NOTICE OF THE OPENING OFTHE CALL FOR THE AWARD OF 1 (ONE) Research Fellowship (BI), within the scope of the project "UID/00215/2025",
ONGOING AT THE Multidisciplinary Unitof Biomedical Research of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS) –
BOLS-ICBAS-26-13 By order of the Director of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar of the University of Porto (ICBAS), Professor Henrique Cyrne Carvalho, of November 4, 2026, it is hereby made public that this call is open for the award of 1 (one) Research Fellowship (BI), for a master' s degree enrolled in a doctoral program in the area of Biomedical Sciences or enrolled in a non-academic degree course, to carry out R&D activities within the scope of the project "UID/00215/2025", funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology, underway at the Multidisciplinary Biomedical Research Unit (UMIB) of
ICBAS.
Applicable legislation and regulations The call and the respective award of the grant are governed by the provisions contained in the Research Grant Holder Statute (EBI), approved by Law No. 40/2004, of 18 August, in its current wording, published by Decree-Law No. 65/2024, of 1 October;
Regulation of Research Grants of the University of Porto, approved by Regulation No. 184/2021, of 3 March, amended and republished by Regulation No. 582/2026, of 19 May (hereinafter referred to as Regulation);
Regulation of Research Grants of the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), I.P., amended and republished by Notice (extract) No. 412/2026/2, Official Gazette No. 4/2026, of 7 January, and other applicable rules.
Legal regime for the recognition of academic degrees and higher education diplomas awarded by foreign higher education institutions, approved by Decree-Law No. 66/2018, of 16 August;
Administrative Procedure Code(CPA), approved by Decree-Law No. 4/2015, of 7 January;
and other applicable rules.
I – Characterization and conditions of the Stock Exchange 1. Scientific Area(s): Biomedical Sciences.
2. Host Entity and Place of Implementation of the Work Plan The work plan will be developed in the Multidisciplinary Unit of Biomedical Research (UMIB) of
ICBAS - the latter functioning as a Host Entity - and/or in other places necessary for its execution.
3. Amount of the monthly maintenance allowance 3.1. The value of the monthly allowance for the maintenance of the scholarship corresponds to €1359.64, according to Annex I of the Regulation.
3.2. Payment will be made monthly by
ICBAS by bank transfer.
In addition to this subsidy, the scholarship holder will be covered by personal accident insurance.
3.3. The scholarship holder can join the Voluntary Social Security (valid for a scholarship contract equal to or greater than six months), being optional, and the reimbursement corresponding to the 1st Bracket of the contribution base.
4. Duration of the fellowship The BI will have a duration of 12 months, on an exclusive dedication basis, and may be renewable, up to the limit of the period of execution of the work plan or funding, and cannot, in any case, have a duration of more than one year, (when the scholarship has been awarded to masters who are enrolled in study cycles not conferring an academic degree) or have a duration of more than four years, (when the scholarship has been awarded to masters enrolled in a doctorate), under the terms of paragraph a) and c) of paragraph 3 of article 10 of the Regulation.
5. Work plan 5.1. The main tasks to be performed within the scope of the fellowship will be: a) Isolation, analysis and characterization of molecular and cellular components derived from human follicular fluid;
b) Carrying out primary cultures and cell lines of granulosa cells;
c) Analysis of multi-omics data (proteomics, lipidomics and metabolomics) of biological samples;
d) Participate in science and technology communication tasks, and in the writing and presentation of the results of the work in the form of articles, posters, etc.;
e) Participation in the preparation of scientific and/or technological projects;
f) Participation in activities to support the development of UMIB's strategic plan, namely in scientific dissemination actions.
5.2. When the academic degree or diploma is awarded during the term of the scholarship contract, it may continue, provided that the activities foreseen in the work plan are not completed and under the terms specifically provided for in the notice of opening and in the contract, in accordance with the stipulations of paragraph 6 of article 10 of the Regulation.
6. Scientific advisor The fellowship will be developed under the scientific supervision of Dr. Raquel Alexandra Lages Bernardino, Advisor at the Multidisciplinary Unit for Biomedical Research (UMIB).
II – Selection Process 7. Admission requirements: All individuals of legal age, holding the following requirements, proven by documents, can apply for this scholarship: a) Master's degree in the area of Biology or related areas;
b) Be a student enrolled in a doctoral program in the area of Biomedical Sciences or in a non-degree course integrated in the educational project of a higher education institution, developed in association or cooperation with one or more R&D units - a requirement to be duly proven at the time of hiring.
8. Preference conditions: (a) proven experience in the handling and processing of biological samples from the male and female human reproductive tract;
c) Proven experience in cellular bioenergetics studies;
d) Proven experience in in vitro studies with cell lines;
e) Proven experience in the international sphere;
f) Proven experience in treatment and analysis of clinical data of assisted medical procreation techniques;
g) Proven experience in participating in and organizing scientific dissemination activities;
h) Be the author of at least 7 publications indexed in SCOPUS;
i) Proven participation in institutional dissemination activities.
