26 is the total number of young researchers who will conduct their PhD through the DocFam+ project. After the success of the DOC-FAM project in 2017 (the first MSCA-COFUND Project given to CSIC), this new edition of the programme will allow ICMAB to consolidate its leadership in intersectorial and international doctoral programmes.
The new DocFam+ programme, coordinated by ICMAB, includes the participation of six other partner organisations: ALBA Synchrotron, Catalan Institute of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology (ICN2), Catalonia Energy Research Institute (IREC), Institute for High Energy Physics (IFAE), Institute of Microelectronics of Barcelona (IMB-CNM-CSIC) and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB).
Lia Cano (Strategic Projects Unit) during the introductory talk
DocFam+ first Call
This month, 12 out of the 26 junior researchers of the DocFam+ programme have officially been incorporated to their work. These new doctoral fellows are staying at ICMAB (5), IMB-CNM (2), IREC (2), ICN2 (1), IFAE (1) and UAB (1).
Jack Nickson (United Kingdom) supervised by Joan Marc Rafi (IMB-CNM), will be working in advanced wide band gap semiconductor devices for particle detection in high-energy physics and space applications.
Guillem Wetherell Mateu (Catalunya), supervised by Anna Roig Serra (NN, ICMAB), will do research in bacterial cellulose patches for complex wounds treatment.
Sara Pugliese (Italy), supervised by Daniel Ruiz Molina (ICN2) will be working in mussel-inspired thin films for neuronal regeneration.
Nasser Ahmad (Pakistan), supervised by Xavier Muñoz Berbel (IMB-CNM) will be working in the fabrication of wearable sensors based on silk matrices.
Dounia Nanadoumgar-Lacroze (France), supervised by Mario Martínez Pérez (IFAE) will be in the project of the Gravitational Wave detector.
Francesca Merlina (Italy), supervised by Judith Guasch Camell (DBCI, ICMAB) will work in the project ‘Engineering extracellular artificial matrices for the study and treatment of hematological cancers’.
Andrea Turino (Italy), supervised by Albert Tarancon Rubio (IREC) will work in the OxyBatt project about high-temperature oxygen batteries for Industrial Internet of Things.
Afroditi Koutsogianni (Greece), supervised by Agustin Mihi and David Amabilino (NANOPTO and SUSMOSYS, ICMAB) will work in the development and characterization of tuneable photonic architectures to enhance light extraction and polarization control.
Karla M. Mena Aguilar (Costa Rica), supervised by Mariona Coll Bau and Anna Palau Masoliver (MULFOX and SUMAN respectively, ICMAB) will conduct research on multiferroic nanocomposites for light and magnetic energy harvesting.
Simone Privitera (Italy), will be supervised by Enric Menéndez Dalmau, Aitor Lopeandia Fernández and Jordi Sort Viñas (UAB) in merging magneto-ionics with nanocalorimetry for spin-electronic applications
Ann Charise Delgado Cariño (Philippines), supervised by Jordi Guilera Sala and Marti Biset Peiro (IREC) is in the project ‘Development of advanced catalysts through atomic layer deposition (ALD) for energy applications.
Finally, Núria Pujol Solé (Catalunya), supervised by Mariana Köber and Nora Ventosa Rull (NANOMOL-BIO, ICMAB) will be working in a research project entitled ‘An in-depth characterization of quatsomes, non-liposomal nanovesicles, with antimicrobial activity’.
DocFam+ Call 1 fellows, supervisors and the coordination DocFam+ team
Besides the technical and soft skills training the DocFam+ fellows will receive (including communication and outreach seminars) they will participate in a retreat for personal development, ethics lectures and an ESADE entrepreneurship course.
The PhD candidates have high hopes for the DocFam+ programme, from gaining expertise in their fields and learning different technical and transversal skills to building a network or personal improvement. They also find the location of the centres they are hosted is privileged, close-by to Barcelona, a city which they claim to enjoy, both climate-wise and culturally.
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