1 Research Grant Announcement (M/F)

Call open for applications for a research grant within the framework of project “ST-e.Biofilm – Development of spatial transcriptomic for the characterization of engineered biofilms”, with operation code, at the Funds Platform (Balcão dos Fundos) NORTE2030-FEDER-01794400, co-financed by the European Union through the NORTE 2030 Regional Program, of Portugal 2030, under the following conditions:

Scientific Area:  Biological Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Bioengineering or related areas

Admission requirements: Candidates who cumulatively meet the following requirements may apply for this grant:

Requirement 1:

• To be a student enrolled in a master degree or integrated master or in an integrated master's program who has already completed the 180 credits corresponding to the first six curricular semesters in the area of Biological Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Bioengineering, or related areas, requirement to be proven at the time of signing the contract.

or

- Holder of an academic degree enrolled in a non-academic degree course integrated in the educational project of a higher education institution, developed in association or cooperation with one or more R&D units, requirement to be proven at the time of signing the contract.

Note: In the case of degree holders who are enrolled in non-academic degree courses, the scholarship can only be awarded to those who do not exceed, with this scholarship contract, including possible renewals, an accumulated period of two years in that typology of the scholarship, followed or interpolated.

And

Requirement 2:

Hold a bachelor’s degree in Biological Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Bioengineering or related areas. 

If the degree has been awarded by a foreign higher education institution, it must comply with the provisions of the Decree-Law no. 66/2018, of august 16th, and any formalities established there must be fulfilled until the time of signing the contract. 

Activity Outline: Optimization of a spatial transcriptomics method based on mRNA PNA-FISH for the detection of genes related with virulence and multispecies biofilm formation mimicking the environmental conditions of chronic (Activity 2 – “Studies on the physiology and cellular ecology of biofilms in chronic wounds”); Assisting in the preparation of training activities (Activity 3 – “Training Activities Program”); Writing scientific documentation and providing support for planned dissemination, promotion, and communication activities (Activity 4 – “Dissemination, Promotion, and Communication”).

Legislation and regulations: Law Nº. 40/2004, of 18th August, in its current wording (Statutes of Scientific Research Fellow) and Regulation of Research Grants of Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, in force and Regulation of Research Grants of University of Porto, in its current version.

Work place: The work will be developed at the Department of Chemical and biological Engineering of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP), under the scientific supervision of Dr. Laura Cerqueira and Prof. Nuno Azevedo.

Grant duration: Initial duration of 6 months, with the predicted starting date in July 2026, on an exclusive basis eventually renewable but never exceeding the end of the project.

If it is not possible to ensure the duration of 6 months estimated in the previous paragraph, this duration will be adjusted according to the end date of the project, and provided that the minimum duration of 3 consecutive months is guaranteed, in accordance with paragraph 3 of article 6 of the Research Grant Regulations of the Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P.

The eventual renewal of the scholarship will be carried out as determined in article 6 of the Research Grants Regulation of the Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P. 

Stipend: The grant stipend amounts to 1090,98€ according to the table of values of the grants awarded directly by FCT, I.P. in the Country. The payment will be made by bank transfer.

Selection procedure: 

The curriculum of the candidates (60%) will be evaluated based on the merit of the candidate and the following factors will be weighted:

a) Academic training (bachelor in Biological Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Bioengineering – up to 10 points; bachelor in other area – up to 2 points) 

b) Publications/Bachelor final report in the area of spatial transcriptomics to study gene expression in biofilms – up to 5 points; other areas – up to 2 points

c) Laboratory experience in the project’s area – up to 5 points; related areas – up to 3 points; out of the area – up to 1 point;

Candidates will be scored on a scale of 1 to 20 points; candidates who score less than 13 points on the curriculum vitae evaluation will not be admitted to the interview (40%). In the interview (40%) topics related with the work plan, experience and the candidate’s CV will be discussed with the invited candidates. 

If no candidate achieves the minimum final score of 15 points, the scholarship will not be awarded.

Selection Jury: 

President:  Nuno Filipe Ribeiro Pinto de Oliveira Azevedo 

Effective member:  Laura Isabel Macieira Cerqueira 

Effective member:  Joana Isabel Gonçalves Vilas Boas

Supplementary member:  Andreia Sofia Mateus Azevedo

Supplementary member:  Nuno Miguel da Rocha Guimarães 

Advertisement of final decision: The results of the evaluation will be released to the candidates

by email to the email address indicated in the application process.

Deadline for applications and form of presentation of the applications: 

The call is open from 19-06-2026 to 03-07-2026 (until 23h59m, GMT time).

Applications must be formalized by email to lcerqueira@fe.up.pt and to recursoshumanos@fe.up.pt, clearly stating the reference FEUP-ST-e.Biofilm_M3, and including the following pdf documents: 

-Motivation letter, 

- Copy of certificates evidencing academic degree,

- Detailed Curriculum Vitae, 

- Declaration on honor that the candidate fulfills the requirement contained in article 6 of the Regulation for Research Grants of the Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P. (model below, in case of student enrolled in a non-academic degree course integrated in the educational project of a higher education institution, developed in association or cooperation with one or more R&D units) and other documents considered relevant by the applicant. 

Declaration on honour

I, (identification of the scholarship holder), holder of the Citizen Card / Visa / Residence Permit no. valid until _____, declare under honour, to be in the conditions of no. 5 of article 6º  of the Research Grants from FCT, IP - Regulation No. 950/2019, of 16 December.

Oporto, __/__/__

Signature

_________________

(scholarship holder)