People in the project
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Supervisors
ViroidDoc and its partner network brings together 14 leading research laboratories in EU, academic partners from Argentina and the USA, 5 non-academic partners from different sectors (plant breeding, plant pathogen diagnostics, plant protection and consulting) and University incubator offering entrepreneurial consulting and mentoring. This cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary framework provides a stimulating training environment for the DCs. The consortium includes both distinguished professors with decades of teaching experience and young scientists who are just beginning to establish themselves in the field.
Meet supervisors for doctoral degree
Aline Koch
University of Regensburg (UR), Germany
Professor of Plant RNA Transport and researcher at the Department of Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry. Her research group focuses on developing sustainable RNA-based technologies, including non-GMO RNA spray applications for environmentally friendly crop protection and gene editing.
Francesco di Serio
The National Research Council (CNR), Italy
Senior researcher and the Director of the Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (IPSP), investigating plant anti-viroid defence and viroid pathogenesis. His current research focuses on epigenetic changes and modulation of gene expression induced by viroids and viroid-like RNAs.
Jernej Jakše
University of Ljubljana (UL), Slovenia
Full professor of genetics at the University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Agronomy Department. His work spans both basic and applied research in genetics and biotechnology, where he employs cutting-edge research.
José-Antonio Daròs
Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Spain
Research Professor at the Institute for Plant Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMCP). His research group is developing new biotechnological strategies for crop protection and repurposing plant viruses and viroids into useful tools for biotechnology and synthetic biology.
Kriton Kalantidis
University of Crete (UoC), Greece
Professor of Plant Developmental Biology at the Department of Biology at the UoC. His research interests focus on viroid/virus-plant interactions and RNA silencing pathways in plants.
Nataša Štajner
University of Ljubljana (UL), Slovenia
Chair of Genetics, Biotechnology, Statistics, and Plant Breeding at the University of Ljubljana’s
Biotechnical Faculty. She specializes in plant genetics and biotechnology, focusing on developing molecular.
Sebastjan Radišek
Slovenian Institute of Hop Research and Brewing (IHPS), Slovenia
Plant pathologist in the Plant Protection Diagnostics Laboratory. His main research interests are epidemiology, plant-pathogen interactions and integrated disease management strategies, with emphasis on viruses and viroids in hops, as well as Verticillium and Fusarium wilts.
Samo Hočevar
National institute of chemistry (NIC), Slovenia
Senior researcher and Head of the
Department of Analytical Chemistry. His research interests include the development, study, miniaturization, and application of advanced electrochemical sensors, such as trace metal sensors, gas sensors, and biosensors (immunosensors, genosensors).
Doctoral Candidates
ViroiDoc Network offers an exceptional interdisciplinary research and innovative training environment for 10 doctoral students, equipping them with the expertise to advance their careers in research, product and service development in agriculture, biotech, and biomedicine.
List of Individual Research Projects (IPR)
DC1 in Slovenia
IRP: How Disrupting Viroid Biogenesis Impacts Viroid propagation at the University of Ljubljana (UL) – Biotechnical faculty, Chair of Genetics, Biotechnology, Statistics and Plant Breeding).
IPR objective: The candidate will perform a meta-analysis of available RNA-seq data from different plant species infected with different viroids. The aim is to discover common and unique host proteins/processes that influence viroid infection in different plant species. Furthermore, the candidate will investigate how disruption of specific host proteins involved in viroid replication and movement in hops or a model plant affects CBCVd infection by assessing viroid abundance, disease symptoms and plant immune response.
Supervisor: Nataša Štajner / Jernej Jakše (UL)
Secondment at IBMCP, CSIC-UPV (Spain) under co-supervision of José-Antonio Daròs (CSIC).
DC2 in Slovenia
IRP: Climate change impact on viroid diseases at the Slovenian Institute of Hop Research and Brewing (IHPS) in cooperation with the University of Ljubljana (Biotechnical faculty, Chair of Genetics, Biotechnology, Statistics and Plant Breeding).
IPR objective: The candidate will evaluate the phenotypic characteristics of hop plants in pre-symptomatic and symptomatic stages following artificial infection with CBCVd, under varying temperature conditions, and combined with water and nutrient stress. Besides the candidate will quantify CBCVd levels in hop plants subjected to different environmental stress conditions. Finally, the candidate will analyse the phenolic profile and mineral content of both CBCVd-infected and healthy hop plants exposed to various environmental stress factors.
Supervisor: Sebastjan Radišek (IHPS)
Secondment at UL (Slovenia) under co-supervision of Jernej Jakše and Maja Mikulič Petkovšek (Biotechnical Faculty UL).
