Announcement of a competition for the transfer of a doctoral student to the Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences of the Jagiellonian University

The Director of the Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences announces a competition for the admission of 1 doctoral student in the transfer mode, with a scholarship financed from the funds of the research project for an 8-semester Biomedical Sciences education program as part of the Sonata Bis project entitled “The role of RNA Polymerase II (RNAPII) transcription elongation control and RNA processing in health and disease”.

Grant Manager dr hab. Magdalena Masłoń (MCB UJ) offers the opportunity to complete a PhD in the topic: “Mechanisms of transcription kinetics regulation in neurodevelopment”.

Legal basis for announcing a competition for the admission of a doctoral student by transfer:

• based on §7 section 4 Resolution No. 71/XII/2023 of the Senate of the Jagiellonian University of December 20, 2023 regarding: recruitment rules for the Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences at the Jagiellonian University in the academic year 2024/2025, which entered into force on the day of signing
• issued pursuant to Art. 200 section 2 of the Law on Higher Education and Science
• in connection with §27 of the Regulations of the Jagiellonian University Doctoral Schools

Project description:

Normal cellular processes rely on precise coordination of gene transcription, whereas disruption of this process underlies numerous developmental defects and diseases, including cancer. RNA Polymerase II (RNAPII) is the key enzyme involved in gene transcription, the process whereby nascent protein-coding and non-coding RNAs are produced. The broad goal of our research is to understand how gene expression is controlled during development and in homeostasis, and how this regulation changes over the life course or in disease states. The aim of this PhD project is to decipher the importance of transcription kinetics in neurodevelopment.

PhD student will:

1. Measure changes in RNAPII rates during nervous system development,
2. Determine the impact of variable RNAPII kinetics on changes in gene expression observed during differentiation,
3. Identify the molecular basis of RNAPII rates regulation, and
4. Investigate the consequences of purturbed transcriptional kinetics for neurodevelopment.

To this end, a PhD candidate will apply state-of-the-art genome editing and various high-resolution multi-omics methods to pluripotent stem cells-based and mouse models.

Candidates profile:

• Curiosity, high motivation, enthusiasm, and reliability,
• Fluent in spoken and written English,
• MSc degree in biology, biotechnology or related,
• Practical knowledge of the following techniques:
  • Stem cell culture and differentiation,
  • RNA isolation, including methods of pre-mRNA labeling and enrichment,
  • Crispr-Cas9 methodology
• Knowledge of RNA biology topics, including transcription regulation and pre-mRNA processing.

The decision made by the Admission Committee will give the right for transferring the selected candidate.

Recruitment schedule

1. Recruitment announcement on the School's website: 06.05.2024
2. Start of registration (start of IRK admissions): 20.05.2024, godz. 10:00
3. End of registration (end of IRK acceptance): 21.05.2024, godz. 14:00
4. Verification and examination of candidates' documents: 22.05.2024
5. Entrance exams: 23.05.2024
6. Committee meeting (last day of exams at the latest): 23.05.2024
7. Transmission of recruitment results /protocols by the Admission Committee to the IRK and the School Office: 24.05.2024
8. Announcement of results on the IRK: 24.05.2024
9. Enrollment: 27-28.05.2024
10. Enrollment (from the reserve list, if any): 29.05.2024
11. Expected start date of education: 01.06.2024

Detailed recruitment conditions and procedures - tailored to the Biomedical Sciences education programme in accordance with the current academic recruitment rules:

• Detailed conditions and procedure for admission as part of the transfer of a doctoral student in accordance with the recruitment rules for the academic year 2023/2024, in the Biomedical Sciences education program, adopted by Resolution No. 61/X/2022 of the Jagiellonian University Senate of October 26, 2022
• Documents required for admission to the Biomedical Sciences education programme in the academic year 2023/2024
• Additionally required documents resulting from the specific nature of the research project:
  • An additional condition for transfer is the doctoral student's previous involvement in the Sonata Bis project UMO-2020/38/E/NZ1/0007, entitled "The role of RNA Polymerase II (RNAPII) transcription elongation control and RNA processing in health and disease." – confirmed by an appropriate certificate.

In the case of exposure to factors that are harmful, strenuous, or hazardous to health, the candidate is referred to a medical examination by an occupational physician at the time of enrolment. The candidate is required to provide a medical certificate stating that there are no contraindications to undertaking education within the deadline set by the education programme co-ordinator (applies to selected education programmes only).

Higher education certificates obtained abroad should:

1. bear an Apostille when the country issuing the document is covered by the Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, done at The Hague on 5 October 1961 (Journal of Laws of 2005, No. 112, item 938), or
2. by subject to legalisation, in other cases. In particularly justified cases, at the request of the Grant Manager, the Director of the NŚiP Doctoral School may waive the requirement to provide apostille or to submit diplomas of higher education or other documents for legalisation. Any document issued in a language other than Polish or English must be accompanied by a certified translation into Polish or English.

Accommodation:
It is possible to apply for a place in the Doctoral House. Receipt of a place is determined by the availability of vacant places and the fulfilment of the conditions described on the Doctoral Student Society website.

IMPORTANT:
A person admitted to a doctoral school commences education and acquires the rights of a doctoral student upon taking the oath. The taking of the oath is done by personally signing the oath in the office of the Education Programme.

Health Insurance:
important changes As of 1.10, the rules for the registration of doctoral students for health insurance by the University are being changed. After this date:

1. Citizens of Poland, European Union [EU], European Free Trade Association [EFTA] and holders of the Pole's Card, up to the age of 26 should be insured as members of their families, if these have insurance in the EU/EFTA. The insurance is confirmed by a valid EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) card issued in the country of insurance application. Once they have reached the age of 26, they will apply for health insurance coverage at the Jagiellonian University.
2. Other doctoral students (from outside the EU, EFTA) have to pay for their own voluntary health insurance at the Social Security Health institution [ZUS] (on the basis of a contract concluded with the Polish National Health Fund [NFZ] facility) or take out a commercial insurance with a guarantee amount of no less than EUR 30000. They may have both of these insurances. It is insufficient to have only medical packages (subscriptions) in private facilities, as these do not cover the costs of possible hospitalisation. We recommend that each candidate, in particular a foreign candidate, takes out insurance for the duration of the journey and a minimum of the first month of stay in Poland (until the formalities have been completed upon arrival).