Missions

The recruited person will join the project on the release of hormones, neuropeptides, and neurotransmitters by exocytosis, which is mediated by a vesicular fusion process whose mechanisms are well established. However, the mechanisms that finely regulate neurosecretion remain poorly understood. Membrane Contact Sites (MCSs) have emerged as essential regulators, orchestrating both lipid transfer and the control of calcium flux between intracellular compartments and the plasma membrane. Based on robust preliminary results identifying three different types of MCSs at exocytosis sites, our project aims to study their formation, dynamics, and impact on regulated exocytosis. We will focus in particular on the role of storage-activated calcium channels (SOCs) and the lipid transfer mechanisms that define these exocytosis sites.

Activités

• Functional testing of exo-endocytosis on primary cultures of chromaffin cells and neurons (carbon fiber amperometry, pHluorine imaging).
• Calcium imaging and measurement of lipid transfer at MCS.
• Quantitative analysis of imaging and electrochemical data.

Compétences

Education: PhD in cell biology, neurobiology, or a related field. Candidates who have completed a first postdoctoral fellowship validated by a high-level publication are eligible.
• Technical skills: Proficiency in cellular imaging techniques, calcium signal recording methods, and exocytosis. A good knowledge of electrochemical data analysis and programming skills are desirable.
• Professional skills: ability to work independently and initiate new areas of research. Strong analytical, synthesis, and scientific communication skills.
• Language: fluency in English, with strong written and oral communication skills required.

Contexte de travail

The successful candidate will join the Institute of Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences (INCI) in Strasbourg, a CNRS research unit of approximately 140 people, within the "Intracellular Membrane Trafficking in Nervous and Neuroendocrine Systems" team, which comprises around fifteen members. Our institute offers a stimulating, friendly, and international work environment, with a wide range of nationalities represented. INCI is located on the Strasbourg university campus (Esplanade), easily accessible by public transport and with several university restaurants nearby. INCI has various technical platforms, including a molecular biology platform providing accelerated access to molecular tools. The candidate will have access to the INCI imaging platform, including a Leica SP8 confocal microscope equipped with the FALCON module for FLIM-FRET and STED, as well as transmission and scanning electron microscopes. The host team has a strong international reputation in the field of lipids and the mechanisms of neurosecretion.

Contraintes et risques

No specific constraints or risks identified

Informations complémentaires

Ideally, candidates should have completed a first postdoctoral fellowship with a high-quality publication and be prepared to sit the competitive examination for recruitment as a research fellow at the CNRS.