MSCA-DN): PhD Positions in bespoke physics, chemistry and biolo

Organisation/Company GLYCOCALYX Doctoral Network Department GLYCOCALYX Doctoral Network Research Field Biological sciences Chemistry Physics Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Final date to receive applications 30 Mar 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/London) Country United Kingdom Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - MSCA Reference Number GLYCOCALYX-ALL Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number  Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Are you keen to progress glycoscience research across disciplines? Do you have research experience and a keen interest in developing new physics, chemistry and biology tools to reveal the self‑organisation and barrier functions of the mammalian glycocalyx?

Applications are invited for 15 PhD positions, each for 36 months, to work in the Marie Skłodowska‑Curie Doctoral Network GLYCOCALYX.

About the Network. GLYCOCALYX brings together 15 leading European partners in a transnational network, implementing a multidisciplinary and intersectorial research and training programme between the academic and industrial partners, to research the self‑organisation and barrier functions of the mammalian glycocalyx.

Virtually all mammalian cells are covered with a dense and complex coat of sugar chains (glycans) known as the glycocalyx, which is essential for multicellular life. Glycocalyces accomplish critical functions in inter‑cellular communication, controlling tissue development, homeostasis and repair, inflammatory and immune responses, neuronal connectivity, and symbiosis with bacteria. However, when dysregulated, they can promote immune diseases, neurodegeneration and cancer. Glycocalyces also act as the first line of defence against pathogens, but some pathogens have evolved to hijack the glycocalyx to promote infection.

Despite their importance, mammalian glycocalyces remain the ‘dark matter’ of biology, under‑studied owing to the historical lack of preparative and analytical tools to probe the local molecular composition and transient interactions of molecules within glycocalyces, and missing physics rules to interpret experimental observations.

The GLYCOCALYX Network will train 15 PhD Fellows in chemistry, physics and biology methods and concepts required to resolve the dynamic organisation of glycocalyces. The project will establish a new level of understanding of how glycocalyces perform their many selective barrier functions. The PhD Fellows will receive cutting edge scientific training, alongside industry‑relevant transferable skills, to equip them for careers in the medical technology sector and its underpinning research and innovations.

• DC1:
  Biocolloid diffusion and transport in glycocalyces
• DC2:
  Glycocalyx self‑organisation: the driving force for perineuronal net formation?
• DC3:
  Targeting tissues using multivalent lectin‑glycan interactions
• DC4:
  Imaging the dynamics and viscoelastic properties of the glycocalyx at single molecule resolution
• DC5:
  Impact of selective shedding of the endothelial glycocalyx on haemodynamics
• DC6:
  Glycocalyx softness and control of bacterial adhesion
• DC7:
  Recognition and self‑organisation of the glycocalyx – Does binder clustering matter?
• DC8:
  Spatial fingerprinting of nanoscale glycocalyx architectures
• DC9:
  Lectin‑based labels for glycan imaging using DNA‑PAINT super‑resolution microscopy
• DC10:
  The mucosal glycocalyx and the host‑microorganism relationship in homeostasis and infection
• DC11:
  Synthetic dendritic cell glycocalyx – Bridging the gap between molecules and cells
• DC12:
  Viral infections in the endothelium – Glycocalyx penetration and viral pathogenesis
• DC13:
  Endothelial glycocalyx degradation during viral diseases
• DC14:
  Analysis of glycocalyx glycans using novel LC‑FD‑MS chromatography techniques
• DC15:
  Combining coarse‑grained modelling and machine learning to unravel the role of the glycocalyx in modulating viral attachment to the cell‑surface

The GLYCOCALYX Network is committed to gender balance and equal‑opportunity access throughout the recruitment process.

Can…