General Information

Special recruitment to the Wroclaw Doctoral School of Institutes of Polish Academy of Sciences for the PhD student position in the program “Implementation doctorate I”, financed by the Ministry of Education and Science in Poland   

INSTITUTION: Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences

CITY: Wrocław

POSITION: PhD student in the program “Implementation doctorate I”, financed by the Ministry of Education and Science (MEiN) in Poland 

SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINE: MEDICAL SCIENCES

DATE OF ANNOUNCEMENT: 12/08/2022

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS: 14/09/2022

THE COMPETITION DECISION DATE: 20/09/2022

LINK TO THE WSD IPAN WEBSITE: http://wsdipan.intibs.pl

LINK TO THE IITD PAN WEBSITE: https://hirszfeld.pl/

KEYWORDS: Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), prognostic and predictive marker, TP53 gene, 17p13 deletion/TP53 mutations, personalization of treatment, European Research Initiative on CLL (ERIC), Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)

Wroclaw Doctoral School of Institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences (WSD IPAN) announces a special recruitment for a PhD student - scholarship holder in the 6th edition of the "Implementation PhD I" program - topic: "Prognostic and therapeutic significance of TP53 gene mutation and 17p deletion examination in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia",  commissioned by the Ministry of Education and Science (DWD/6/0422/2022) under the supervision of dr hab. Monika Jasek at the Laboratory of Genetics and Epigenetics of Human Diseases of the Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy of the Polish Academy of Sciences in cooperation with the Lower Silesian Center of Oncology, Pulmonology and Hematology.

1. Description of the research project

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is the most commonly diagnosed leukaemia in adults in the Western world, accounting for 25-30% of all leukaemias. Approximately 17,000 people are affected in Poland, and about 1,900 new cases are diagnosed annually. CLL is characterised by a highly heterogeneous clinical course; hence prognostic and predictive markers play an essential role in the diagnosis and choice of therapy. Key decision-making biomarkers for CLL include 17p13 chromosomal aberrations (particularly TP53 gene deletion) and TP53 mutations. They represent unfavourable factors due to treatment resistance and early relapses after achieving remission. The aim of this project is to implement a method for determining TP53 mutations using the NGS technique into routine diagnostics, along with determining the clinical significance of recurrent TP53 gene mutations and 17p13 deletions [del(17p13)] and to assess the impact of subclonal TP53 mutations as well as functional classes of mutations on treatment outcome and patient fate.

2. Additional information

The PhD student program is performed based on the Communication of 29.04.2022 of MEiN on the establishment of the “Implementation Doctorate” program that grants the PhD fellowship, defined in the Act of 20 July 2018 – Law on higher education and science (Dz. U. no. 1668 as amended) in article 209 paragraph 1, as below.

The total PhD fellowship per month will be provided:

a.      3450 PLN (gross) – till the month of the mid-term evaluation (planned at the end of II academic year);

b.      4450 PLN (gross) – starting from the next month after the mid-term evaluation (during III and IV academic years)

3. Duties of the PhD student-scholarship holder:

• Timely implementation of an individual research plan, consistent with the schedule of the implementation doctorate
• Detailed analysis of literature data related to the subject of the project
• Collection, preservation and archiving of biological material
• Preparation of a clinicopathological database
• Development of a protocol for routine analysis of TP53 mutations by NGS technique; preparation of a standard operating procedure (SOP)
• Analysis and presentation of experimental results, preparation of scientific reports and publications, and participation in scientific conferences
• Implementation of the educational program and tasks resulting from the duties of a doctoral student at WSD IPAN
• Preparation and submission of the dissertation no later than the end of the 4th year of the doctoral program and obtaining the doctoral degree

4. Requirements:

• A candidate for a doctoral degree must have the status of an employee of the cooperating entity (Lower Silesian Center for Oncology, Pulmonology and Hematology) in the period from October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2026, as defined in the regulations (Labor Code Article 2 - Journal of Laws of 2020, item 1320, as amended).Graduate in medical analytics, biotechnology, biology, medical faculty or related fields (diploma delivery date: September 30, 2022, at the latest) with a license to practice as a laboratory diagnostician
• Scientific interest in the area of genetics, molecular biology, haematology, and cancer immunology confirmed by publications, courses, training, participation in conferences, etc.
• 2 years of work experience in a diagnostic medical laboratory
• Good knowledge of English, both spoken and written
• Conscientiousness, motivation for research work, self-reliance, ability to work in a team, creativity, high personal culture, enthusiasm
• Knowledge and experience of experimental and laboratory work with the techniques used in genetics and molecular biology are welcomed

