Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)
The Institute
The Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) is an international biomedical research institute of excellence, based in Barcelona, Spain, with more than 400 scientists from 44 countries. The CRG is composed by an interdisciplinary, motivated and creative scientific team which is supported both by a flexible and efficient administration and by high-end and innovative technologies.
In April 2021, the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) received the renewal of the ‘HR Excellence in Research‘ Award from the European Commission. This is a recognition of the Institute’s commitment to developing an HR Strategy for Researchers, designed to bring the practices and procedures in line with the principles of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.
Please check out our Recruitment Policy:
https://www.crg.eu/sites/default/files/crg/crg_recruitment_policy.pdf
The role
The Single Cell and Synthetic Genomics of Blood Formation lab (PI: Lars Velten) at CRG Barcelona is looking for a motivated PhD student with strong training in computational biology and bioinformatics to lead a project on the clonal dynamics of blood formation in ageing and hematological disease.
Blood formation is an essential, biomedically highly relevant, and complex process of cellular differentiation. Our group studies adult hematopoiesis using computational biology, single cell genomics (Velten et al., 2017, Triana et al., 2021, Velten et al., 2021, Beneyto-Calabuig et al., 2023), and genetic screens (Schraivogel et al., 2020).
Humans have a relatively small number of blood stem cells (approx. 100,000 cells). At any given moment, most of these cells are deeply quiescent, and only an even smaller number of clones is actively making blood. This is relevant, because different stem cell clones are epigenetically and functionally distinct: For example, some clones make more T cells and other clones are better adapted to inflammation. A decline of clonal complexity and deterioration of clonal function inevatibly accompanies blood ageing. Methods to study these processes are missing: What is needed are single cell methods that capture both “what a cell can do” (its function) as well as its clonal identity. We have recently developed such a method, EPI-Clone, which captures clonal, functional and molecular information by reading out the DNA methylome at single cell resolution, for 10,000s of cells (Scherer et al., biorxiv). The new PhD student will build upon this method to investigate clonal dynamics in ageing and hematological malignancy.
In your new role, you would:
• Develop this project together with an experienced technician and clinical collaborators
• Analyze data from a cutting edge single cell DNA methylome method
• Interact with other bioinformaticians in the group to advance the EPI-Clone method, or related methods for clonal tracking
• Interact closely with both wetlab and computational scientists from the group
About the team
My interdisciplinary group investigates the biology of hematopoietic stem cells using a combination of single cell genomics, genetic screens, and computational biology. We strive to develop novel genomic and bioinformatic tools to answer longstanding questions in the field. In particular, we cover two main research lines, a) Gene regulation in healthy hematopoiesis) and b) Clonal function in ageing and disease. The lab has been established in January 2020 and currently consists of six members: Two PhD students, two bridging postdocs, one postdoc, and two senior technicians. We have received funding from the European Commission, the Spanish and German government, the Spanish Association Against Cancer and the European Hematology Association.
Whom would we like to hire?
Professional experience
Must Have
• You hold a M.Sc. degree in a relevant field (e.g. computational biology, genomics, biomedicine, bioinformatics)
• You have a strong interest in single cell genomics technology and stem cell biology
• You have research experience in computational biology (at least 6 months of research work on a single project)
• You have had excellent grades in quantitative disciplines (mathematics, physics, etc) throughout your studies
• You have strong programming skills in R or python
Desirable but not required/ Nice to have
• You have, in addition to your computational training, training in experimental work (e.g. cloning, library preparation, qPCR etc.)
• A strong foundation in machine learning and statistics
Education and training
• A M.Sc. degree in a relevant field (computational biology, genomics, biomedicine, bioinformatics)
Languages
• You are proficient in English
Technical skills
• Data analysis
• R and python
Competences
• Success-driven
• Strong presentation skills
• Strong communication skills
• Ability to work as part of a team
The Offer – Working Conditions
• Contract duration: 4 years
• Estimated annual gross salary: Salary is commensurate with qualifications and consistent with our pay scales.
• Target start date: January 2025
We provide a highly stimulating environment with state-of-the-art infrastructures, and unique professional career development opportunities. To check out our training and development portfolio, please visit our website’s training section.
We offer and promote a diverse and inclusive environment and welcomes applicants regardless of age, disability, gender, nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity.
The CRG is committed to reconcile a work and family life of its employees and are offering extended vacation period and the possibility to benefit from flexible working hours.
Application Procedure
All applications must include:
• A motivation letter addressed to Dr Lars Velten.
• A complete CV including contact details.
• Contact details of two referees.
All applications must be addressed to Dr. Lars Velten and be submitted online on the CRG Career site
Selection Process
• Pre-selection: The pre-selection process will be based on qualifications and expertise reflected on the candidates CVs. It will be merit-based.
• Interview: Preselected candidates will be interviewed by the Hiring Manager of the position and a selection panel if required.
• Offer Letter: Once the successful candidate is identified the Human Resources department will send a Job Offer, specifying the start day, salary, working conditions, among other important details.
Deadline: Please submit your application by 25/09/2024
Suggestions: The CRG believes in ongoing improvement and promotes a culture of feedback. This is one of the reasons we have in place, at your disposal as a candidate, a mechanism to gather your suggestions/complaints concerning your candidate experience in our recruitment processes. Your feedback really matters to us in our aim at creating a positive candidate journey. You can make a difference and help us improve by letting us know your suggestions through this form.
