In the framework of the Chemistry Biology Health Graduate School (CBH-EUR-GS) of Université Grenoble Alpes, the Grenoble Alliance for Integrated Structural & Cell Biology (GRAL) funds operating costs for PhD projects conducted in GRAL labs: BioSanté, BGE, IBS, LCBM, and LPCV within the field of integrated structural & cell biology.

 

Preselection

  • Lab directors (DU) will preselect 10 projects: 1 project from BioSanté, 1 from BGE, 5 from IBS, 1 from LCBM, and 2 from LPCV, based on lab priorities, ensuring that projects meet a real financial need in the labs. Preselection will be organized by DUs, who may request a justification / letter of intent from the PhD supervisor(s).
  • Out of these 10 projects, GRAL directors will preselect up to 6 projects for evaluation by GRAL’s Scientific Advisory Board.
  • Pre-selected projects will not be ranked.

 

Application

PI of preselected projects will submit a 3-page description of the PhD project by 12 October 2023 1:00 pm using the available template.

 

Evaluation

GRAL’s Scientific Advisory Board will evaluate projects on the following criteria:

  • Ambition and scientific quality of the project
  • Relevance to GRAL’s objectives
  • Track-record of PI
  • Eventual additional points such as fruitful cooperation between teams or labs from the GRAL perimeter and/or for early-career scientists involved in the supervision of the PhD project

 

Eligibility

  • Salary for PhD student must be secured for at least 2 more years at the time of the call
  • PhD project must be supervised by a researcher of one of the GRAL laboratories
  • PhD project must contribute to GRAL’s objectives in integrated structural & cell biology (https://www.labex-gral.fr/research/research-directions/)
  • PhD projects funded by ANR, ERC, any PhD funding associated with operating costs, including GRAL PhD scholarships, are not eligible.

 

Funding

  • 20k€ per PhD project
  • Up to 60k€ can be awarded for each call (call will open every year until 2025 for funding of PhD operating costs until 2027)

 

Use of funds

The funding can cover up to 20k€ expenses during the PhD project, including research consumables, equipment, training, publication costs, travel, accommodation, and subsistence associated with research and scientific services, to be used during the doctoral contract. It can also be used for ‘gratification de stage’, provided the PhD student participates in the supervision of the student. The funding cannot be used for salaries.

 

Schedule

  • PI to send notification or letter of intent to DU > Beginning of September 2023, date to be confirmed by each DU
  • Preselection of 10 PhD projects by lab directors > by 18 September 2023
  • Preselection of 6 PhD projects by GRAL directors > by 25 September 2023
  • PI to send application to GRAL’s Project Manager anne-mathilde.thierry _ at_ ibs.fr or _at_ cea.fr > by Thursday 12 October 2023 13:00
  • Evaluation by GRAL’s Scientific Advisory Board > October-November 2023
  • Notification of decision : December 2023
  • Start of expenses : January 2024