The Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC) is a comprehensive cancer research center dedicated to conduct research and drive innovation in the epidemiological, preventive, clinical, translational, and basic aspects of leukaemia and other hematologic malignancies, with the final aim of finding a cure for these diseases. It was created in 2010, and since then has experienced an exponential growth.

The IJC is also part of the network of Excellence Research Centers of Catalonia (CERCA) and was accredited as a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence by the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities in 2024. Since 2018, the Institute has also been accredited by the Scientific Foundation of the Spanish Association Against Cancer (FCAECC) Additionally, IJC is one of the centers integrated into the Institut de Recerca Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP) accreditation as Accredited Health Research Institute (IIS) by the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII).

The IJC's main headquarters is located within the Can Ruti Biomedical Campus, alongside other leading biomedical institutions, providing direct access to cutting-edge scientific and technological facilities, as well as complementary community services. The IJC has six locations integrated into reference hospitals: Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Hospital Clínic, Hospital Sant Pau, Hospital Josep Trueta, Hospital del Mar and Hospital San Joan de Déu. This facilitates close collaboration between basic and clinical researchers, fostering translational research that integrates basic science with clinical practice in clinical settings.

We are looking for a Bioinformatics Postdoctoral Researcher in Blood Stem Cell Identity group, led by Dr. Vincenzo Calvanese.

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) are a life-saving therapy for leukemia and found broadened applications to gene and cell therapy against other cancers, genetic, autoimmune, and infectious diseases. Yet, practical limitations, such as donor-matching or insufficient cell number render these therapies unfeasible or unsuccessful for many patients. Attempts to overcome these limitations have been unable to create a reliable source of HSC for patients: while we can generate human HSC from pluripotent stem cells, they resemble early development stages, lacking many of the functional maturation hallmarks.

The Postdoctoral Researcher will join a team to work on a project identifying transcriptional regulation mechanisms that sustains HSC self-renewal, and their relevance for the establishment and maintenance of the leukemia stem cell population in the context of blood cancer. To dissect the nature and function of these cells, we use a combination of epigenomics and transcriptomics, on cell lines and human primary tissues, combining in vitro and in vivo models of human normal and leukemic blood development. This work will provide important advances in our understanding of human blood stem cell biology in the context of normal and neoplastic hematopoiesis.

MAIN RESPONSABILITIES

• Analyze complex NGS datasets from bulk and single-cell experiments to uncover meaningful biological insights from hematopoietic cells and tissues (e.g. RNA-seq, CITE-seq, Cut&Tag, ATAC-seq, Hi-C, spatial transcriptomics and cellular barcoding).
• Develop and optimize bioinformatics pipelines for data processing, integration and interpretation, incorporating cutting-edge methods, including AI-driven tools.
• Support data visualization by generating clear, publication-quality visualizations and contributing to the preparation of final data presentation material.
• Ensure effective communication with team members and collaborators to integrate expertise and extract the maximum biological information from datasets.
• Contribute to mentorship and training of junior researchers, fostering standardized and rigorous approaches to bioinformatics analysis within the group.
• Oversee and manage data and code repositories, ensuring optimal organization and prompt accessibility.
• Develop and maintain web-based tools and interfaces for intuitive exploration of datasets, making data accessible to collaborators and non-expert users.

WHAT WE NEED

• PhD in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Informatics applied to Life Sciences or similar.
• 4+ years (strong) experience in bulk and single-cell NGS analysis, including genomics and transcriptomics.
• Expert knowledge of bash programming, Unix/Linux, R, Python and other relevant environments.
• Experience with software version control or HPC environments (SLURM).
• Solid knowledge of cellular and molecular biology.
• A proven track record of peer reviewed publications, conference presentations and collaborative projects.
• Strong motivation and excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to collaborate with team members, eager to support data analysis initiatives/efforts, and deliver results in a clear and engaging manner.
• Excellent spoken and written English (please submit all documentation in English).
• Independent thinking, enthusiasm, pro-activity, impeccable work ethics and professionalism.
• Commitment to an equity, diversity, inclusion-based and international working environment.
• Experience with multi-omics approaches for integrative data analysis is highly desirable.
• Knowledge in advanced statistics, machine learning and/or computational modeling would be taken into consideration.
• Background on stem cell biology, tissue biology, or cancer biology will be considered a plus.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Full-time Postdoctoral Contract (3 years) linked to the grant ATR2023-143555 funded by MICIU/AEI /10.13039/501100011033.
• The position includes the opportunity and institutional support to apply for competitive fellowships and research grants.
• Competitive salary, aligned with the candidate’s qualifications and experience.
• Innovative environment in a dynamic, international, multidisciplinary and forward-thinking lab, recently established with the support of UE (ERC-CoG), Wellcome, FJC, and Spanish government funding.
• Collaborative work alongside a diverse and inclusive team of scientists at various training and experience levels, fostering mutual support, constructive feedback, and productive collaboration.
• Contributing to pioneering research within the inspiring setting of the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute.
• The stimulating environment, vibrant scientific and cultural atmosphere of the Barcelona metropolitan area.

DEADLINE

Please submit your application by November 15th, 2025.

WHO WE ARE?

What makes us different?

The mission of the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute is to conduct research and drive innovation in the epidemiological, preventive, clinical, translational, and basic aspects of cancer, with a special emphasis on Leukaemia and other malignant blood diseases, with the aim of finding a cure for these diseases.
The IJC’s vision is to be a world-class reference and excellent research center that contributes to the improvement of results, and the cure of patients affected by leukaemia and other malignant haemopathies, through innovation, sustainability, social responsibility, talent, and professional experience.

HR Excellence

In 2019, IJC was honored with the “Human Resources Excellence in Research Award” by the European Commission, recognizing the alignment of our human resources policies with the European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. The Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R) guides research centers of excellence in implementing and upholding these standards within their policies, emphasizing training, professional development, and mobility opportunities.
The IJC’s commitment to these values and principles strengthens our internal policies and ensures that our members have the optimal conditions and environment for their professional development.
The Board of Trustees is composed of representatives of the Generalitat de Catalunya (regional government), University of Barcelona, Autonomous University of Barcelona, the City of Badalona and the Jose Carreras International Leukaemia Foundation
The Catalan government provides hard money on an annual basis. The Jose Carreras International Leukaemia Foundation provides start-up funds, project funds as well as financial support for investments.
The JCI has an international scientific advisory board served by prominent researchers from US and Europe.
The IJC has been awarded ERC and other EU grants.

The IJC is an equal-opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or other legally protected characteristics.