DC3 in Slovenia
IRP: Development of a disposable, selective, and sensitive electrochemical sensor for on-site detection of plant viroids at the National institute of chemistry (NIC) in cooperation with the University of Ljubljana (Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology).
IPR objective: The candidate will develop a highly sensitive and selective miniaturized/portable electrochemical sensor for the detection of specific plant viroid(s), with emphasis on CBCVd at the early infection stage. Furthermore, the candidate will perform optimization and adaptation of the electrochemical sensor for its potential application in the field (artificial and/or real matrix calibration, further improvement of selectivity and sensitivity).
Supervisor: Samo Hočevar (NIC)
Secondment at CAS - Institute of Biophysics (Czech Republic) under co-supervision of Miroslav Fojta (CAS) and at ICN2 - Nanobioelectronics & Biosensors (Spain) under co-supervision of Arben Merkoçi (ICN2).
DC4 in France
IRP: In vivo imaging of viroid RNA and associated host factors at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut de biologie moléculaire des plantes (IBMP), affiliated with the University of Strasbourg (École doctorale des Sciences de la Vie et de la Santé,) Strasbourg.
IPR objective: In vivo fluorescent tagging of viroid RNA and analysis of its intra- and intercellular trafficking in association with host factors. Isolation of in vivo ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes formed with viroid RNA, identification of associated proteins by a LC-MS/MS and analysis of their functional significance during viroid trafficking and infection by reverse genetics.
Supervisor: Manfred Heinlein / Todd Blevins (CNRS)
Secondment at IMBB - UoC (Greece) under co-supervision of Kriton Kalantidis (UoC), and at IBBM - University of La Plata (Argentina) under co-supervision Eduardo José Peña (UNLP) and at Abiopep (Spain) under co-supervision of Yolanda Hernando (AP).
DC5 in Spain
IRP: Point-of-care viroid diagnosis based on CRISPR-Cas technologies at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) in cooperation with the Valencia Polytechnic University (UPV).
IPR objective: Adaptation of current CRISPR-Cas12a-based diagnostic strategies for the detection of viroids in infected tissues. Application of a Cas9-based strand displacement strategy, combined with a fluorescent or colorimetric readout, to diagnose viroid targets. To advance towards direct viroid RNA detection using Cas13a/d variants. O4. To develop point-of-care field-deployable viroid diagnostic devices based on CRISPR-Cas strategies.
Supervisor: José-Antonio Daròs (CSIC)
Secondment at Biotechnical Faculty UL (Slovenia) under co-supervision of Nataša Štajner(UL).
DC6 in Spain
IRP: Development of novel antiviroidal strategies: towards drug discovery at the Valencia Polytechnic University (UPV).
IPR objective: To develop and validate a system for assessing antiviroidal activities by integrating cell culture-based evaluations in tobacco BY2 cells and confirming their efficacy in plant models, with the ultimate goal of designing and creating effective viroid-control solutions.
Supervisor: Purificación Lisón (UPV) and Kriton Kalantidis (UoC)
Secondment at UoC (Greece) under co-supervisionKriton Kalantidis(UoC) and at CNR (Italy) under co-supervision of Francesco di Serio(CNR).
DC7 in Italy
IRP: Dissection of viroid pathogenesis through omics and phenotyping approaches at the CNR-IPSP in cooperation with the Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro (UNIBA-DiSSPA).
IPR objective: Elucidation of signalling pathways and mechanisms altered in the host by nuclear and chloroplast replicating viroid infections in symptomatic and non-symptomatic tissues by omics approaches (analysis of transcriptome, methylome, small RNAome). Assessment of the role of epigenetic changes in the interplay between a nuclear replicating (PSTVd) and a chloroplast replicating viroid (CChMVd) with their hosts (tomato and chrysanthemum). Evaluation of the impact of symptomatic and latent viroid infections on plant performance by phenotyping (photosynthesis efficiency, stomatal conductance and thermal imaging) in symptomatic, non-symptomatic viroid-infected and non-infected plants. Integration of phenotyping and molecular data to identify potential targets for the development of strategies against viroid infection.
Supervisor: Francesco di Serio (CNR) and Tiziana Mascia (UNIBA)
Secondment at Biotechnical Faculty UL (Slovenia) under co-supervision of Jernej Jakše (UL).
DC8 in Italy
IRP: Identification and characterization of novel infectious circular viroid-like RNAs in hosts belonging to different kingdoms at the CNR-IPSP in cooperation with the Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro (UNIBA-DiSSPA).
