VHIO International PhD Fellowships 2027: (4-Year Work Contract: Full Employment & Competitive Salary)

VHIO is offering International PhD Fellowships to enhance scientific careers at its prestigious research center in Europe, focusing on precision medicine in oncology. Selected fellows will engage in a stimulating environment with access to advanced infrastructure, an integrated training program, specialized courses, career development activities, and social events. 

Application Deadline & Key Dates:

• Call Opening Date: 3 November 2026
• Application Closing Deadline: 15 December 2026
• Remote Application Screening: December 2026 – January 2027
• In-Person Oral Interviews at VHIO: 16, 17 & 18 February 2027
• Final Results & Candidate Notifications: Late February 2027
• Fellowship Contract Start Date: September – December 2027

Tell Me About The Program:

The VHIO International PhD Programme Fellowships at the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO) in Barcelona, Spain, offer a competitive doctoral pathway in cutting-edge, translational cancer research. As an accredited Center of Excellence, VHIO bridges fundamental laboratory discovery with clinical precision medicine. Recruited fellows complete a 4-year PhD program integrated with state-of-the-art technological core facilities, specialized seminars, scientific courses, and hands-on career development.

Participating Research Laboratories (Choose up to 2):

1. Francisco Barriga, PhD: Cancer Genetics, Genome Engineering, Copy Number Alterations, Tumor Immune Evasion & Therapy Resistance.
2. César Serrano, MD, PhD:
   • Position 1: Chromatin Remodeling, Driver Bypass, Cellular Models & Single-Cell Technologies.
   • Position 2: Cancer Genomics, Tumor Evolution, Chromosome Instability & Large-Scale Multi-Omic Analysis.
3. Raquel Pérez-López, MD, PhD: AI, Deep Learning, Natural Language Processing, Medical Imaging, Precision Oncology & Biomarkers.
4. Alena Gros, PhD: Tumor-Reactive T Cells, TILs, Peripheral Blood & In Vivo CRISPR Screening.
5. Fran Martínez-Jiménez, PhD: Cancer Immunogenomics, Somatic Mutagenesis, Anti-Tumor Immunity & T-Cell Immunotherapies.
6. Albert Antolín, PhD: Cell Culture, Experimental Pharmacology, Drug Repurposing, Machine Learning & AI in Cancer Combinations.
7. Laura Torrens, PhD: Genomic Epidemiology, Mutational Signatures, Clonal Selection & Cancer Prevention.
8. Lara Nonell, PhD: Bioinformatics, Reproducible Workflows, Single-Cell/Spatial Transcriptomics & High-Performance Computing (HPC).
9. Carolin Sauer, PhD: Computational Cancer Genomics, Liquid Biographies, Cell-Free DNA, Multi-Modal Modeling & Machine Learning.
10. Pere Barba, MD, PhD: CAR-T Cell Therapy, Cell Engineering, Immunotherapy & Hematology.
11. Mate Maus, PhD: Aging, Colorectal Cancer, Myeloid Cells, Iron Metabolism & Recurrence.
12. Judith Balmaña, MD, PhD & Sara Gutiérrez-Enríquez, PhD: Hereditary Breast/Ovarian Cancer, RNA-Based Diagnostics & Variant Splicing Interpretation.
13. Joaquin Mateo, MD, PhD: Precision Medicine, Prostate Cancer, Biomarkers, Drug Resistance & Tumor Adaptation.
14. Elena Élez, MD, PhD & Rodrigo Dienstmann, MD, PhD: Colorectal Cancer, Computational Biology, Cancer Genomics & Integrative Clinical-Molecular Analysis.

Type:

Fully Funded 4-Year Work Contract & International PhD Fellowship

Who can Apply:

• Academic Background: Must hold a University Degree and a Master’s Degree in biomedical/medical sciences within the European Higher Education System (minimum 300 ECTS credits) or an equivalent international degree granting eligibility for doctoral studies in Spain. (Candidates expected to graduate by September 2027 are eligible to apply).
• Academic & Scientific Record: Strong academic standing, prior research experience, and a demonstrated commitment to scientific research.
• Language Proficiency: High working knowledge of spoken and written English.
• Ineligibility Rules: Candidates invited to previous VHIO PhD call interviews, candidates currently pursuing or having completed their Master’s degree at VHIO, and candidates who have worked at VHIO for more than 3 months prior to the call deadline are not eligible.

How Applicants Are Selected:

1. Pre-Selection / Remote Screening (December 2026): Application packages, CVs, research fit, and reference letters are screened within a week after the deadline.
2. In-Person Oral Interviews (16–18 February 2027): Shortlisted candidates are invited to VHIO in Barcelona for oral presentations and interviews (invitation details sent ~3 weeks after the deadline).
3. Notifications: Official fellowship offers are issued in late February 2027.

Which Countries Are Eligible:

Global (Open to candidates of any nationality).

Where will the Program be Taken:

Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

How Many Fellows / Grantees:

7 Fully Funded PhD Scholarships available for this call intake.

What is the Benefit of the Program:

• 4-Year Work Contract: Full employment contract with a competitive salary complying with national regulations.
• Social Security & Insurance: Full statutory health and occupational insurance coverage integrated into the Spanish Social Security System.
• Scientific Facilities & Training: Unrestricted access to VHIO core facilities, computational infrastructure, specialized technical courses, and career development support.

How Long Will it Last:

4 Years (Full-time doctoral contract commencing between September and December 2027).

Required Application Documents:

1. Online Application Form (personal details, coursework, honors, awards, research experience, and scientific interests statement).
2. Transcripts of Marks (with official translations in Catalan, Spanish, French, Italian, or English if original is issued in another language).
3. Two Reference Letters: System-generated automated requests sent directly to candidate-designated referees. (Note: Both reference letters must be uploaded prior to the 15 December 2026 deadline for the application to be deemed complete).

How to Apply:

1. Review the participating research laboratory descriptions and select up to 2 preferred labs.
2. Register and complete the online profile on the official VHIO Online Application System.
3. Input referee details early to ensure automated reference requests are sent and uploaded before the cutoff.
4. Verify all fields and submit your completed application prior to 15 December 2026.
5. Direct any eligibility questions to the VHIO Academy at [email protected].

Visit the Application Webpage for Details