BUG-ID 15 PhD Positions 2026: Closed Archive

BUG-ID 15 PhD Positions 2026: Current Status

What Is BUG-ID?

BUG-ID is an MSCA Doctoral Network focused on developing graphene-based biosensors for bacterial infection diagnostics. The project addresses the need for diagnostic technologies that combine speed, throughput, accuracy, affordability and practical clinical usability.

The consortium combines seven European universities, one research institute, one hospital and six private companies. Its doctoral training spans materials science, nanotechnology, molecular microbiology, biochemistry, infection medicine and AI-based data analysis.

At the centre of the project is graphene, whose surface chemistry and sensing properties can be combined with engineered biological receptors, miniaturised sensor platforms and machine-learning-based signal interpretation.

Where the 15 PhD Positions Were Hosted

Research Scope

The European Commission project record identifies several interconnected research challenges:

• identification of biomarkers associated with bacterial infection;
• engineering receptors capable of recognising selected biomarkers;
• functionalisation of graphene for biosensor integration;
• sensor miniaturisation and device optimisation;
• molecular microbiology and biochemistry;
• infection medicine;
• nanotechnology and materials science; and
• machine learning and explainable AI for complex diagnostic signal analysis.

Eligibility Used in the 2026 Recruitment

The published EURAXESS call stated that candidates:

• could be of any nationality;
• needed a degree giving access to doctoral studies, normally a Master’s degree or equivalent, or had to obtain it before employment began;
• needed sufficiently strong written and spoken English; and
• had to satisfy the MSCA mobility rule for the country of the recruiting host.

MSCA Mobility Rule

At recruitment, a candidate must not have resided or carried out their main activity in the host country for more than 12 months during the previous 36 months.

Funding and Doctoral Training

The official call guaranteed 36 months of PhD funding. Successful Doctoral Candidates received an MSCA salary package with a living allowance, mobility allowance and family allowance where applicable.

How the 2026 Application Process Worked

1. Applicants reviewed the umbrella BUG-ID recruitment.
2. They selected the specific Doctoral Candidate project matching their scientific background.
3. They followed the corresponding host-institution vacancy link.
4. They checked the academic requirements and mobility eligibility for that host country.
5. They submitted the documents required by the individual recruiting institution before the applicable deadline.

CareerAidHub Guidance for Future MSCA Doctoral Network Applicants

• Use the live host vacancy: scientific criteria and employment terms can differ across beneficiaries within the same network.
• Calculate mobility before investing in an application: use the specific host country, not the project coordinator’s country.
• Tailor scientific fit: interdisciplinary networks can contain projects suited to very different profiles.
• Check current MSCA rules: do not copy eligibility language from an expired call into a future application.
• Monitor EURAXESS: it remains a key source for new MSCA Doctoral Network vacancies.