Recruitment Notice – Assistant Researcher Position

Organisation/Company Universidade de Coimbra – Ci BB (Gene T, CNC-UC) Research Field Other Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Positions Postdoc Positions Application Deadline 8 Nov 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Lisbon) Country Portugal Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe Reference Number GA Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? Yes
Offer Description
Recruitment Notice – Assistant Researcher Position
Description
The University of Coimbra, through GCure – From Gene to Cure, Gene T (Gene Therapy Center of Excellence) and CNC-UC (Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology) of Ci BB (Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology), is opening one position for an Invited Assistant Researcher in the field of Gene Therapy and Translational Neuroscience.
GCure is an ERA Chair project aimed at strengthening the Research & Innovation potential of the University of Coimbra in Biomolecular Medicine through the establishment of a research programme dedicated to next‑generation Gene Therapy Vectors, building upon UC's expertise in Gene Therapy at CNC-UC and Gene T.
The successful researcher will join the GCure research team and contribute to the preclinical development and biological evaluation of innovative gene therapy approaches, working at the interface between gene therapy, experimental neuroscience and disease modelling.
The position is intended to complement GCure's activities in viral vector design, development and production by strengthening expertise in in vivo preclinical models, neuropathological characterization, therapeutic response assessment and quantitative data analysis, contributing to the translation of next‑generation gene therapy vectors into relevant disease models.
Summary
The University of Coimbra has an open call for one Ph D‑holding position of Invited Assistant Researcherunder DL 124/99-Tier1-Index 195,to be integrated within the research activities of GCure – From Gene to Cure, Gene T and Ci BB.
GCure is an ERA Chair project aimed at strengthening the Research & Innovation capacity of the University of Coimbra in next‑generation Gene Therapy Vectors. Building upon UC's strong foundation in Gene Therapy research at CNC-UC and Gene T, GCure aims to establish a core R&I cluster dedicated to advanced viral vector technologies, strengthen research and technological capacity, expand participation in collaborative R&I projects, attract international researchers and high‑value collaborations, and enhance the international recognition and long‑term sustainability of Gene Therapy research at the University of Coimbra.
Within GCure, research activities encompass the development and optimization of next‑generation viral vectors, together with their biological characterization and preclinical evaluation in relevant experimental systems and disease models.
The recruited researcher will contribute expertise in experimental and translational neuroscience and preclinical disease modelling, supporting the evaluation of innovative gene therapy and viral‑vector‑based approaches in relevant in vivo models.
Particular emphasis will be placed on neurological and neurodegenerative disease models, in vivo studies, neuronal vulnerability and neuropathological processes, histological characterization, quantitative analysis, and assessment of therapeutic response, providing a complementary preclinical platform to GCure's activities in vector development and optimization.
Scientific Area
Gene Therapy and Translational Neuroscience
Objectives/Responsibilities
The recruited researcher will contribute to the implementation of GCure's Research & Innovation programme, particularly to the preclinical development and evaluation of next‑generation Gene Therapy approaches, contributing to: Development, optimization and characterization of experimental models of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases relevant for gene therapy research;
Design and implementation of in vivo preclinical studies for the evaluation of innovative viral‑vector‑based therapeutic approaches;
Assessment of biological activity, therapeutic efficacy and disease‑related outcomes following gene therapy interventions;
Investigation of cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration, neuronal vulnerability and disease progression;
Histological and neuropathological processing and characterization of nervous‑system tissues;
Contribution to the evaluation of viral vector biodistribution, transduction and biological effects in relevant experimental models;
Integration of experimental, histological and quantitative approaches for the characterization of therapeutic responses;
Quantitative analysis, interpretation and integration of complex experimental datasets;
Contribution to the development of robust and translationally relevant preclinical pla