Missions

The project consists in producing supramolecular origami by assembling artificial proteins designed and produced by our biochemist partners and then characterizing their multi-scale structure by microscopy (SEM, TEM, cryoEM). These origami will then be used as templates for the growth and self-assembly of plasmonic and/or fluorescent molecules/clusters/nanoparticles with spatial control dictated by the origami. The development of functionalization protocols and structural and optical characterization of hybrid assemblies will constitute the second part of the project.

Activities

The candidate will be trained in producing and purifying artificial proteins designed by our biochemist partners. S/he will induce the protein origami self-assembly and carry out all structural characterization by (cryo)FEGSEM and conventional TEM in the ARCEN platform (ICB, Dijon). CryoEM will be done in collaboration with the CBI (Toulouse) facility. The candidate will develop new synthesis and functionalization protocols to exploit the origamis as templates for the morphosynthesis of anisotropic Au/Ag crystals and the assembly with emitters. All structures and protein-metal interfaces will be characterized structurally (AFM, TEM) and optically (TIRF, Raman).

Skills

Pre-requisites: Demonstrated skills and practice of basic biochemical protocols as well as gold cluster/nanoparticle synthetic and ligand exchange chemistry and general physical chemistry are required . A good background in structural characterization (TEM, SEM, AFM, Raman) and single-particle fluorescence or time-resolved techniques will be highly appreciated. Oral and written English level C1 is expected.
Provide emails of at least 2 mentors who will write recommendation letters.

Work Context

A multi-disciplinary (chemistry, biochemistry, microscopies) post-doctoral position for an experimental chemist or physical chemist with knowledge in biochemistry is available in the Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne (ICB, CNRS Univ. Bourgogne Europe, Dijon, France) as part of a national collaborative research project gathering biochemists, physical chemists and cryo-electron-microscopists. The proposed work will be dedicated to the frontier field of Au cluster and nanocrystal synthesis, surface chemistry, protein engineering applied to material science and advanced characterization using optical spectroscopy and transmission electron cryomicroscopy.
The research project will comprise three parts: (i) Protein origami assembly from artificial protein building blocks;[1-3] (ii) structural characterization of protein origami;[2] (iii) use of the protein origami to template the growth[4] and assembly of optically active nanocrystals[5,6] and spectroscopic investigations.

General context: Controlling the size, shape, interfaces and crystallinity of metallic nanostructures, in particular for plasmonic metals such as gold and silver, and mastering their coupling with other photo-active nanoparticles such as emitters, photocatalysts or photoactuators has expanded the scope of potential application fields of metal nanoparticles. The recent discovery of a modular combinatorial approach to protein origami2,3 offers a unique opportunity to design both the 3D rigid structure and the surface chemical functionalities of supramolecular protein architectures to be used as templates for the growth and assembly of optically-active metal nanocrystals.

References
1 - Guellouz A., Valerio-Lepiniec, M., Urvoas, A., Minard, P., et al., PloS One, 8, e71512 (2013).
2 - L. Moreaud, S. Viollet, A. Urvoas, M. Valerio-Lepiniec, et al. F. Artzner,, E. Dujardin, P. Minard, PNAS, 120, e2218428120 (2023).
3 - J. Miller, A. Urvoas, et al., M. Valerio-Lepiniec, F. Artzner, E. Dujardin, P. Minard, J. Struct. Biol., 215, 108102 (2023).
4 - J. Prasad, S. Viollet, K. L. Gurunatha, et al., P. Minard, E. Dujardin, Nanoscale, 11, 17485-17497 (2019).
5 - K. L. Gurunatha, A. C. Fournier, A. Urvoas, M. Valerio-Lepiniec, V. Marchi, P. Minard and E. Dujardin. ACS Nano, 10, 3176–3185 (2016).
6 - M. Fernandez, A. Urvoas, P. Even-Hernandez, et al., P. Minard, E. Dujardin, V. Marchi, Nanoscale, 12, 4612-4621 (2020).

The position is located in a sector under the protection of scientific and technical potential (PPST), and therefore requires, in accordance with the regulations, that your arrival is authorized by the competent authority of the MESR.

Constraints and risks

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Additional Information

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