Università degli studi di Milano
PRIMER MSCA - DC8: "Decoding the genetic makeup of priming" at Università degli
Università degli studi di Milano, Italy, New York, United States
Organisation/Company Università degli studi di Milano Department Biosciences Research Field Biological sciences » Biology Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Country Italy Application Deadline 31 Oct 2025 - 17:00 (Europe/Rome) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 40 Offer Starting Date 1 Dec 2025 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - MSCA Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number 101227217 Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No
Offer Description Background
PRIMER (Enhancing Climate-Resilient Crops by Innovative Priming Strategies) addresses the increasing threat of elevated temperatures to agriculture and food security by investigating how priming strategies (genetic, chemical, and physiological) can enhance thermotolerance in tomato crop. The network applies cutting-edge technologies including single-cell transcriptomics, computational modelling, advanced genomics, and phenotyping platforms. PRIMER aims to generate actionable knowledge to mitigate climate-related losses in crop yields and empower a new generation of researchers with expertise in plant stress biology. PRIMER consists of 10 beneficiaries and 15+ partner organisations across Europe and beyond, offering each Doctoral Researcher a rich interdisciplinary and intersectoral training environment. All researchers will participate in tailored training modules, secondments, workshops, and collaborative projects across the network
Doctoral Researcher Project – DC
8
Title:
Decoding the genetic makeup of priming
Project Duration:
36 months
Project Description:
The PhD project aims to develop an innovative screening system to monitor priming effects at both tissue and whole-plant levels, with a special focus on flower development, gamete formation, and fruit set performance under heat stress. The candidate will investigate existing and newly generated mutant lines to identify key genes involved in priming, and extend this knowledge to the natural variation present in diverse tomato germplasm collections, pinpointing accessions with enhanced resilience traits. Through the integration of molecular genetics and high-throughput phenotyping, the project will deliver candidate genes, validated molecular targets, and promising tomato lines with superior priming capacity at the reproductive level. Beyond advancing crop resilience, this PhD will provide the candidate with unique opportunities for hands‑on training in advanced functional genetics and plant reproductive biology, with a particular emphasis on gametophyte development under epigenetic regulation. Epigenetics will play a central role, as preliminary results have already identified methylation‑defective mutants that exhibit increased resistance to heat stress, offering an exciting avenue for understanding and exploiting heritable thermotolerance mechanisms.
Where to apply E-mail marta.mendes@unimi.it
Requirements Research Field Biological sciences » Biology Education Level Master Degree or equivalent
Skills/Qualifications
MSc degree in Plant Biology, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology or related field
Strong interest in plant stress physiology, epigenetics, and transcriptomics
Prior experience with molecular biology techniques (e.g. DNA/RNA isolation, qPCR, cloning)
Familiarity with bioinformatics or willingness to acquire computational skills
Ability to work in a collaborative and international research environment
Excellent communication skills in English (written and spoken)
Competitive salary and allowances in line with MSCA‑DN rules (~€3400/month gross living allowance, plus mobility and family allowances where applicable)
Enrollment in PhD program at University of Milan
Interdisciplinary training and career development activities
Secondment(s) to partner institutions and industry
Access to state‑of‑the‑art facilities and expert supervision
Eligibility criteria
Must not hold a doctoral degree at the date of recruitment
Must comply with MSCA mobility rule: not have resided or carried out their main activity in Italy for more than 12 months in the 36 months prior to recruitment
Selection process
Eligibility check
Evaluation of CV, academic record, and motivation
Online interviews with shortlisted candidates
Final decision and notification expected by November 2025
Copies of degree certificates (with anofficial English translation)
Contact details of two academic referees
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Offer Description Background
PRIMER (Enhancing Climate-Resilient Crops by Innovative Priming Strategies) addresses the increasing threat of elevated temperatures to agriculture and food security by investigating how priming strategies (genetic, chemical, and physiological) can enhance thermotolerance in tomato crop. The network applies cutting-edge technologies including single-cell transcriptomics, computational modelling, advanced genomics, and phenotyping platforms. PRIMER aims to generate actionable knowledge to mitigate climate-related losses in crop yields and empower a new generation of researchers with expertise in plant stress biology. PRIMER consists of 10 beneficiaries and 15+ partner organisations across Europe and beyond, offering each Doctoral Researcher a rich interdisciplinary and intersectoral training environment. All researchers will participate in tailored training modules, secondments, workshops, and collaborative projects across the network
Doctoral Researcher Project – DC
8
Title:
Decoding the genetic makeup of priming
Project Duration:
36 months
Project Description:
The PhD project aims to develop an innovative screening system to monitor priming effects at both tissue and whole-plant levels, with a special focus on flower development, gamete formation, and fruit set performance under heat stress. The candidate will investigate existing and newly generated mutant lines to identify key genes involved in priming, and extend this knowledge to the natural variation present in diverse tomato germplasm collections, pinpointing accessions with enhanced resilience traits. Through the integration of molecular genetics and high-throughput phenotyping, the project will deliver candidate genes, validated molecular targets, and promising tomato lines with superior priming capacity at the reproductive level. Beyond advancing crop resilience, this PhD will provide the candidate with unique opportunities for hands‑on training in advanced functional genetics and plant reproductive biology, with a particular emphasis on gametophyte development under epigenetic regulation. Epigenetics will play a central role, as preliminary results have already identified methylation‑defective mutants that exhibit increased resistance to heat stress, offering an exciting avenue for understanding and exploiting heritable thermotolerance mechanisms.
Where to apply E-mail marta.mendes@unimi.it
Requirements Research Field Biological sciences » Biology Education Level Master Degree or equivalent
Skills/Qualifications
MSc degree in Plant Biology, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology or related field
Strong interest in plant stress physiology, epigenetics, and transcriptomics
Prior experience with molecular biology techniques (e.g. DNA/RNA isolation, qPCR, cloning)
Familiarity with bioinformatics or willingness to acquire computational skills
Ability to work in a collaborative and international research environment
Excellent communication skills in English (written and spoken)
Competitive salary and allowances in line with MSCA‑DN rules (~€3400/month gross living allowance, plus mobility and family allowances where applicable)
Enrollment in PhD program at University of Milan
Interdisciplinary training and career development activities
Secondment(s) to partner institutions and industry
Access to state‑of‑the‑art facilities and expert supervision
Eligibility criteria
Must not hold a doctoral degree at the date of recruitment
Must comply with MSCA mobility rule: not have resided or carried out their main activity in Italy for more than 12 months in the 36 months prior to recruitment
Selection process
Eligibility check
Evaluation of CV, academic record, and motivation
Online interviews with shortlisted candidates
Final decision and notification expected by November 2025
Copies of degree certificates (with anofficial English translation)
Contact details of two academic referees
#J-18808-Ljbffr