Missions

The proposed research work consists of studying lipid transport pathways at membrane contact sites (MCSs) between the endoplasmic reticulum and endolysosomal compartments, more specifically lamellar bodies (LB), which are responsible for pulmonary surfactant biogenesis in type II alveolar epithelial cells. The project will aim to identify and study the lipids transported and the proteins involved in this pathway, and to decipher their functional implications in surfactant lipid homeostasis in different pathophysiological contexts. We will explore how MCSs modulate the organization of LBs and, in turn, how LB maturation influences MCS dynamics.

Activités

Optical microscopy (widefield, confocal, STED), image analysis and quantification. Advanced cell culture, transfection, molecular biology, CRISPR-Cas9, cloning, cell labeling. Protein purification, liposome formulation, in vitro reconstitutions, spectroscopic measurements, and other biochemical analyses. Data analysis, literature review, presentation of results.

Compétences

The candidate must be an expert in membrane biology. Advanced skills in molecular biology (cloning, CRISPR), optical microscopy (wide field, confocal), and biochemistry (purification, spectroscopy) are desirable. Expertise in cell culture and biochemical techniques is required. The candidate must be highly motivated, hard-working, ambitious, and eager to collaborate in a diverse, interdisciplinary research environment, and have the ability to work independently and rigorously. Fluency in English (reading, writing, speaking) is required.

Contexte de travail

The project, funded by a grant from the French National Research Agency (ANR), covers one year's salary, renewable twice. It will be carried out under the supervision of Dr. Bruno Mesmin at the IPMC (Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS UMR7275, Inserm U1323). Our “Lipid Membrane Dynamics” team has extensive expertise in membrane and organelle biology. The team is equipped for protein and lipid biochemistry as well as cell biology and computational biology. This includes cell culture, imaging systems, protein and lipid chromatography (FPLC, HPTLC), various spectrophotometers (UV-visible, CD, fluorimeters), and computers for molecular dynamics simulation. The IPMC institute includes various state-of-the-art facilities for cell imaging (confocal, STED), mass spectrometry (lipidomics, proteomics), and genomics. Our team offers a dynamic and interactive research environment, excellent working and training conditions, and close collaboration with national and international project partners.

Le poste se situe dans un secteur relevant de la protection du potentiel scientifique et technique (PPST), et nécessite donc, conformément à la réglementation, que votre arrivée soit autorisée par l'autorité compétente du MESR.

Contraintes et risques

The risks are mainly related to the handling of chemicals and the culture of cell lines.