Missions

The position aims to decipher the assembly mechanisms of RNA-protein particles at a molecular level, using box C/D and H/ACA snoRNPs as working models.

Activités

Assembly defaults of ribonucleoparticles (RNPs) lead to severe human pathologies. For this reason, it is vital to precisely understand how these particles are produced. The scientific project of this position is dedicated to the functional and structural study of the box C/D and H/ACA snoRNPs biogenesis, that catalyze the 2'-O-methylation of riboses and the conversion of Uridine into psudouridine in ribosomal and transfer RNAs.
The postdoctoral researcher will decipher the different steps of box C/D and H/ACA snoRNPs biogenesis, using various methods including biochemistry, biophysics, molecular and structural biology.
The project will be done in close collaboration with the other teams of the YMCR ANR consortium. We offer a large biological environment with structural facilities for integrated structural biology, including a 600 MHz NMR spectrometer (Bruker) equipped with a TCI cryoprobe (1H, 13C et 15N), screening robots (Mosquito and TECAN), a X-ray diffractometer (X8-Proteum Bruker), a 200 kV transmission electron cryomicroscope and usual biophysics equipment (ITC, DLS, CD, SPR).

Compétences

The postdoc must hold a Ph.D. in molecular biology and structural biology. He/she must have very good knowledge in RNA biology, protein biochemistry, biophysics of interactions and structural biology. A strong experience in modern molecular biology (RNA handling, cell culture and transfection), biochemistry (co-expression, IP, IMAC and gel filtration) and structural biology (NMR, R-ray and Cryo-EM) techniques will be required. The postdoc must be highly motivated, easy-going, rigorous and able to conduct independent research.
The applicant should send a cover letter describing their interest in research, a resume and the names/e-mails of at least two referees to xavier.manival@univ-lorraine.fr.

Contexte de travail

The IMoPA laboratory is a joint research unit between CNRS and the University of Lorraine (UMR 7365, see http://www.imopa.cnrs.fr/ and https://www.univ-lorraine.fr/) located in Nancy. It is part of the “pôle Biologie-Médecine-Santé” (BMS, https://bms.univ-lorraine.fr). The laboratory is located on the Biologie-Santé campus in the Biopôle building. The work will be carried out in X. Manival's group (http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Xavier_Manival). The group is part of the "RNA, RNP, maturation-structure-function" team of the IMoPA laboratory, within a dynamic team working on the structure-function relationship of RNAs and RNPs. The team's overall research aims to provide information on the assembly processes of non-coding RNPs in cells, to study the factors involved in a defect in these processes and the consequences in cells.
The postdoc researcher position is co-financed by the Grand-Est region (call for young researchers) and ANR YMCR, and is part of a collaborative project with 5 other research laboratories.

Contraintes et risques

The cryo-microscope is located at the Institut Jean Lamour, a 10-minute drive from the Biopôle.