Organisation/Company REQUIMTE - Rede de Quimica e Tecnologia Research Field Chemistry » Biochemistry Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions Bachelor Positions Country Portugal Application Deadline 24 Jul 2025 - 23:59 (Europe/Lisbon) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No
Offer Description
A Research Fellowship (BI) (Reference REQUIMTE 2025-42) on the project “SILANOL: Silanol-Based Lithocholic Acid Derivatives as Super Agonists of Vitamin D Receptor for Application in Breast Cancer Therapy” funded by FEDER funds (COMPETE 2030) and national funds by FCT/MECI, operation no. 15152, with reference COMPETE2030-FEDER-00881500, is available at REQUIMTE.
Main research field: Biochemistry
Admission requirements:
BSc degree in Biochemistrywith a final grade equal to or higher than 15 out of 20. Frequency of the MSc in Biochemistry or to be enrolled and/or attending a non-degree course taught by a higher education institution in collaboration with an R&D unit.The candidate must have proven experience in the scientific areas covered by the project. Prior experience in molecular docking studies using the GOLD software is mandatory, and familiarity with the vitamin D receptor as a molecular target will be considered an asset. Additionally, the candidate is expected to have strong skills in organic synthesis, with a particular focus on the preparation of steroidal derivatives, preferably analogs of lithocholic acid. Solid knowledge of structural elucidation techniques, including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), is also required. Practical experience in cell culture is essential, with an emphasis on toxicological studies and handling of triple-negative breast cancer cell lines, which is crucial for the biological component of the project.
In case the BSc degree was awarded by a foreign higher education institution, it must comply with the provisions of Decree-Law no. 341/2007 of October 12th, and all formalities established therein must be complied with at the signature of Fellowship contract.
Working plan: The present project aims to develop new compounds with potential antitumor activity through the synthesis of lithocholic acid derivatives optimized for action against breast cancer, particularly in triple-negative breast cancer cell lines. The work comprises three main components: (i) molecular docking studies using the GOLD software to predict the binding affinity of the compounds to the vitamin D receptor; (ii) organic synthesis of steroidal derivatives based on the structure of lithocholic acid, including purification and structural characterization by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS); and (iii) in vitro toxicological and biological evaluation of the antiproliferative activity of the synthesized compounds in triple-negative breast cancer cell lines. The integrated approach will allow exploration of the structure–activity relationship of the compounds and the identification of promising candidates for future development as therapeutic agents for breast cancer.
Work Place: The work will be conducted at REQUIMTE (Network of Chemistry and Technology) – Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry, at the facilities of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto, under the supervision of Doctor José Enrique Rodríguez Borges and Doctor Ivo Emanuel Sampaio Dias.
Duration of the fellowship: The fellowship will have a duration of 12 months, starting on September 1, 2026.
Monthly stipend:
Monthly stipend is €1.040,98 according to the stipend values established by FCT, I.P. in Portugal (https://www.fct.pt/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Tabela_valores_SMM_2025.p… ). Payment will be made by bank transfer on a monthly basis. The successful candidate will also be entitled to the reimbursement of Social Security payments (Seguro Social Voluntário) and work insurance.
Selection criteria:
The evaluation of applications will be based on the following criteria and respective weightings:
i) 30%, Evaluation of the scientific area of the Bachelor’s degree and the corresponding final grade, according to the national grading scale.
ii) 40%, Relevant scientific experience in the project's field. The following technical and scientific skills will be particularly valued:
a) Proven experience in molecular docking, with mandatory use of the GOLD software;
b) Experience in molecular docking of compounds with the vitamin D receptor;
c) Laboratory experience in the organic synthesis of steroids, with particular focus on the preparation of lithocholic acid analogs;
d) Experience in purification techniques and structural characterization of organic compounds, including NMR;
e) Proven experience in cell culture (mandatory), with added value given to toxicology work involving triple-negative breast cancer cell lines.
iii) 20%, Overall scientific coherence of the CV, including:
a) Quality and diversity of scientific indicators;
b) Participation in conferences, communications, and publications relevant to the project's themes.
Clarity, objectivity, and alignment of the candidate’s profile and interests with the scientific goals of the project.
In the case of admitted candidates whose evaluation differs by no more than 5% from the two highest-ranked candidates, the jury will conduct an interview, either in person or via an online platform. In this case, the final ranking will be based on a weighting of 50% (initial score) and 50% (interview score).
The jury will not award the current scholarship to candidates with a final classification lower than 50%.
Jury composition:
Publicity and communication of results: The ranking of applications will be published at a visible and public area of REQUIMTE facilities, and all candidates will be informed by email about the result of their application.
Application:
The call for applications is open between 11/07/2025 and 24/07/2025.
The applications are formalized at the electronic address bolsas@iceta.up.pt, containing in the subject the reference to which the candidate is applying ( Reference REQUIMTE 2025-42) with the following documents in a digital form, in PDF format and will includeCurriculum vitae, Motivation letter, Qualifications Certificate, and other documents deemed relevant.
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