Team | Cellular Mechanisms - Brain Connectivity

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.

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).

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.

Richard Barrillet - MSc. - PhD Candidate

I am a cellular neuroscientist with a background in experimental neurobiology and microscopy. I have worked with organotypic human and rodent brain slice cultures, combining live imaging and electrophysiology to study how cellular mechanisms shape neural tissue function in pathological contexts (brain tumors and epilepsy). In the Ros lab, I investigate how membrane micro-domains organise membrane dynamics and signalling to guide growth cone decisions during axon navigation.

Rita Cozar - BSc. Student - TFG Candidate

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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.

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 our 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.

We look forward to incorporating a highly motivated PhD candidate with:

• MSc. degree (or equivalent) in Neuroscience, Biology, Biomedicine or related fields.

• Strong CV to deem competitive in national and international PhD. Funding calls.

• 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:

• 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.

For more information: Click HERE