The Center for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) is an independent organization established as a Consortium of four main research institutions: the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), and University of Barcelona (UB).
This innovative arrangement brings together diverse plant and farm animal research groups, and provides a unique nurturing ground for research and training, exploring the genetic and genomic determinants that are common for plants and animals. CRAG is devoted to leading-edge research in the molecular basis of genetic characters of interest in plants and farm animals, and in the applications of molecular approaches for breeding of species important for agriculture and food production. Research at CRAG spans from primarily basic science to applied studies in close collaboration with Industry. The Center is organized into four different Scientific Programs: Plant Development and Signal Transduction, Plant Responses to Stress, Plant Synthetic Biology and Metabolic Engineering, and Plant and Animal Genomics. These Programs are supported by several state-of-the-art technological platforms, that are also open to the wider scientific community.
CRAG strives to translate the results of its research into benefits for society. It also aims to train the next generation of plant and farm animal scientists, who will play a vital role in helping to address the societal and global challenges of this century.
In particular, our Program addresses the study of the regulation of isoprenoid and lignin biosynthetic pathways, the organization of the cell endomembrane system, the fixation of carbon through photosynthesis, and the development of microalgae as a bioengineering and synthetic biology platform. These pathways and processes impact yield, fruit and seed quality, nutritional content, digestibility, bioenergetic value, and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress. Our work aims to develop technologies to reprogram plant cells, including the design of genetic circuits for fine tuning gene expression, the design of novel metabolic pathways, and the use of plant cells as biofactories to express molecules of therapeutic interest.
The experimental approaches emerge from the biochemistry, genetics, molecular, and cell biology fields, and include advanced plant/microalgae system methodologies with transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic analyses. A substantial part of the research activities is performed in well-established models (Marchantia or Arabidopsis), crop plants (tomato, rice, and maize), and microalgae (Chlamydomonas and Chlorella).
The objective of the internship is to help in our efforts to engineer plants with an improve photosynthetic pathway. You will learn the skills required for designing, building and testing different genetic circuits in plants.
From June 9 to August 31, 2025 (adjustable at the discretion of the organisation)
Plants are a primary source of nutrients, chemicals, and materials for humans. Our program aims to generate fundamental knowledge on plant physiology and metabolism and to use this knowledge to improve crops through plant synthetic and metabolic engineering approaches. We are interested in deciphering the control of primary and secondary metabolism for the production of high-quality bioproducts and the enhancement of plant performance and yield. Furthermore, by using a synthetic biology framework, we aim to contribute to the advancement of basic plant research and provide novel biotechnological tools.
We are looking for a Master level student in biochemistry, biotechnology or biomedicine to help with the characterization the effect of the co-culture of microalgae and E. coli on the generation of a bioluminescent signal. We are currently developing a bioluminescent E. coli strain containing the lux operon and want to test the effect that several strategies have in the improvement of the bioluminescent signal. One of these strategies is the co-culture of these bacterial strain with algae under different growing conditions. The selected candidate will learn about synthetic biology and transformation techniques in E. coli, vector design, molecular cloning (GoldenGate) and will work with bacteria and with algae, optimization of bioluminescence and bacteria and algae co-culture. English proficiency will be highly valued.
From June 9 to August 31, 2025 (adjustable at the discretion of the organisation)
Our main goals are todecipher the genetic determinants of bacterial plant diseases and tocharacterize the main executioners of the hypersensitive response cell death.We combine genetics, biochemistry and molecular biology in an integratedapproach to study both plants and their pathogens.The Bacterial Plant Diseases and Cell Death team is located in the Centre forResearch in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) in Bellaterra, Barcelona. The CRAG isa consortium between the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), the CatalanInstitute for Food and Agricultural Research and Technology (IRTA), theUniversity of Barcelona (UB) and the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB).
For more info: http://www.ub.edu/bactplantdiseases/
Bacterial wilt caused by the wide-host range pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum is a devastating disease affecting over 200 plant species from disparate families including potato, tomato, peanut, eucalyptus, clove, etc. We study the expression and the functions of R. solanacearum virulence genes inside its plant hosts. The work includes generation of straind mutant or over expressing candidate genes and evaluating their impact on bacterial virulence and survival.
From June 9 to August 31, 2025 (adjustable at the discretion of the organisation)
We offer an internship opportunity in our laboratory focused on the intricate plant physiology and biochemistry of brassinosteroid receptor signaling, with a particular emphasis on the BRL3 receptor in Arabidopsis thaliana. This position is ideal for master or graduate students with a strong interest in plant biology, hormone signaling, and advanced molecular techniques.
The intern will engage in cutting-edge research aimed at elucidating the role of brassinosteroids receptors, specifically BRL3, in regulating cell-specific development, and stress responses. Their responsibilities will include biochemical assays of BRL3 signaling components, and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis of single-cell profiles associated with BRL3 signaling pathways. They will also investigate cell-type-specific signaling mechanisms activated by BRL3 to understand how these pathways influence physiological responses at the cellular level in response to stress.
In addition to hands-on laboratory work, you will assist in characterizing the morphological changes induced by BRL3 activation under various stress conditions. This may involve using imaging techniques and statistical analyses to assess plant phenotypes.
The ideal candidate should possess a foundational understanding of plant physiology and biochemistry, along with experience in molecular biology techniques such as PCR, RNA extraction, and bioinformatics analysis related to RNA-seq data. Strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team are essential.
This internship offers a unique opportunity to develop practical skills in experimental design, data analysis, and scientific communication. Interns will have the chance to present their findings at lab meetings and contribute to ongoing research projects that explore the significance of brassinosteroid signaling through receptors like BRL3 in plant adaptation and resilience.
If you are passionate about plant science and eager to delve into the complex world of brassinosteroids and their signaling mechanisms in Arabidopsis, we encourage you to apply for this enriching internship experience.
From June 9 to August 31, 2025 (adjustable at the discretion of the organisation)