PHD Student (Psychiatry, mental health and addictions)

Job title:

PHD Student (Psychiatry, mental health and addictions)

Company:

VHIR

Job description

The Group of Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addictions is seeking a PhD student to apply for the competitive grant “Contratos Predoctorales de Formación en Investigación en Salud (PFIS)” with background in biomedicine, psychology, biology or related fields to work on the epigenetic basis of child mental health. More information about the group can be found here.The early manifestation of mental disorders often involves maladaptive behaviours which are commonly dichotomised into two broad factors namely externalising (e.g., aggressiveness, impulsivity, disobedience) and internalising (e.g., social withdrawn, depression, anxiety) problems. The mechanisms explaining how psychological, biological and environmental factors ultimately contribute to the development of these problems are still unclear. DNA methylation is among the most studied epigenetic mechanisms facilitating the interplay of genomic and environmental factors in the regulation of gene expression and behaviour.The objectives of the position involve (i) to evaluate the association between DNA methylation patterns and externalising and internalising problems, (ii) to examine whether psychosocial or physical environmental risk factors for these mental health problems are related to alterations in the identified methylation sites, and (iii) testing whether DNA methylation acts as a mediator between environmental risk factors and the outcomes externalising and internalizing problems.Group publication related with the project:

• Cabana-Domínguez J, Soler Artigas M, Arribas L, Alemany S et al. Comprehensive analysis of omics data identifies relevant gene networks for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Transl Psychiatry. 2022 Sep 24;12(1):409.
• Rijlaarsdam J*, Cosin M*, Schellhas L*, …, Alemany S*, Cecil CMA*. (2023) DNA methylation and general psychopathology in childhood: An epigenome-wide meta-analysis from the PACE consortium. Molecular Psychiatry 28, 1128–1136.
• Neumann A*, Walton E*, Alemany S*, et al. (2020) Associations between DNA methylation and ADHD symptoms from birth to school age: A meta-analysis study from the PACE consortium. Translational Psychiatry: 10(1):398.

Rovira P, Sánchez-Mora C, Pagerols M, Richarte V, Corrales M, Fadeuilhe C, Vilar-Ribó L, Arribas L, Shireby G, Hannon E, Mill J, Casas M, Ramos-Quiroga JA, Soler Artigas M, Ribasés M. Epigenome-wide association study of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adults. Transl Psychiatry. 2020 Jun 19;10(1):199.Required:

• Degree in Biological, Health or Basic sciences (Biology, Psychology, Biomedicine, Genetics, Mathematics, etc).
• Master’s Degree in Bioinformatics, Data science, Omics, etc.

Desired:

• Interest on mental health
• Experience in Statistical Genetics, Biostatistics, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics or similar field.
• Programming skills (particularly R, Unix/ Linux)
• Good academic qualifications

Skills

• Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative international team.
• Good communication skills and fluency in written and spoken English.
• High motivation.
• Proactive and motivated person, capable of setting and meeting deadlines and delivering outputs to the required standard.
• Strong organisation and team-working skills.
• Team Player and critical thinker.

Roles & Responsabilities:The PhD Fellow will work under the supervision of Dr. Silvia Alemany, investigator at the Psychiatric Genetic Unit of the Group of Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addictions at the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute.Responsibilities will include epigenetic and phenotypic association analyses, manuscript writing, and oral presentations at lab meetings, consortium calls, and scientific conferences. The candidate will also engage in regular collaborative meetings with teams of scientists locally and internationally. There will also be training opportunities for subject-specific and generic research skills, aiming to help the candidate to enhance his/her employability.Labour conditions:
The candidate will apply for the PFIS call. The application will be submitted during February-March 2025.
The working conditions will be those stipulated in the call.
The hiring for this position will be contingent upon the finalist securing the grant mentioned in the offer.What can we offer?

• Incorporation to Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), a public sector institution that promotes and develops the biomedical research, innovation and teaching at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital (HUVH), the biggest hospital of Barcelona and the largest of Catalan Institute of Health (ICS).
• A scientific environment of excellence, highly dynamic, where high-end biomedical projects are continuously developed.
• Continuous learning and a wide range of responsibilities within a stimulating work environment.
• Individual training opportunities.
• Flexible working hours.
• 23 days of holidays + 9 personal days.
• Flexible Remuneration Program (including dining checks, health insurance, transportation and more)
• Corporate Benefits: platform through which you can obtain significant discounts on travel, culture, technology, gastronomy, sports… among many others.
• Healthy Offering: choose from a variety of wellbeing focused activities to be the healthiest you.

Deadline to apply: 31-01-2025
VHIR embraces Equality and Diversity. As reflected in our values we work toward ensuring inclusion and equal opportunity in recruitment, hiring, training, and management for all staff within the organization, regardless of gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, age, functional diversity or ethnicity.

Expected salary

Location

Barcelona

Job date

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 06:32:31 GMT

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