Joint PhD project in high performance computing between Cinvestav and the Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine “Computational Biomedicine” (INM-9) - Call for proposals 2026
We invite highly motivated Ph.D. students enrolled in Mexican universities to apply for an exciting collaborative research program between the Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (Cinvestav) in Mexico and the Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine "Computational Biomedicine" (INM-9) at the Jülich Research Center (FZJ) in Germany. The 2026 call supports two projects in high-performance computing (HPC) and quantum computing (QC) applied to highly relevant biological problems. The projects will leverage the HPC and QC infrastructure of the Jülich Supercomputing Center (JSC) at FZJ. The collaboration is planned for one year and can be extended by mutual agreement. PhD Students who are already working on the proposed projects within the research groups of the Mexican partner institution are encouraged to apply.
Selected students will work closely with FZJ researchers, including Prof. Paolo Carloni, Dr. Davide Mandelli, Prof. Giulia Rossetti (INM-9), and Dr. Sandra Diaz (JSC). The collaboration will involve regular scientific interactions and joint research activities carried out remotely. Students may also apply to the DAAD German Grant agency for a research visit at FZJ. INM-9 has previously hosted Mexican Ph.D. students through this program.
Selected students will remain enrolled at their Mexican institution and will be co-supervised by their local Ph.D. advisor, who will play a central role throughout the project. The advisor of the PhD student is expected to collaborate closely with the Cinvestav-Juelich team in the project, and will be invited, along with the student, to participate in weekly progress report meetings.
The successful PhD students will work on world-class infrastructure, receive joint supervision, have the opportunity to be co-authors of international papers, and build globally competitive CVs. They may also introduce new computer technologies, such as exascale computing, to Mexican academia.
Your profile
PhD in Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Computer Science
Mathematical and programming skills
Excited about working in international teams
How to apply
Applications should include the following documents:
Motivation letter (Maximum one page)
CV (maximum two pages)
One or more letter(s) of recommendation
Description of current PhD project (maximum one page)
Applications should be sent to both Dr. Davide Mandelli, d.mandelli@fz-juelich.de and Dr. Martha Espinosa Cantellano, mespinosac@cinvestav.mx.
Important dates
The deadline of the applications is June 1, 2026. Please apply to only one project. Selected applicants will be requested to have a videoconference interview within the month of June 2026. We will identify one successful candidate for each project.
The expected start date is between July 1, 2026 and December 1, 2026.
PROJECT 1
Copper-dependent modulation of the neuroreceptor NMDAR: Molecular insights from QM/MM simulations and correlation to spectroscopic studies
PI from Cinvestav: Dr. Liliana Quintanar
(Departamento de Química, y Centro de Investigación sobre el Envejecimiento)
The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) is a key neurotransmitter receptor in the central nervous system and plays a crucial role in synaptic transmission, learning, and memory. Dysregulation of NMDAR activity has been implicated in several neurological and neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, and schizophrenia.
Recent experimental evidence suggests that copper ions can modulate NMDAR function, potentially influencing receptor activity and neuronal signaling. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this modulation remain poorly understood.
In this project, the PhD student will investigate the molecular mechanisms of copper-dependent modulation of NMDAR using advanced QM/MM molecular simulations combined with spectroscopic data analysis. The work will integrate computational modeling with experimental insights to characterize metal-binding interactions and their impact on receptor structure, dynamics, and function.
The project will leverage the massively scalable QM/MM interface MiMiC, partly developed at INM-9 within an European University consortium. The results will contribute to a deeper understanding of metal-dependent regulation of neurotransmission and its potential implications in neurological disease.
If you are interested, please read the full proposal.
PROJECT 2
Exploration of the Attractor Landscape in Gene Regulatory Networks Associated with the Emergence and Progression of Chronic Degenerative Diseases Using Quantum Computing
PI from Cinvestav: Dr. Juan Carlos Martínez-García
(Departamento de Control Automático)
Understanding the complex regulatory mechanisms governing cellular behavior is essential for studying the emergence and progression of chronic degenerative diseases such as cancer and metabolic disorders. Gene regulatory networks (GRNs) provide a powerful framework to model the interactions among genes that control cellular states and transitions.
In this project, the PhD student will explore the attractor landscapes of GRNs associated with disease progression, focusing on the identification of stable cellular states and transition pathways between them. The research will combine computational modeling, high-performance computing, and emerging quantum computing approaches to analyze large regulatory networks derived from experimental genomic data.
The collaboration with JSC will provide access to advanced HPC infrastructures and expertise in computational modeling and quantum computing methods, enabling the development of novel algorithms and simulation strategies for exploring complex biological networks.
If you are interested, please read the full proposal.