Candidat PFIS

This is a call for candidates to apply for a PFIS Fellowship (Ayudas predoctorales de formación en investigación en salud)at the Institut de Medicina Predictiva i Personalitzada del Càncer (IMPPC).

The research group Genetic Variation and Cancer, within the IMPPC Hereditary Cancer Program, is looking for candidates to apply for a PFIS fellowship. PFIS fellowships are competitive but only granted to groups that obtained a research project grant from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III in the 2011 call.

Associated Project: “Análisis genómico de los tumores asociados a la Neurofibromatosis tipo 1: identificación de genes implicados en la predisposición y progresión tumoral (PI11/01609)”
“Genomic analysis of Neurofibromatosis type 1 associated tumors: identification of genes involved in tumor predisposition and progression”
Principal Investigator: Eduard Serra
Summary of the project: Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant inherited disease that approximately affects 1 in 3500 individuals. One of the main clinical manifestations is the high predisposition to develop benign and malignant tumors. Almost all NF1 patients develop neurofibromas, benign tumors of the peripheral nerves, in multiple form (ranging from tens to thousands). Around 8-13% of NF1 patients develop a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) at some time in their lives, which represents the main cause of NF1 mortality (20-50% five-year survival rate). NF1 patients are also predisposed to develop other tumor types, like gliomas, myeloid leukemias and pheochromocytomas.

There is the need for a greater understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of NF1 tumors and of the genetic susceptibility to developing them in order to improve therapeutic approaches. Since NF1-tumors are not among the most prevalent types, they are not represented in international cancer genome projects. The present project proposes genomic studies at two levels:
1) constitutional: to identify genes and genetic variants that confer a risk of developing tumors or a susceptibility to developing a huge number of benign tumors;
2) somatic: to identify genes, pathways and cellular mechanisms involved in tumor progression towards malignancy. An important methodological part relies on the sequencing of full exomes or sub-exomes by applying next generation sequencing techniques. These could eventually be transferred to the genetic diagnostics of hereditary cancers, and lead to a better assessment of risk concerning tumor development.

Requirements: Graduate (Licenciado) in a biomedical discipline (Biology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Pharmacy, Medicine, etc), obtained after 1 January 2009, with an academic degree mean score of at least 1.60. The candidate will be selected according to academic degree, previous experience and motivation.
Conditions: Fellowship will last for 48 months (the grant period:1300€/month, including salary and employer’s contribution to social security; second 24 months as a contract: 27000€/year including salary and employer’s contribution to social security.

For more information: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (http://www.isciii.es)
If you are interested: please send an e-mail to Eduard Serra (eserra@imppc.org) including a short letter of interest, CV and academic degree, before March 31st 2012.