part of the network of Excellence Research Centers of Catalonia (CERCA) and was accredited as a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence by the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities in 2024.

Since 2018, the Institute has also been accredited by the Scientific Foundation of the Spanish Association Against Cancer (FCAECC) Additionally, IJC is one of the centers integrated into the Institut de Recerca Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP) accreditation as Accredited Health Research Institute (IIS) by the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII). The IJC's main headquarters is located within the Can Ruti Biomedical Campus, alongside other leading biomedical institutions, providing direct access to cutting‑edge scientific and technological facilities, as well as complementary community services. The IJC has six locations integrated into reference hospitals: Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Hospital Clínic, Hospital Sant Pau, Hospital Josep Trueta, Hospital del Mar and Hospital San Joan de Déu.

This facilitates close collaboration between basic and clinical researchers, fostering translational research that integrates basic science with clinical practice in clinical settings. JOSEP CARRERAS INSTITUTE SEVERO OCHOA DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAM OVERVIEW The Josep Carreras Institute Severo Ochoa Doctoral Fellowships Program offers 10 doctoral fellowships to train outstanding early‑stage researchers in blood cancer research within a highly interdisciplinary and translational environment. The program is funded within the Severo Ochoa Excellence Program, granted in 2024 to the Institute.

The Institute structures its Severo Ochoa doctoral training environment around interdisciplinary Working Groups that bring together complementary expertise across basic, computational, translational, diagnostic and clinical blood cancer research, connecting mechanistic questions in blood cancer biology with advanced experimental or computational approaches and clinically anchored translational objectives. The two doctoral projects offered in this supplementary call are both embedded in the Origin of Disease and Predisposition Working Group, which focuses on mechanisms underlying the emergence of blood cancers, including pre‑malignant states, disease predisposition, early cancer evolution and clinically relevant opportunities for risk stratification, interception or translation. Successful candidates will be recruited under a predoctoral employment contract in accordance with the applicable Spanish legal framework.

Fellowships have a maximum duration of four years, and incorporation into IJC must take place no later than 1 January 2027, with the start date falling on the first day of the corresponding month.

Available Doctoral Projects

Candidates must indicate whether they wish to be considered for one or both of the following projects. Candidates interested in both projects must provide a project preference order and address their suitability for each project in the Motivation Letter. SO_PhD_02 – Mapping Hematopoietic Gene Regulation to Uncover the Origins of Myeloid Leukemia Susceptibility and Enable Clinical Translation [ML‑RISK] Working Group: Origin of Disease and Predisposition Co-supervision team:



DrBiola Javierre (IJC and BSC) and Dr Blanca Xicoy (IJC and Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol).

Project overview and objective: Most leukemia susceptibility variants identified through GWAS are located in non‑coding regions, making it challenging to understand how they affect gene regulation and contribute to disease risk. This project aims to uncover how inherited regulatory variants influence early hematopoietic programs and myeloid leukemia susceptibility by integrating 3D epigenomics, single‑cell multi‑omics, GWAS fine‑mapping and computational genomics. The PhD candidate will contribute to identifying variant–regulatory element–gene links, prioritizing disease‑relevant cell states, genes and pathways, and supporting the translation of these findings toward risk stratification, biomarker discovery or target prioritization.

Translational and training environment: The project connects 3D epigenomics and computational genomics expertise at IJC and BSC with clinical myeloid malignancy expertise at IJC and Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, providing a multidisciplinary environment that bridges regulatory genomics, computational biology, hematology and clinical translation.

Candidate profile sought: MSc or BSc in Bioinformatics, (epi)genomics, or a related discipline. The ideal candidate has a strong interest in gene regulation and the molecular mechanisms underlying leukemia susceptibility. Proficiency in programming languages such as R and/or Python is required.

Experience with single‑cell data analysis, GWAS, and chromatin biology is considered highly desirable. SO_PhD_09 – Apoptosis Failure and Clonal Evolution in Aggressive T‑cell Lymphomas Working Group: Origin of Disease and Predisposition Co-supervision team: Laura Mondragón (IJC) and Anna Mozos (Hospital Sant Pau).

