Postdoctoral position at the Quasi-Living Materials Research Group Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia in Spain

Postdoctoral opportunity in biofilms, antimicrobial resistance, and synthetic-cell therapeutics at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona.

The Quasi-Living Materials Research Group is seeking a postdoctoral researcher for the ERC Consolidator Grant project PhagoSynCell. The project asks a timely and important question in infection biology: can a biomimetic, chemistry-free mechanism of action overcome the protection offered by bacterial biofilms? The group has developed phagocytic synthetic cells (PSCs), living-like vesicle systems that physically engulf bacteria rather than killing them with conventional antibiotics. The successful candidate will investigate whether these PSCs can penetrate biofilm matrices, destroy bacteria within biofilms, and deliver stronger antimicrobial effects across planktonic, biofilm, and clinically relevant conditions.

This position is ideal for a microbiologist or microbiology-oriented biomedical scientist with strong hands-on experience in bacterial biofilms and antimicrobial testing. The work combines microbiology with chemistry and biophysics, and the postdoc will own the bacterial side of the project. Core activities include establishing in vitro biofilm models of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, measuring antimicrobial activity with time-kill curves and MBEC/Calgary-type assays, testing clinical isolates and physiologically relevant media such as mucus, using confocal laser scanning microscopy to track engulfment and killing in real time, and assessing cytocompatibility in mammalian cell lines.

The role sits within IBEC, an interdisciplinary research center in Barcelona focused on bioengineering and nanomedicine. The project offers access to BSL-2 facilities, vesicle assembly and interaction analysis infrastructure, and collaboration with ISGlobal and an international antimicrobial-resistance network spanning Europe, Asia, and the United States. IBEC emphasizes an international, high-quality research environment, training opportunities, mobility grants, mentoring, and support for relocation and visa/work-permit procedures.

Eligibility highlights: PhD or equivalent in Microbiology, Microbiology-oriented Biomedicine, Biotechnology, or a related field; proven experience with bacterial biofilms, antimicrobial efficacy testing, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, confocal microscopy, and cell culture; strong English; ability to work independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary setting. Desirable experience includes respiratory pathogens, flow-cell or microfluidic biofilms, advanced image analysis, complex biological media, molecular microbiology, and familiarity with nanomedicine, liposomes, or vesicles.

Application deadline: 6 September 2026 at 23:59 (Europe/Madrid). Applicants must submit their materials via the IBEC careers portal, include an original cover letter tailored to the position, and provide contact details for two supporting references.