Missions

The European Genomics Institute for Diabetes (Egid) seeks a talented post-doc to decipher the role of POMC in the islets of Langerhans in mice and human models. This project aims at elucidating the effects of POMC-derived peptides on the metabolism to understand further the role of the delta opioid receptor, expressed on the beta-cells of the islets, on glucose homeostasis. The successful applicant will be part of the UMR1283/8199 led by Professor Philippe Froguel, located at the CHU of Lille, internationally recognised for their research on the topic. They will join the team “Metabolic functional (epi)genomics and their abnormalities in type 2 diabetes and related disorders”, an interdisciplinary group of experts in genomics, computational biology and metabolism studies led by Amélie Bonnefond.

Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) is a polypeptide precursor of hormones and neuropeptides (i.e. ACTH, a-MSH and b-endorphin) with multiple functions. POMC expressed in the central nervous system is a key regulator of energy homeostasis and body weight in mammals. Biallelic pathogenic variants in POMC cause severe, early-onset obesity associated with adrenal insufficiency and hypoglycemia episodes. Of note, POMC-derived peptides have also been detected in the endocrine pancreas in mammals including humans, suggesting a local biosynthesis. Although a link between POMC-derived peptides, pancreatic beta cells and insulin secretion has been reported, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. We hypothesize that pancreatic POMC may regulate the islets of Langerhans and especially the pancreatic beta cells to modulate insulin secretion in a paracrine or autocrine manner. We therefore propose to characterized the expression of the POMC precursor and derived peptides, the processing enzymes and the receptors in different human and murine in vitro and in vivo models to investigate the role of the pancreatic POMC on insulin secretion.

Activities

The successful applicant will be involved in all aspects of the experimental design, including :
• Animal experimentation, including dissections, islet isolation, metabolism analysis in vivo in rodents etc;
• Biochemistry, molecular biology, cellular biology;
• Histological and immunohistological analysis;
• Gene expression analysis;
• Active participation in all group meetings.

The postdoctoral fellow be responsible for the preparation, interpretation, and dissemination of results, including writing research articles and presenting in conferences.

Skills

We are looking for an expert in mouse physiology and metabolism, specifically in the field of diabetes research.

• PhD with a strong background in mouse physiology and metabolism;
• Skills for both teamwork and independent work;
• Background in metabolism analysis in vivo in rodents;
• Background in cell biology, molecular biology and physiology, tissue analysis (histology, IF);
• Background in gene expression analysis;
• Mastery of the English language (written and spoken);
• Curiosity, rigour, and desire to work in a highly collaborative environment.

Work Context

The team “Metabolic functional (epi)genomics and their abnormalities in type 2 diabetes and related disorders” is an interdisciplinary and very collaborative group of experts in genomics and metabolism studies recognised worldwide. The successful applicant will have access to state-of-the-art equipment and will be supported by leaders in the field of diabetes and metabolic functional (epi)genomics researchers. The research team is supported by technological platforms and supporting staff, such as NGS, metabolomics, bioinformatics, and biostatistics.
UMR1283/8199 http://www.good.cnrs.fr/
EGID https://egid.fr/