PhD student (M/F): gut microbiota diversity, cognitive variability and division of labour in honey bees: from individual mechanisms to collective functions.
New
- FTC PhD student / Offer for thesis
- 36 month
- BAC+5
This offer is available in English version
This offer is open to people with a document recognizing their status as a disabled worker.
Offer at a glance
The Unit
Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale
Contract Type
FTC PhD student / Offer for thesis
Working hHours
Full Time
Workplace
31062 TOULOUSE
Contract Duration
36 month
Date of Hire
01/10/2026
Remuneration
2300 € gross monthly
Apply Application Deadline : 20 July 2026 23:59
Job Description
Thesis Subject
This PhD project aims to investigate how gut microbiota variation shapes cognitive abilities and division of labour in the honey bee (Apis mellifera). By precisely manipulating gut microbiota composition, the recruited candidate will examine the relationships between bacterial species abundance and individual cognitive performance. Honey bees will be tested in a series of learning and memory assays, while their gut microbiota will be characterized using molecular approaches. In a second phase, individually marked bees will be monitored within experimental colonies using automated tracking technologies to determine how cognitive profiles translate into foraging behaviour and task specialization.
Your Work Environment
The position is funded by the ERC Starting Grant project Micro-Cog, led by Dr. Amélie Cabirol. The recruited candidate will join the InterACT team at the Center for Research on Animal Cognition (CRCA), located on the campus of Université Toulouse III. The CRCA includes seven research teams investigating neuroscience and animal behavior across multiple scales and species, including the honey bee. It is part of the Center for Integrative Biology, which provides a stimulating multidisciplinary environment for research on the gut–brain–microbiota axis. The candidate will work directly with the PI, Amélie Cabirol, and a postdoctoral researcher, and will also benefit from the support of other members of the InterACT team, including an associate professor, a research engineer, a postdoctoral fellow and a PhD student.
Constraints and risks
This PhD project involves working with honey bees. Consequently, there is a risk of stinging.
Compensation and benefits
Compensation
2300 € gross monthly
Annual leave and RTT
44 jours
Remote Working practice and compensation
Pratique et indemnisation du TT
Transport
Prise en charge à 75% du coût et forfait mobilité durable jusqu’à 300€
About the offer
| Offer reference | UMR5169-AMECAB-006 |
|---|---|
| CN Section(s) / Research Area | Brain, cognition and behaviour |
About the CNRS
The CNRS is a major player in fundamental research on a global scale. The CNRS is the only French organization active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist allows it to bring together different disciplines to address the most important challenges of the contemporary world, in connection with the actors of change.
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