Overview
Postdoctoral Researcher Jobs in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland at IPPT PAN – Institute of Fundamental Technological Research Polish Academy of Sciences
Title: Postdoctoral Researcher
Company: IPPT PAN – Institute of Fundamental Technological Research Polish Academy of Sciences
Location: Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland
Postdoctoral Researcher — Injectable RNA-Releasing Nanofibrous Microcarriers for Intervertebral Disc Regeneration
IPPT PAN, Department of Biosystems and Soft Matter | Warsaw, Poland
Low back pain affects four out of five people in their lifetime, and nearly half of chronic cases trace back to a degenerating intervertebral disc. Painkillers manage the symptoms. Surgery removes the problem. Neither one regenerates the tissue. We're building something that might: an injectable, RNA-releasing nanofibrous scaffold that doesn't just fill the crack in a degenerated disc, but actively coaxes it to heal.
The project
Sonata Bis-funded and now at its most exciting stage: the foundational materials work is done, the microscaffolds exist, and the next chapter is proving they work biologically. That's where you come in. You'll take nanofibrous, electrospun, laser-microstructured hydrogel carriers loaded with non-viral RNA vectors and put them through their paces — cell culture, in vitro assays, and ex vivo disc models — to show that this material can support nucleus pulposus cells, deliver miRNA on cue, and calm inflammation and apoptosis in degenerated tissue.
What you'll actually do
Design and run in vitro studies evaluating these biomaterials and their RNA payloads. Build and refine cell-based models of disc degeneration and inflammation. Characterise scaffold performance — viability, proliferation, phenotype, ECM production, and inflammatory response. Help plan and interpret ex vivo or in vivo studies. Turn data into papers and conference talks. Mentor PhD and MSc students along the way, and be the bridge between the biology and biomaterials sides of a 15-person interdisciplinary group.
What we need from you
A PhD in Biology, Biotechnology, Veterinary Medicine, Biomedical Engineering, Regenerative Medicine, Tissue Engineering or similar (completed within 7 years of 1 Jan of your start year, per NCN rules). Real hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture and the in vitro biological evaluation of biomaterials, drug delivery systems, or regenerative approaches. Comfort with fluorescence microscopy, immunostaining, histology, RT-qPCR, ELISA, Western blot, flow cytometry, or similar. A genuine interest in biomaterials, nanomaterials, and RNA/drug delivery for musculoskeletal regeneration. Experience with discs, cartilage, inflammation, or ex vivo/in vivo models is a strong plus. You should be someone who can design an experiment, watch it fail, and figure out why — independently, and in fluent English.
What you'll get
A full-time employment contract (17 months, extendable to 29) in one of Poland's leading research institutes. A young, 15-person team spanning biomaterials, nanotechnology, and biomedical engineering. A 3-person project team you'll join mid-stride, with the materials groundwork already laid. Modern equipment, room for interdisciplinary collaboration abroad, and support to present your work at conferences.
Compensation: 17,500 PLN/month gross (total employment cost) — roughly 11,500 PLN net, or 2,500 EUR net.
Start date: 1 October 2026 · Application deadline: 10 August 2026
To apply, send to [email protected] (cc [email protected]), subject line "Postdoc2 Sonata Bis [your surname]", quoting reference BSP-DSP.111.13.2026:
- Motivation letter, including a short (max. 200-word) account of a real experimental challenge you hit during biological evaluation and how you solved it
- CV with full publication, project, and training history
- Attested copy of your PhD (or confirmation it will be obtained before 1 Oct 2026)
- One recommendation letter plus contact details for a second referee
Questions? Reach out to project lead Dr Paweł Nakielski at [email protected].
Full listings: EURAXESS · IPPT BIP
https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/451204
https://bip.ippt.pan.pl/oferty-pracy/aktualne/1059-konkurs-na-stanowisko-postdoc-adiunkt-adiunktka-w-ramach-projektu-ncn-sonata-bis
