Oriol Ros - Ramón y Cajal Investigator - Principal Investigator
​After my BSc. in Biology (Universitat de Barcelona), I joined the laboratory of Eduardo Soriano in the department of cell Biology as a PhD Student, where I helped uncover a direct link between the signaling cascades of axon guidance with the exocytotic machinery. I further implemented a high-spatiotemporal resolution imaging system to reveal growth cone exocytosis in freely navigating axons and in response to Netrin-1.
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I joined the laboratory of Xavier Nicol in the Institut de la Vision in Paris for my postdoc. There I investigated the role of membrane microdomains in the confinement of second messenger signals (cAMP, cGMP and calcium) in response to guidance cues in the innervation or primary visual targets. I also developed SpiCee and SponGee, genetically-encoded molecular buffers for cGMP and calcium (which we further patented).
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I returned to the Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and immunology of the University of Barcelona as a Beatriu de Pinós/Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions Fellow. I am a Ramón y Cajal Researcher since 2025, investigating the role of membrane microdomains in confining the response of the growth cone at choice points.
Rita Cozar - BSc. Student - TFG Candidate
Rita is a 4th year student of the BSc. is Biomedicine. She will join our team on February 2026 to carry out her Degree's Final Project (TFG). Her project will encompass molecular and cellular biology, engineering optogenetic tools to target distinct membrane microdomains, and analysing axon growth upon sucellular blockade of exoctosis in the growth cone.
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In her own words, "I am Rita, I study 4th year of Biomedicine, and I participate in the project as a TFG Student. I am interested in learning the role of lipid rafts in neuronal growht, while I try to discover my path in research."
Maybe You? - BSc. - PhD. Candidate
We are looking for an outstanding PhD student to join a newly formed group within the Developmental Neurobiology and Regeneration Lab, in the Faculty of Biology and the Institute of Neurosciences of the University of Barcelona. The PhD position will be framed within the project Lipid Raft-Mediated Regulation of Membrane Dynamics for Targeted Innervation (RaftedMembranes), recently funded by the Spanish Research Agency, aiming to understand the cellular mechanisms that drive axon growth and guidance, and the development of the brain connectivity.
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We look forward to incorporating a highly motivated PhD candidate with:
• MSc. degree (or equivalent) in Neuroscience, Biology, Biomedicine or related fields.
• Accreditation to work with animal models (rodents).
• Strong drive to understand brain development, axon guidance and cell biology.
• Previous experience in laboratory research, work with rodents and cell cultures, or molecular techniques. • Organized, curious, able to work independently within a team, and think critically.
• Good communication skills and sound written and spoken English.
What we offer:
• 4 year fully funded PhD position (FPI funded by the Spanish Research Agency).
• Challenging project with state-of-the-art techniques and secondment opportunities.
• Joining one of the excellent PhD programs of the University of Barcelona.
• Participation in specific and broad international neuroscience conferences.
• Joining a nascent research group with close mentoring from the PI. ​​
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For more information: Click HERE
Alumni
Edgar Slik: BSc. Student - TFG Project; MSc. Student - TFM Project.
Elizabeth Durà: BSc. Student - TFG Project.
Àlex Pintos: BSc. Student - TFG Project