9. Selection methods and respective evaluation criteria: 9.1. All candidates who meet the admission requirements are subject to curricular evaluation, to be carried out according to the criteria described below.
9.2. The selection methods are as follows: Curricular Evaluation (CA), with a weighting of 90% and, optionally, Interview (ENT), with a weighting of 10%, which will only take place when the jury understands that the CA does not allow to clarify, in the intended way, the real skills of the candidates or to distinguish which candidate is best suited to the position and functions to be performed.
If there is, the interview will be held with the 3 (three) candidates best classified in the CA.
9.3. The Jury evaluates the selection methods on a scale of 0 to 100%.
9.4. The criteria and weighting factors of the Curricular Evaluation (CA) are: a) Final grade of the master's degree (0 to 25%): (from 10 to 12 points: 10%;
from 13 to 14 points: 15%;
from 15 to 17 points: 20%;
18 to 20 points: 25%).
b) Scientific publications indexed in
SCOPUS (0 to 20%): (No publications: 0%;
1 to 2 publications: 5%;
3 to 4 publications: 10%;
5 to 6 publications: 15%;
7 or more publications: 20%).
c) Publications as first author (0 to 10%): (No publications as first author: 0%;
1 publication as first author: 5%;
2 or more publications as first author: 10%).
d) Experience in the laboratory techniques required for the performance of the planned tasks (0 to 25%): (No proven experience: 0%;
proven experience in one technique/task required: 10%;
experience e) Experience in international scientific dissemination activities (0 to 10%): (No experience: 0%;
participation in an activity: 2%;
participation in 2 or more activities: 5%;
participation and organization of international events: 10%).
f) Experience in science dissemination activities, within the scope of the research units (0 to 10%): (No experience: 0%;
experienced: 10%).
9.5. Candidates who have had an evaluation equal to or less than 9 points will be excluded in the AC phase.
9.6. The criteria and weighting factors of the interview (ENT), if it is carried out, are: • Motivation and adequacy of the profile to the tasks to be performed, considering the interest shown in the functions, the understanding of the associated responsibilities and the availability to perform them (50%);
• Scientific and technical knowledge in the work area, considering the mastery of fundamental concepts, the ability to analyze and interpret scientific issues and their application to the tasks to be performed (50%);
9.7. Candidates may request authorization from the President of the jury for their interview to be done by videoconference, substantiating the reasons for this purpose.
9.8. Absence from the interview phase of the selection process is equivalent to withdrawal from the competition, and candidates are excluded from the competition.
9.9. The Final Classification (FC) will be obtained by applying the following formula: CF = (0.90*AC) + (0.10*ENT) or CF = AC.
9.10. Candidates who have had an evaluation equal to or less than 9 points in the CF will be excluded from the competition.
10. Composition of the Selection Jury: President: Dr. Sofia Daniela da Silva Pereira, Associate Professor at the Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS);
1st effective member: Dr. Luísa Cristina da Costa Azevedo, Principal Investigator at the Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS);
2nd effective member: Dr. Sara Patrícia Castro Sousa, Initial Level PhD Researcher at the Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS);
1st alternate member: Dr. Márcia Raquel Pereira de Almeida e Liz, Assistant Researcher at the Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS);
2nd alternate member: Dr. Carla Adriana Araújo Vinhas, PhD Researcher at the Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS).
11. Formalization of applications: 11.1 Candidates must access and register on the electronic platform , to submit the application, selecting the procedure to which they wish to apply (Ref.
BOLS-ICBAS-26-13).
The application is completed by filling in the sections available on the
APPLY U.PORTO platform, under "My application".
11.2. Applications must be exclusively formalized on the aforementioned platform, in the period between November 6th and November 19th, 2026, and must be accompanied by the following mandatory documentation : • Curriculum vitae, containing only the identification of the candidate through the full name, and other personal data susceptible to protection under the terms of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) must be omitted.
The candidate must also indicate the reference to the
ORCID portal, if applicable;
• Copy of the certificate(s) of the qualifications, required in point 7(a) of this notice.
• Motivation letter, indicating the availability to start the work plan;
• Proof of registration, required in paragraph b) of point 7 of this notice (submitted by the time of hiring).
• Declaration of eligibility (according to attached model).
11.3. In addition to the documents indicated in the previous point, those who apply must also attach the documents to prove the conditions of preference and respective criteria for curricular evaluation, contained in points 8 and 9.3 of this notice, respectively.
11.4. Candidates may also attach any other documents they deem relevant to the assessment of their merit.
11.5. Evidence must be attached directly to the
APPLY UP:electronic platform, without using links to external platforms/drives.
11.6. The documents included in the application.
must preferably be in non-editable format, namely in Portable Document Format (PDF).
11.7. Failure to submit the documents referred to in point 11.2. determines the exclusion of the application.
III - Hearing of the Interested Parties and Decision 12. Form of publication/notification of results: 12.1. Notifications are made by publication on the
APPLY U.PORTO electronic platform, under the terms