DICI - Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering
Organisation/Company University of Pisa Department DICI - Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering Research Field Engineering » Biomaterial engineering Engineering » Materials engineering Technology » Pharmaceutical technology Technology » Materials technology Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Application Deadline 30 Nov 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Rome) Country Italy Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 40 Offer Starting Date 1 Mar 2027 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - MSCA Reference Number MSCA-DN IDEAS-DC14-UniPI Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number 101312168 Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No
Offer Description IDEAS - Improving drug efficacy with next-generation amorphous materials and trained experts.
The Marie-Skłodowska Curie Doctoral Network (MSCA DN): "Improving drug efficacy with next-generation amorphous materials and trained experts", (IDEAS) funded by the European Community is recruiting 15 young researchers , as described here: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/474248
The doctoral candidates (DCs) will be trained not only to perform original and independent research on an internationally competitive level, but also in developing creative, critical and entrepreneurial mindsets, to be prepared for a wide spectrum of career opportunities.
The IDEAS Doctoral Network is designed to empower a new generation of young scientists in the field of amorphous pharmaceutical systems, strengthening Europe's biotech/pharma industry and academic innovation capacity.



This effort demands a unified project bringing together the cross-disciplinary expertise of academic research groups in materials science, physics, chemistry, and pharmacy, alongside industry partners. The network comprises a consortium of 7 universities (University of Lille, University of Pisa, University of Silesia in Katowice, Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Université Catholique de Louvain, Trinity College Dublin, NOVA University of Lisbon), 2 large companies (Janssen Pharmaceutica, Zentiva) and 1 SME (MyBiotech). Through this programme, the fellows will collaborate to develop eco-friendly manufacturing technologies for amorphous materials, establish science-based control over material properties, and explore a wide range of materials to achieve efficient production of high-quality amorphous formulations. This advanced research-driven training will be further enriched with dedicated training events (e.g., online and in-person workshops, summer schools) and intersectoral and interdisciplinary mobility through secondments. After having completed their studies and the IDEAS programme, this innovative and multidisciplinary training will qualify this new generation of scientists not only for an academic career, but also for working in industry and beyond.
Note that all of projects have their individual job advertisement. Candidates can apply for a maximum of THREE projects.



The DCs will be employed by the host institution of the selected project and enrolled in the host organisation's or affiliated university's PhD programme.
This offer is for the Doctoral Candidate position n. 14 (DC14) within the IDEAS network
APPLICATION DEADLINE: 30.11.2026
General job description manage and carry out the individual research project;
participate in the IDEAS training and network activities;
take PhD courses;
write scientific articles and the PhD thesis;
participate in national and international congresses and scientific meetings;
research stay at external research laboratories or company sites;
disseminate the research outcomes;
participate in the undergraduate teaching of students.
DC 14 at UniPI (Italy) - 4D Biopharmaceuticals with electromagnetically activated functionalities.
Supervisory Team: Prof. Serena Danti (University of Pisa), Prof. Giuseppe Gallone (University of Pisa)
Context: Emerging "4D biopharmaceuticals" represent the next generation of smart therapeutic systems capable of responding dynamically to external stimuli. Among these, photo-responsive polymeric materials offer unique opportunities for spatiotemporal control of drug release, molecular conformation, and therapeutic activity. Near-infrared (NIR) light is particularly attractive for biomedical use due to its deep tissue penetration and non-invasive activation potential.
Objectives : This project aims to develop polymer-based materials and hybrid structures ranging from nanoscale carriers to macroscale scaffolds with electromagnetically activated functionalities responsive to NIR irradiation. These materials will enable controlled, on-demand drug release and adaptive therapeutic performance, establishing the foundation for 4D biopharmaceutical platforms that integrate material responsiveness, biocompatibi

📌 PhD Position Available – MSCA Doctoral Network IDEAS (Roma)
🏢 University of Pisa
📍 Roma