IPR objective: Identification and molecular characterization of novel viroids and viroid-like RNAs in plants and in fungi of agronomic interest (pathogenic and beneficial), in fungi of agri-food significance and in fungi isolated from the rhizosphere of different ecological niches. Evaluation of the effects of viroid-like RNA infection on fungal phenotype, pathogenicity and toxicity, to utilise these infectious agents as putative novel biocontrol agents and biostimulants or to identify them as putative regulators of mycotoxin expression. Functional studies of putative novel viroid-like encoded proteins.
Supervisor: Beatriz Navarro Ramirez (CNR) and Rita Milvia de Miccolis Angelini (UNIBA)
Secondment at CSIC-UPV (Spain) under co-supervision of Marcos de la Peña (CSIC).
DC9 in Greece
IRP: How disrupting host factors suppresses viroid infectivity at the University of Crete (UoC).
IPR objective: Develop tools that enable the visualisation of viroids and viroid movement in planta. Investigate the effects of impairing or knocking down specific host proteins involved in viroid replication and movement on PSTVd infection of N. benthamiana plants, viroid titer and disease progression. Identify proteins whose suppression blocks viroid infection or progression within the plant.
Supervisor: Kriton Kalantidis (UoC)
Secondment at IBMCP - UPV (Spain) under co-supervision of Purificación Lisón (UPV).
DC10 in Germany
IRP: RNA sprays - precision tools for the modulation of host genes to develop viroid resistanceat the University of Regensburg (UREG).
IPR objective: Investigate commonalities between different pathosystems and host factors as a starting point for RNA-based viroid resistance breeding or anti-viroid treatments. Identify vd-sRNAs (viroid-derived small RNAs) of different viroid pathosystems and their host targets for the development of targeted (epi)gene editing-based antiviroid interventions. Design and develop innovative RNA-spray applications (using dsRNA, caRNA and mRNA) for gene modulation at multiple levels to counteract viroid-induced reprogramming of the host machinery. Evaluate the effectiveness of RNA-spray applications in reducing viroid infection and disease symptoms.
Supervisor: Aline Koch (UR)
Secondment at UPV (Spain) under co-supervision ofPurificación Lisón (UPV) and at Innosil (Poland) under co-supervision of Marcin Smiglak (Innosil) .
About ViroiDoc research & training
ViroiDoc’s comprehensive, cross-sector and interdisciplinary training in academic and non-academic institutions expands career paths and employment opportunities for DCs. DCs acquire advanced research and technical skills, unique communication, management and digital experiences, and a range of transferable and soft skills that are important in diverse work environments. With the ViroiDoc training the DCs will
- EXPLORE – Basic scientific and methodological training
- UPGRADE – Advanced technologies & transferable skills
- MASTER – Disseminate knowledge and research results
- IMPLEMENT – Translate knowledge into practice
- TRANSFORM – Ecosystem services
ViroiDoc will prepare DCs to become science ambassadors, expert advisors, innovators and/or leaders.
Job vacancies
Open Call soon to be launched
We are currently seeking for 10 highly motivated Doctoral Candidates (DC) to join our research laboratories in France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Slovenia and Spain. The successful candidates will participate in the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action (MSCA). Application deadline: March 7, 2025.
OPEN CALL for 10 PhD POSITIONS in MSCA Doctoral Network "ViroiDoc”
There are open positions available to candidates who hold a university degree (MSc or equivalent) in plant biology, genetics, cell biology, biology, bioinformatics, biochemistry, or a related discipline, completed no later than the start of the PhD project. The successful candidate should have a strong interest in conducting collaborative research.
The Doctoral Network ViroiDoc offers exciting projects on viroids, the smallest plant pathogens, and viroid-like RNAs that have only recently been discovered outside the plant kingdom. The programme includes secondments to partner laboratories or companies involved in plant breeding and plant protection located in Argentina, the Czech Republic, Germany, Poland and Spain.
A competitive salary. The opportunity to pursue a PhD in one of Europe’s top research centres with an outstanding mentoring and career support. A comprehensive network-wide training and internship program, both in academia and industry.
Specific eligibility criteria:
- You have not yet defended a thesis or obtained your doctoral degree prior to the recruitment date.
- You have not resided or carried out your main activity (work, studies, etc.) at an institution within the country of the selected host laboratory for more than 12 months during the 3 years immediately before the recruitment date.
- You can communicate in both written and spoken English (language certificate B2-C2 required).
Application procedure:
The detailed descriptions of the DC positions, the work locations, the training programme and the application process are available HERE .
Application deadline: March 7, 2025, although applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Should you require any additional information about the vacancies, please contact the coordinator of the ViroiDoc DN at info@viroidoc.eu.