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The Institute of Physical Chemistry (IChF) PAS invites applications for two PhD student position within the newly established Department of Chemical Biology (DCB), created as part of the EUfunded project (Horizon Europe, ERA Chairs). Prof. Marcin Drąg, an internationally recognized expert in chemical biology and in the combinatorial chemistry of proteolytic enzymes, serve as the Head of the Department.

Within the DCB, 2 PhD positions are available in the research team 15: Molecular innovations for Biomedical Interventions, lead by Dr. M. T. Jeena. Dr. M. T. Jeena’s research focus on the development of chemical tools that operates within the live cells to address pressing biomedical challenges such as cancer, neurodegeneration, and aging related disorders.

Under this call, two doctoral position is offered within the research project “Development of Molecular and Supramolecular Tools to Exploit Human Copper(I) Homeostasis for Cancer Therapeutics.” This project involves the design, synthesis, material characterization and biochemical analysis of innovative peptide and small molecules to exploit human copper (I) homeostasis. The project is funded by National Science Centre under the SONATA BIS 15 scheme, project no. 2025/58/E/ST5/00495 in which Dr. M. T. Jeena is the principal investigator. For this Ph.D. position Prof. Marcin Drąg will serve as supervisor, and Dr. M. T. Jeena will serve as auxiliary supervisor.

Doctoral student will have a unique opportunity to develop their research skills, gain experience working on innovative projects, and actively participate in the research directions of DCB. The research program involves close collaboration with other groups at IChF PAS, as well as the opportunity to participate in projects conducted in partnership with academic and industrial partners.

The application for this position must be submitted via Warsaw-4-PhD school portal using the electronic form: https://warsaw4phd.eu/register.php during the period July 24, 2026 (12.00 CEST) to 2026 to August 7, 2026 (23.59 CEST). Candidates meeting the preliminary criteria will be invited for Zoom-based interviews, to be held within the period of from 2 September 2026 to 11 September 2026. The position will begin from October 1, 2026 with a contract for maximum 48 months.

1. A PhD student position with no teaching obligations.

2. The monthly gross remuneration: approx. PLN 6030 (PLN 5000 from NCN, and PLN 1030 from IChF) – till mid-term evaluation approx. PLN 7530 (PLN 6500 from NCN, and PLN 1030 from IChF) – after positive evaluation

3. An inspiring and supportive research environment at one of Poland’s leading scientific institutes.

4. Access to state-of-the-art infrastructure and a strong institutional commitment to international collaboration and research excellence.

5. Technical, administrative, and organizational support from professional English-speaking staff.

6. Opportunities for professional growth through courses, scientific training, academic mentoring, and peer support.

7. Additional benefits including a reduced rate for individual private medical healthcare, membership in the MultiSport programme (discounted gym and sports facility access) and access to Social Funds (favorable loans for housing purposes, holiday subsidies and childcare support). The successful candidate will be eligible for all programs at the IPC PAS, including the IPC PAS Young Scientists competition and the IPC PAS Young Scientists Mobility competition. Institute provides an opportunity to participate in ERASMUS+ programme.

1. Possessing a Master's degree in Chemistry or a related discipline.

2. Good knowledge of English, both verbal and written.

3. Knowledge of chemical synthetic techniques and willingness to learn and perform chemical biology experiments at the in vitro level.

4. Strong motivation and commitment.

5. Collaborative team spirit.

The candidate must meet at least one of the following criteria:

(1) The candidate is a PhD student in the Warsaw PhD School in Natural and BioMedical Sciences (Warsaw-4-PhD).

(2) The candidate must apply for the next available recruitment period (i.e., July 2026) to the Warsaw PhD School in Natural and BioMedical Sciences (Warsaw-4-PhD).