FCT signs agreement with EMBL for technology internships

The FCT and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) have signed an agreement aimed at promoting expressions of interest in Studentships technological internships for young Portuguese graduates at the EMBL. Selected candidates will receive on-the-job training in the areas of expertise of this international scientific organization, of which the FCT is a member.

Eligible candidates must hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the areas of training to be attended will be those corresponding to the fields of EMBL programs, namely: cellular and molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, biophysics, bioinformatics, genomics, optical and electron microscopy, synchrotron radiation technology, and technology workshops.

The EMBL was created with the aim of promoting molecular biology throughout Europe and has become a center of excellence for young researchers in molecular biology. It is an intergovernmental organization, established in 1974, which currently represents 23 member states, two associate states, and three candidate states. It comprises six laboratories, located in Heidelberg (Germany), Barcelona (Spain), Grenoble (France), Hamburg (Germany), Hinxton (United Kingdom), and Rome (Italy).

This Agreement reinforces the FCT's objective of supporting and monitoring the participation of the scientific and technological community in international organizations of which Portugal is a member. The benefits for the scientific community include access for national teams to international scientific infrastructure, increased industrial competitiveness, access to training programs, and Calls scientific or management positions in different organizations.

The internships at EMBL will enrich the FCT's Technology Internship Program, which already includes agreements with CERN, ESA, and ESO, where every year young Portuguese graduates have the opportunity to receive training for up to two years. This year, the FCT also held its first Call Studentships for internships at NASA. The application process for these internships is expected to begin at the end of this year.