Prof. Cristian Micheletti
Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Physics Area, PhD programme in Molecular and Statistical Biophysics, Trieste, Italy
This PhD project will develop and apply advanced theoretical and computational models for two purposes. First, it will characterize how the structure of nucleic acids, proteins, and their biohybrid assemblies affects their motion through nanopores. The results will then be used to design molecules with desired pore translocation properties.
The theoretical/computational project will involve close international collaborations (secondments) with experimental and theoretical partner groups of the BioHybrite network, through which the doctoral researcher will iteratively refine models by comparing them with experiments and, finally, formulate predictions.
The researcher will be based at SISSA, an international graduate institute focused on Physics, Mathematics, and Neuroscience, on a park campus overlooking Trieste, with in-house access to a supercomputer, library and labs.
The SISSA research community, about 90 principal investigators, 100 postdocs, and 280 PhD students, supports frequent cross-group scientific exchange, enables fast feedback on ideas, shared methods, and easy connections to external collaborators.
In addition to fully-funded fellowships, PhD students have access to benefits that include financial contributions toward housing rent, purchasing personal laptops, and participation in external training programmes.
This specific PhD research will be carried out within the Molecular and Statistical Biophysics programme, detailed at: https://msb.sissa.it/phd-program/
Requirements: Candidates are required to pass an entrance selection based on academic qualifications and oline exams, written and oral. Details of the selections will be formally announced at the beginning of 2026 and advertised at msb.sissa.it
Planned secondments: Keyser lab, Ouldridge group, Linko lab, Heuer-Jungemann lab
Salary: Gross salary € 3,821.53 + € 710.00 mobility allowance (+ €495.00 family allowance, if applicable).
The salary (36 months) is directly based on Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network budgeting (including a country-specific living allowance and a fixed mobility allowance for a doctoral candidate, as well as a possible family allowance).
Please note that the duration of PhD at SISSA is 48 months. SISSA will cover for the 12 months exceeding the BioHYBRITE funding.