Postdoctoral Researcher at the Nutrition Research Center

The Nutrition Research Center (CIN) at the University of Navarra is an international reference center dedicated to excellence in the fields of precision nutrition, metabolic health, and food innovation. Integrated into a cutting-edge academic and scientific ecosystem, CIN leads translational research by combining molecular and systems biology studies (multi-omics) with nutritional clinical trials and human intervention. Our goal is to unravel the key mechanisms linking diet to the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic diseases (such as obesity and diabetes) and to develop functional ingredients and personalized nutritional strategies. CIN offers postdoctoral researchers a highly collaborative multidisciplinary environment, access to state-of-the-art infrastructure, and a solid technology transfer network with the agri-food and pharmaceutical industries.

The high prevalence of cardiometabolic and non-communicable diseases requires the development of new nutritional strategies based on sustainable foods rich in bioactive compounds. In our research group, we work on the intelligent design of innovative food matrices, focusing on the development of plant-based proteins and ingredients obtained through the upcycling of agri-food by-products, for their application in healthy, sustainable, and personalized diets.

The group's activity ranges from characterizing the bioavailability of ingredients to the comprehensive evaluation of their impact on gastrointestinal and metabolic health. Within this framework, we investigate how these foods interact with the gut microbiota, promoting the production of beneficial metabolites (postbiotics), preserving intestinal barrier integrity, and mitigating inflammatory processes and metabolic alterations associated with obesity (such as insulin resistance) through in vitro models and preclinical studies.

We are looking for a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join a multi- and interdisciplinary team. The selected person will participate in the biological and functional evaluation of these innovative foods, helping to identify their mechanisms of action and their potential to improve human health through nutrition. Their main functions will be:

• Evaluation of protein digestibility using the INFOGEST method
• In vitro colonic fermentations and study of gut microbiota composition and characterization of postbiotics (SCFAs,..) using metagenomics and metabolomics.
• In vitro studies (cell cultures) to evaluate intestinal permeability.
• In vivo studies (rodents) for the evaluation of metabolic and immune markers: modulation of the inflammatory response and cardiometabolic alterations (insulin resistance, lipid profile, adiposity, and hepatic steatosis).
• Data analysis and scientific dissemination: Processing of bioinformatic/statistical data, writing articles in high-impact scientific journals, and preparation of project reports.

These tasks are scheduled to begin in January 2027 and their execution is expected to last 18 months.