Becoming a Marie Curie Fellow: The Decision That Changed My Life - a blog post by ESR3 Varbina Ivanova

Almost four years ago, when I started looking for PhD opportunities, I didn’t even know what a Marie Curie fellow was. I had just graduated with a Master’s degree in Bulgaria, eager to continue in science and work abroad - but I had no idea how to make that happen. I knew I wanted to enter the field of Drug Discovery and gain expertise that would allow me to contribute to bringing novel medicine to people in need.

To do so, I decided to pursue a PhD in this area and I began searching for positions in Bulgaria and abroad. That’s when I discovered the EURAXESS website - a platform that promotes PhD opportunities across Europe. To my surprise, just a few months into my search, several positions appeared as part of a newly funded Marie Curie ITN project called AlloDD - Allostery in Drug Discovery. I didn’t know what an ITN was, or even what allostery meant, but many of the positions were related to Computer-Aided Drug Discovery (CADD) and required a background in computational chemistry - literally perfect for my profile. Naturally, I started reading the project description, learning about the ideas and goals behind it, and soon after, I liked it so much that I ended up applying to nearly half of the available positions.

The idea behind an ITN is in its name: an Innovative Training Network, funded by the European Union - a project developed by high-profile principal investigators (PIs) with deep expertise in a specific topic, who are looking for early-stage researchers (ESRs) to train and mentor into a next generation of experts. So, it turned out an ITN was exactly what I was looking for in a PhD - but I had no idea just how much more it could offer.

A few months after applying, I was lucky enough to be selected as AlloDD’s ESR3, to become a PhD student under the supervision of Dr. Xavier Barril and Dr. Jordi Juarez. I moved to Barcelona, and my ESR/PhD journey began.

The AlloDD project turned out to be a true ITN in every sense. Fourteen ESRs, fourteen PIs, across twelve countries—spread across Europe like a real network. The project included multiple activities designed to help us train in the field of allostery and connect with knowledgeable scientists. Our interactions grew each year through network meetings and planned secondments – secondments that provided valuable training but also opportunities for new collaborations, and meetings, both in-person and online, which equipped us with the knowledge and transferable skills necessary for any career path in science.

As the years passed, the network became even stronger. All of us connected and got involved in each other’s work – it was like having fourteen PhD projects instead of one – such an exceptional experience. Not only the ESRs but also all the PIs closely monitored our research progress and offered invaluable advice and guidance. After three years of this dynamic and insightful environment, by the end of the project, we – ESRs, PIs and partners, the whole network had become like a family. A family of scientists who support each other, teach each other, share knowledge and grow together.

For me, being part of the AlloDD ITN has been the most precious experience. I went from someone who didn’t know what allostery or CADD was, to a scientist with a deep understanding in these fields and proficient in a variety of techniques applied in the discovery of new drugs. I traveled near and far for secondments, network meetings, and conferences. It is worth mentioning that the project provided secure funding, which enabled all of these enriching activities and speeded up my research and scientific development. But most importantly, I had the chance to connect with so many brilliant people: the PIs, who are leaders in their fields, and the ESRs, all bright minds with bright futures. I feel incredibly honored to have met them all at the start of my career, and lucky to call them my network. Now, after 4 years, I can truly say that applying for the AlloDD ITN was the best decision of my life.
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P.S. If you’re reading this and considering doing a PhD abroad, I would advise you to apply for a Marie-Curie ITN. And I only hope all ITN projects are as well-planned, well-organized and well-executed as the AlloDD.