Organisation / Company: CEU San Pablo University
Department: Faculty of Pharmacy
Laboratory: Planta-Microbioma
Is the Hosting related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No
USP-CEU welcomes early-stage postdoctoral researchers with an excellent track record to apply for the European Commission Marie Sklodowska-Curie (MSCA-25) Postdoctoral Fellowships or other R2 research calls, such as Juan de la Cierva (Spanish Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation) or Atracción Talento (Madrid Regional Government).
Selected candidates will receive support for proposal writing and development. Our university has benefited from 8 MSCA PF since 2017, including one with an evaluation of 100/100 in 2021.
Hosting Supervisor: The PI, Beatriz Ramos Solano, from the Planta-Microbioma group, has extensive experience supervising projects and is currently working with an MSCA4UK fellow.
Our research description can be found at [website]. Our group consists of 7 core members, including one postdoc and visiting students. With a background in agriculture, we are now exploring the effects of plant natural products on animal cells, expanding beyond agriculture.
USP Core Research Facilities provide advanced technological services to research groups (see [links]) and IMMA (see [links]). Our lab is equipped for molecular analysis (Bio Rad MiniOpticon qPCR, Applied Biosystems thermal cyclers, NanoDrop 2000, Thermo, BioRad Experion, electrophoresis equipment, GelDoc 2000 system). For photosynthetic efficiency, we have a FMS2 fluorimeter and an infrared gas analyzer (TARGAS-1 PP System). Additional equipment includes HPLC (HP 1100) with Diode Array detector, BioMate5 spectrophotometer, and a plate spectrophotometer (Heales MB-580). Cell cultures are conducted at IMMA facilities.
Research highlights include:
* Silver nanoparticles coated with metabolites of Pseudomonas sp. N5.12 inhibit bacterial pathogens and fungal phytopathogens. 10.1038 / s41598-024-84503-z
* Bacillus H47 triggers Olea europaea metabolism, activating DOXP and shikimate pathways, and modifies leaf extracts’ antihypertensive activity. 10.3389 / fmicb.2022.1005865
* Bacillus G7 improves salt stress adaptation in Olea europaea L. plantlets, enhancing water use efficiency and oxidative stress prevention. 10.1038 / s41598-023-49533-z
* Biotic elicitation to enhance strawberry and raspberry extract potential against metabolic syndrome enzymes in vitro. 10.1002 / jsfa.9507
Ongoing Research Project:
* Bio-nanoparticles loaded with bacterial extracts to improve plant adaptation to drought and salinity (MSCA4UK-2023-2025).
Research Project Description:
Nanoparticles (NP) formed by metal reduction can trigger cell metabolism owing to their small size and properties, with a strong capacity for cell penetration. Green synthesis using plant extracts, rich in antioxidants, offers a cost-effective and efficient approach to NP production. This project explores plant extracts from various sources to reduce metals, creating NPs with unique characteristics and activities, focusing on antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. These NPs will be tested on cell types like Caco2 and HepG2. Additionally, Pseudomonas-derived NPs can enhance plant metabolism and bioactive compound content, improving antioxidant responses.
The study will test plant materials such as olive pruning biomass and rosemary, promoting agricultural residue valorization and soil recovery in the Mediterranean region.
Candidate Requirements: Postdoctoral candidates of any nationality (max. 8 years after PhD) with:
* PhD in Biology, Pharmacy, or Plant Biotechnology
* Strong background in plant physiology and pharmacognosy
* Genuine interest in these topics
* Skills in molecular techniques and animal cell manipulation
* Willingness to explore new approaches
Application: Send an expression of interest to (Attn.: Dra. Beatriz Ramos-Solano). Your application should include:
* A short CV (max. 2 pages)
* A statement on why CEU is the best host for your research
* Two reference letters
For the MSCA-PF 25 call, proposals are due by 10/09/2025. Candidates must have no more than 8 years of postdoctoral experience and must not have resided or worked mainly in Spain in the last 12 months prior to the deadline.
Applications received before June 15 will be considered for MSCA-PF 2025 and MSCA4Ukraine 2025. Later submissions will be considered for other calls after discussion.
Keywords: Nanoparticles, green synthesis, circular economy, anti-inflammatory, antioxidants.
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