CNR-NANOTEC is launching a new, long-term research programme for the application of advances in Nanotechnology and Photonics to Precision Medicine.  The initiative will be built on close interactions with clinical partners and will initially center on two areas: a.) Immuno-oncology, in particular nanomaterials to modulate the innate and adaptive anti-tumour immune response, and b.) the Neurodegenerative Diseases, in particular methods for non-invasive pre-symptomatic diagnosis and human in vitro models of neurodegeneration for preclinical testing of new treatment (http://old.nanotec.cnr.it/polaris/).

We are looking for candidates with interest and expertise in the following areas:

1. Design and fabrication of microfluidic devices (LabOnChips) for the analysis of body fluids, to integrate sample processing and highly sensitive biosensors based on novel materials/approaches (eg High-Electron-Mobility Transistors, MoS₂, plasmonic metamaterials, biobarcodes)
2. Design and fabrication of microfluidic microphysiological systems (OrganOnChips) replicating and interconnecting different regions of the CNS from normal donors and patients with Neurodegenerative Diseases, and to investigate/manipulate the immune response to tumours
3. Generation and High-Content Screening in microfluidic systems of brain organoids from normal donors and patients with Neurodegenerative Diseases
4. Development of novel strategies for biomarker discovery based on large combinatorial phage/peptide display or aptamer libraries, and of phenotypic screens based on pooled CRISPR libraries
5. Synthesis and characterization of cGMP-grade magnetic, metallic and organic targeted nanoparticle for MRI/X-ray imaging, drug/gene delivery and immunomodulation for basic and preclinical studies
6. Multimodal optical imaging/spectroscopy, including LSFM (Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscopy), optical metabolic imaging, super-resolution (STORM/fPALM) and nonlinear optical microscopy (eg nanoparticle-enhanced spontaneous and coherent Raman microscopy), particularly for the analysis of OrganOnChip systems
7. Tissue engineering of lymphoid tissue, to induce, enhance or suppress the immune response
8. Intracellular analysis of protein abundance via: a.) immunostaining and high resolution fluorescence using carbon nanodots, and b.) measurements of ionic conductivity in nanopipettes of quartz and carbon functionalized with nanobodies and inserted in the cellular membrane (further information from prof. G. Scoles F.R.S., gscoles@princeton.edu and www.MONALISA.Uniud.it).

A number of appointments will be made both at senior (team leader) and junior (postdoctoral) level.  The former will require a minimum of 3 – 5 years’ postdoctoral experience in a highly relevant area, and will lead a research group of 2 – 4 (to be recruited) focused on the core activities of the programme in close collaboration with the other teams. PhD studentships will also be available.

Salary will be on the CNR scales, according to qualifications and experience, up to a starting gross salary of €75 keuro for senior team leaders, for a fixed term of up to 5 years in the first instance.  Applications will be evaluated in a two-step procedure.  Candidates selected at the first stage will be invited to a second stage following publication of a formal call by CNR.

Please submit your cv with the names and contacts of at least two scientific referees and a resumé of your achievements over the past 5 years to jobs.lecce@nanotec.cnr.it, quoting reference TM1.

POLARIS –Precision medicine for amyOtrophic LAteRal sclerosIS

CNR-NANOTEC is launching a new long-term research programme to study novel nanophotonic nonlinear devices based on strong light matter-interaction (http://old.nanotec.cnr.it/aladin/). In particular we are interested in the formation of dressed photons (called polaritons), for which the particle-particle interaction is order of magnitude stronger than that observed in standard non-linear materials. Polaritons, given their striking nonlinearities, are ideal candidates for all-optical devices up to the realisation of circuitry for optical computation.

The final purpose of this research is the development of a new generation of optical devices that could process signals similarly to present processors but without being affected by the high dissipation of purely electronic components.  The ultimate aim will be the use of a few photons to make operations that would either power a classical computer or could be used for quantum computation.

We are looking for candidates with interest and expertise in the following areas:

1. Design and realization of inorganic and hybrid semiconductors with particular attention tolow-dimensional materials (2D perovskite, TMDs, colloidal nanocrystals) by wet chemistry synthesis and exfoliation as well as fabrication of novel heterostructures.
2. Epitaxial growth and nanofabrication of inorganic III-V semiconductors for photonic devices by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), optical and nanolithography (e-beam lithography, ICP-RIE) as well as focused ion beam (FIB)
3. Advanced photonic experiments on semiconductor, organic and hybrid nanostructures aimed at observing phenomena related to strong light-matter coupling, including polariton condensation, quantum fluid dynamics and quantum optics
4. Design and fabrication of Optical and (Opto)electronic Devices based on nonlinear organic/hybrid materials

A number of appointments will be made at the level of PhD student, junior and senior Postdoc, Research Assistant and Team Leader.  For all positions a PhD (or a Master in the case of a PhD student) degree in physics, materials science, chemistry, engineering or equivalent and basic notions in material science and optics are required.

Salary will be on the CNR scales, according to qualifications and experience, up to a starting gross salary of €75 keuro for senior team leaders, for a fixed term of up to 5 years in the first instance.  Applications will be evaluated in a two-step procedure.  Candidates selected at the first stage will be invited to a second stage following publication of a formal call by CNR

Please submit your cv with the names and contacts of at least two scientific referees and a résumé of your achievements over the past 5 years to jobs.polaritonics@nanotec.cnr.it

ALADIN – All-opticaL and electro-opticAl Devices based on light matter Interaction in Nanomaterials

Lecce, the capital of Salento, is both a city of history and art: its elegant, cosy historic centre showcases remnants from the Messapians to the Middle Ages, although it is particularly renowned for its baroque architecture (a Florence of the Baroque era) built in the characteristic soft local stone (pietra leccese) that dazzles in the sunshine.

However Lecce is also a capital of Italian cooking built on a  local tradition of simple ingredients (“cucina povera”) and robust red wines (Negroamaro and Primitivo), and sports a buzzing bar scene.

Century-old olive groves stretch over the countryside whereas a short distance away are wild beaches with a clear azure sea famous for diving and picturesque rocky caves.