IRB-DRIVE · IRB Barcelona International PhD Programme: Driving talent towards professional excellence and high impact biomedicine.

IRB-DRIVE has been conceived to attract high-capacity talent to IRB Barcelona (IRB) and train, upskill and equip them towards impactful professional careers in biomedicine through a comprehensive doctoral programme. IRB is an independent, non-profit research center engaged in fundamental and applied biomedical science whose widespread recognition for research excellence is complemented and supported by a renowned international PhD programme which has accumulated numerous qualitative improvements over the recent years, thanks in part to the implementation of 2 MSCA-COFUND programmes - IRB-DREAM and IRB-TARGET. IRB-DRIVE will offer 10 four-year fellowships through 2 calls to exceptional doctoral candidates informed via an extensive dissemination campaign and awarded after a fair and transparent selection and recruitment process that builds on institutional best practices endorsed by the HR Excellence in Research Award (held by the institute since 2014). IRB-DRIVE fellows will conduct their research projects in one of IRB’s 29 research groups among the institute´s 6 interdisciplinary research nodes and will have access to a broad range of international and intersectoral collaboration and mobility opportunities strengthened by the programme’s network of associated partners. Apart from promoting their technical and transferable skills, IRB-DRIVE will facilitate their readiness to rewarding roles in research through a novel career-driven itinerary. Finally, by implementing a holistic support programme that includes a novel mentoring agenda and nurtures their well-being through meaningful interventions, IRB hopes to drive these future leaders of biomedicine to research and professional success.