Project overview and objective: Mature T‑cell lymphomas are rare but aggressive malignancies with limited targeted or immune‑based therapeutic options, particularly in relapsed disease. This project aims to understand how failure of mitochondrial apoptosis in the T‑cell lineage can contribute to lymphoma development, disease progression and clonal evolution. The PhD candidate will investigate how apoptosis impairment influences tumour phenotype, metabolic adaptation, TCR signalling and clonal behavior, combining experimental lymphoma models with human material and pathology‑guided interpretation.

Translational and training environment: The project connects mechanistic lymphoma biology at IJC with hematopathology, immunohistochemistry and molecular pathology expertise at Hospital Sant Pau, providing a translational framework to interpret findings in relation to human T‑cell malignancies.

Candidate profile sought: MSc in molecular biology, immunology, cancer biology, hematology or related field. Strong fit for candidates interested in T‑cell lymphoma, apoptosis, developmental misprogramming and in vivo models.

Experience with flow cytometry, mouse work, histology, immunohistochemistry, sequencing or data analysis is desirable.



WHAT WE NEEED We are looking for excellent and highly motivated early‑stage researchers with a strong interest in blood cancer research and in pursuing doctoral training within an interdisciplinary and translational environment.

Adecuado candidates will

- demonstrate a strong academic record and scientific potential - show clear interest in the research directions represented across the IJC Working Groups - demonstrate curiosity, initiative, critical thinking, and willingness to develop new scientific and technical skills - be able to communicate effectively and work collaboratively in an international research environment - be interested in contributing to high‑quality research with potential relevance for blood cancer biology and patient benefit REQUIREMENTS Candidates must also meet all the following eligibility requirements established in the Severo Ochoa call, including:
- Hold, or be in a position to hold before contract signature, a university degree granting access to a doctoral program in life sciences or related disciplines, and be formally admitted to a doctoral program at the time of contract formalization.
- Do not hold a doctoral degree - Have not previously benefited from a predoctoral grant under the Spanish National R&D; Plans - Have not been employed under a predoctoral contract for more than 12 months prior to the application deadline Applications that do not meet all the minimum eligibility criteria will be excluded from the evaluation process and will not be further assessed.

WHAT WE OFFER Successful candidates will be recruited by the IJC under a four‑year predoctoral employment contract. The fellowship covers employment costs and provides 6.860 € to support doctoral tuition fees and eligible research stays. The salary conditions offered under this program are above the minimum applicable under the current legal and collective bargaining framework.

The gross annual salary will be 22.000 € in year 1, 22.000 € in year 2, 25.000 € in year 3, and 30.000 € in year 4, plus the severance payment applicable at the end of the contract in accordance with the relevant legal framework. These predoctoral fellowships are part of the Severo Ochoa Program CEX2023-001258-S, funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033.

Severo

Ochoa funds cover the eligible costs established in the CEX2023 call, as detailed in the program guidelines. In addition, the Fundació Josep Carreras provides up to 30.000€ per fellowship in complementary co‑funding to supplement employment costs not covered by the Severo Ochoa funds. Fellowship holders must comply with the program conditions and reporting obligations,as detailed in the program guidelines.

They are expected to

- submit an individual training program within 15 working days of incorporation - notify IJC of the defense and successful completion of the doctoral thesis - provide the documentation required for scientific and financial monitoring - acknowledge Severo Ochoa funding in publications, presentations, and dissemination outputs - notify IJC immediately of interruptions, resignations, or other relevant incidents. SELECTION PROCESS Stage 1 — Remote Criterion 1 evaluation Criterion 1 assesses applicants’ academic and scientific‑technical trajectory and is worth 50 points in total.

It includes

- Academic performance — up to 25 points - Research experience and technical preparation — up to 15 points - Additional curricular merits — up to 5 points - Mobility and internationalization — up to 5 points Candidates must score at least 30 out of 50 in Criterion 1 to be shortlisted. Approximately the top 30 ranked candidates proceed to the next stage. Stage 2 — Interview and evaluation of Criterion 2 Criterion 2 evaluates suitability for the research

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