5. Required documents (in accordance with the document Admission rules to the Wrocław Doctoral School of Institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences):

• a completed integrated form downloaded from the WSD IPAN website containing: an application for admission to the School, a personal questionnaire and a declaration that in the event of admission to the WSD IPAN it will be the only doctoral school in which the Candidate will study;
• curriculum vitae containing a list of scientific publications, scholarships and awards, a list of conferences in which the Candidate participated, along with the titles and authors of the speeches;
• a letter of application containing a short description of scientific interests and achievements as well as justification of the intention to start education at the doctoral school;
• a copy of the diploma confirming graduation or a certificate of obtaining a master's degree, or a certificate of the set date of defence;
• a copy (copy) of the entire index of first-cycle and second-cycle studies (or long-cycle studies), or a diploma supplement with grades for the entire studies, or student grade cards for all years of study, confirmed by the dean's office;
• English language certificate at the B2 level or higher (does not apply to candidates who passed the final exam at this level during their studies),

Additional obligatory document:

Statement of the Lower Silesian Center of Oncology, Pulmonology and Hematology that in the case of admission to Wrocław Doctoral School of Institutes of Polish Academy of Sciences the candidate will remain or will be employed (not later than from 1.10.2022) on the full time in the period of the doctoral studies and the consent to His/Her education in the doctoral school within the program and providing Him/Her an auxiliary advisor out of the company staff.

 6. Application forms to the School should be submitted by 14/09/2022 by 3:00  PM:

• in person at the School (INTiBS PAN ul. Okólna 2 in Wrocław) from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, or
• by registered mail or courier (the date of receipt of documents at the School is decisive) to the following address: WSD IPAN, ul. Okólna 2, 50-422 Wrocław, or
• electronically to the address   (with an annotation WD_MJ), the original documents should be delivered before starting the education.

7. Information clause:

Based on Article. 13 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) (Journal of Laws UE L 119 of 04/05/2016, p. 1), hereinafter referred to as "GDPR", I would like to inform you that:

• The administrator of your personal data is the Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy Polish Academy of Sciences in Wrocław, ul. Rudolfa Weigl 12, 53-114 Wrocław
• The administrator of personal data can be contacted by letter to the address given in point 1 above, or by phone at 71 3709940, and the data protection officer appointed by him can be contacted in all matters regarding data processing via the e-mail account: iod @ hirszfeld.pl or by post to the registered office address.
• Personal data will be processed in order to perform the administrator's tasks related to recruitment for a research project entitled “Prognostic and therapeutic significance of TP53 gene mutation and 17p deletion examination in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia ", commissioned by the Ministry of Education and Science (DWD/6/0422/2022) and to the Wrocław Doctoral School of Institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences, thus your personal data will be processed on the basis of the Act of 20 July 2018 Law on Higher Education and Science (Article 6 (1) (c) of the GDPR), the Controller's legitimate interest in the implementation of the research project (Article 6 (1) (f) of the GDPR).
• Providing your personal data by you is voluntary but necessary to achieve the above-mentioned purposes.
• Personal data collected in the current recruitment process will be kept during the recruitment period.
• The person whose data is processed has the right to access personal data, request the rectification of personal data, request the deletion of personal data, request to limit the processing of personal data, object to the processing of data due to a special situation.
• The person whose data is processed also has the right to lodge a complaint with the President of the Personal Data Protection Office, if it is found that the Administrator has breached the provisions on the protection of personal data.
• As a result of processing, decisions will not be made in an automated manner (without human intervention), including not based on profiling.
• Personal data may be made available to our authorized employees, and processors, i.e. those performing activities on our behalf (e.g. IT and accounting services), and the personal data of a Candidate selected in the competition may then be made available to third parties authorized by law.