We are seeking individuals with an interest in applying for the Caixa Postdoctoral Junior Leader Retaining fellowship in the area of Neurodegenerative disease, particularly ALS. The fellow would be hosted in the laboratory of the Neurometabolism, based at the Research Unit of the National Hospital of Paraplegics in Toledo, Spain.

(https://hnparaplejicos.sanidad.castillalamancha.es/en/profesionales/investigacion/basica).

The research in our group aims to understand the biological value of leptin as a therapeutic to ALS (https://hnparaplejicos.sanidad.castillalamancha.es/en/profesionales/investigacion/basica/neurometabolism). To achieve this goal, in the laboratory we employ highly relevant models of ALS pathology (hTDP-43A315T (Prnp-TARDBP*A315T)95Bal, TDP-43 bigenic mice (NEFH-hTDP-43ΔNLS) and TDP-43 knock-in mouse model of FTD (TDP-43Q331K/Q331K mice) in combine with multidisciplinary methods of biochemistry (biomarkers/plasma ELISA assays), molecular biology (mRNA-Seq and mRNA/protein arrays), flow cytometry techniques (FACS analysis and cell subset analysis) and behavioral memory (Y maze and new location recognition task (NLR)) and motor (Catwalk and rotarod test) test, utilizing different aspects from many areas such as Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Pathophysiology and Endocrinology, and Neuroscience and Neural disorders.

We are interesting in hosting fellows with a broad range of backgrounds (including animal behaviour, neurophysiology, neuroimmunology, pathophysiology and endocrinology and neural disorders) than can contribute to the general research lines outlined above.

Please contact us to discuss more: cmfernandezm@sescam.jcmm.es

Call details:

Researchers of any nationality are eligible for the Postdoctoral Junior Leader - Retaining. The fellows may carry out their research project at any Spanish or Portuguese university or research centre.

In order to get accepted, candidates must meet the following requirements:

Experience: They should have earned their doctoral degree two to seven years prior to the deadline of the call for applications. The date of the doctoral thesis defence will be understood as the date when the doctoral degree was earned.

In the cases of interruption of the research activity between the date of obtaining the doctoral degree and the call deadline, the candidate may request an extension of the period in which the doctoral degree must have been obtained

Geographic mobility: For candidates applying to Spanish centers or universities: Candidates must have resided or have carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Spain for more than twelve months in the three years immediately prior to the closing date of the call. Short stays, such as holidays, will not be taken into account.

For candidates applying to Portuguese universities or centers: Candidates must have resided or have carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Portugal for more than twelve months in the three years immediately preceding the closing date of the call. Short stays, such as holidays, will not be taken into account.

Special mobility condition could apply for the in the cases of interruption of the research activity or researchers who have spent time in the procedure for obtaining the refugee status under the Geneva.

Complete applications: Only candidates whose applications meet all the requirements of the call may be accepted.

Full details of the fellowship scheme can be found here:

https://fundacionlacaixa.org/en/web/guest/la-caixa-foundation-postdoctoral-junior-leader-fellowships-retaining