International Postdoctoral Programme

The San Raffaele Scientific Institute (SRSI) is a leading research structure in the field of Molecular Medicine in Italy and worldwide. Three major Institutions operate within SRSI today: Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele (USR), the Beneficiary of the INVEST programme, Ospedale San Raffaele (OSR), a major private Research Hospital, and Fondazione Centro San Raffaele (FCSR), a private non-profit Research Foundation. The mission of the SRSI is therefore integration and interdisciplinarity for excellence in teaching, innovation in research, and optimal patient’s care.

San Raffaele SRSI hosts an International Postdoctoral Programme (IPP) devoted to the development and support of an international postdoctoral community through the recruitment of both national and non-national fellows according to excellence standards. Through IPP International Venue for Postgraduate Education (INVEST) project, USR is committed to further develop such programme. Given its position within SRSI, USR offers INVEST postdocs the opportunity to be trained in cutting-edge research topics in a highly supportive, intensely collaborative and interdisciplinary environment.

The INVEST project has started in November 2011, involving:

• three Calls for Applications
• the enrolment of up to 20 postdocs
• both incoming and reintegration schemes
• funding (including fellowship and research costs) for 24 months

Overall Objectives

The INVEST project aims at:

•  increasing the international aspect of the postdoctoral community
•  favouring transnational mobility
•  fostering state-of-the art research activity
•  providing training and career development opportunities

Research Areas

Postdoctoral fellows were recruited through merit-based transparent selection procedures and had the chance to freely choose the research topic of interest among those present within the Scientific Institute. Teaching activities are carried out in three University Faculties (Medicine, Philosophy and Psychology), whereas research activities spanning the field of Molecular Medicine are carried out in 5 Research Divisions and 3 specialized Research Centres. Moreover, 4 largely independent but integrated Research Institutes are present on Campus.

Description of work and main results

Three international calls for applications were launched in 2011, 2013, and 2014. Three independent Selection Committees performed the selection of potential candidates. 21 fellowships were awarded overall and 17 have been assigned. At the end of the fourth reporting period, 11 postdocs are active in the project. All the fellows were given a welcome booklet to support them with administrative procedures, legal issues, and information on local facilities and activities.

The information provided above is currently valid for the 2013 and 2014 COFUND programme through the INVEST project.
Nov. 5th, 2014