MSCA and BEST COFUND IBEC postdoc programme Postdoctoral Fellows join the BBT

Dr. Osnat Hakimi and Dr. Laura Catalina Córdoba Román join the BBT research group as Postdoctoral Fellows for their two year pojects.

Dr. Hakimi will be working on a "A database of experimental biomaterials and their biological effect" with the objective of creating an open-access database of experimental tissue scaffolds, indexing design features, cellular and tissue responses, thus creating an exhaustive inventory of experimental scaffolds. Such a dataset would enable scientists to efficiently search and interpret relevant information from past studies across all tissues and models, as well as create computational tools to predict and optimise cell-material interaction. A comprehensive map of research activity and findings should also make it easier to identify areas where data is missing or lacking. A systematic, up-to-date overview of the field will also be a useful tool for science policy making. Her MSCA Individual Fellowships offers experienced researchers as Dr. Hakimi the opportunity to work abroad in high level research institutions, by contributing to boost her career significantly.

Dr. Córdoba, on the other hand, will spend her two years fellowship in developing "Personalized 3D-printed Zn-based bioabsorbable stents: a new paradigm in percutaneous coronary intervention". The Programme in Bioengineering Excellence Scientific Training (BEST) aims to attract experienced international researchers in the areas of Nanomedicine, Cell Engineering and ICT for Health, the three research flagships at IBEC. By the deadline of April 30th 2018, IBEC had received a total of 68 applications for the BEST COFUND postdoc programme from 26 different nationalities, but only twelve of these candidates were granted a BEST COFUND postdoc fellowship.