Missions

This position is open within the framework of the ANR EmergeNS whose aim is to understand, through mathematical and computer models, the role that autocatalysis, multistability and spatial heterogeneity may have played in the emergence of natural selection. In this project, we are therefore interested in prebiotic chemical systems, with the prism of classical theories in ecology and evolution (ecological interactions, invasion dynamics, non-genetic inheritance).
In this context, one of the most relevant aspects of open prebiotic systems is their tendency to get stuck in certain stationary configurations. In a homogeneous environment, the most common configurations will be those that show the greatest stability. If different localities may be in different configurations, then other characteristics could influence the probability of encountering each configuration, related to their ability to invade neighboring localities.
The recruited person will be responsible for developing mathematical and computational tools aimed at (i) identifying possible stable configurations, (ii) characterizing their stability in a homogeneous context, in particular the probabilities of transitioning between these configurations, (iii) identifying how the neighborhood (in a spatialized context) influences stable configurations and their stability, (iv) simulating the dynamics of certain systems of interest in a spatialized context.

Activités

The recruited person will:
- develop tools for the analysis of multistable chemical systems, using recent methods (action functional gradient descent, Gagrani & Smith Phys. Rev. E 2023)
- develop a model to take into account the influence of the neighborhood on the stability of different stable configurations
- study toy systems whose parameters allow to modify the stability and invasion capabilities of different stable configurations
- develop a spatialized simulation tool to test scenarios drawn from the simpler approaches aboveqa
- integrate all these tools into the EmergeNS platform, with a view to making them freely available

Compétences

Knowledge / Knowledge
- Demonstrated background in mathematical modeling of dynamical systems
- Solid foundations in theoretical ecology and evolution AND/OR theoretical physics

Know-how
- Experience in computer programming, if possible object-oriented (ideally C++)
- Experience in modeling complex chemical systems, and/or in mathematical/computational analysis of multistable dynamical systems

Interpersonal skills
- Respecting the rules of life in the laboratory, each and every one of us in his or her diversity
- Participate in team meetings and laboratory seminars

Contexte de travail

The recruited person will join the Evolution, Adaptation, Behavior team of the LBBE, to which Etienne Rajon (MCU) belongs. The team dedicated to the project is spread over different sites: Denis Kuperberg is a CNRS CR at the LIP, ENS Lyon, and Sylvain Charlat is a CNRS CR at the PIMIT laboratory in Saint-Denis de la Réunion. The recruited person will also interact frequently with Iris Magnier--Papillon, who is doing her thesis on other aspects of the project at the LIP and with other students who will be recruited during the contract. Our interactions are systematically done by videoconference with Reunion Island, but the members of the project located in Lyon meet regularly in person.

The LBBE benefits from outstanding IT support. The IT department (https://lbbe.univ-lyon1.fr/fr/pole-informatique) frequently organizes training and supports programming projects on request. In addition, the lab maintains a computing cluster of about 1200 nodes, to which the recruited person will have access.

Finally, the LBBE is a very diverse laboratory in terms of themes, offering a wide range of scientific activities (seminars, etc.). The non-permanent members of the laboratory are organized into an association (https://lbbe.univ-lyon1.fr/fr/les-pinsons-migrateurs) and regularly organize seminars and other activities. Finally, a working group on mathematical modeling begins in the laboratory, in which the recruited person will be able to take part.

In addition to all this:
• Professional support with in-house training in the laboratory
• The possibility of working remotely
• A company restaurant that allows you to have lunch at an interesting price
• Partial reimbursement of transport tickets (75%)
+ sustainable mobility package of up to €300/year
• A site accessible by public transport (Tram T1 + T4 + bus)
• 44 days of leave / RTT per year
• Financial contribution to the costs of health insurance