Doctoral position in Physiology (M/F)

Job Description

Thesis Subject

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and Parkinson's disease (PD) are two conditions associated with aging. Epidemiological data show an association between T2D and PD, with an increased risk of developing PD in patients with T2D. Surprisingly, certain initiating processes are common to both: insulin resistance, protein aggregation (IAPP and/or alpha-synuclein), inflammation... Several studies have reported that modifying the metabolic status of patients with PD may slow the progression of neuropathology. It appears that glucagon-like peptide-1 analogs (GLP-1RAs) delay the onset of motor deficits in newly diagnosed patients, but the cellular mechanisms involved have not been clearly identified. GLP-1RAs are effective antidiabetic agents and are also used to treat obesity. Current clinical research is focused on improving their efficacy and durability by developing dual agonists for twincretin dual therapy (GLP-1/GIP), combining the beneficial effects of both metabolic hormones into a single molecule. Tirzepatide (TZP) remains the only twincretin approved for the treatment of T2D and obesity. GLP-1/GIP therapy independently mitigates defects in MP and/or T2D. However, the impact of the only clinically validated twincretin (TZP) has never been evaluated in insulin-secreting pancreatic beta cells or neurons. Furthermore, unlike GLP-1RAs, TZP could potentially mitigate the insulin resistance observed in MP, and thus further slow the onset of central defects. Our project aims to characterize the protective mechanisms of GLP-1 and the twincretin TZP in the context of T2D and PD by (1) studying in vitro the molecular mechanisms involved in models of pancreatic beta cells and neurons (in collaboration with T. Baron and G. Becker, ANSES Lyon); (2) evaluating the co-protection of pancreatic beta cells and dopaminergic neurons in vivo in the context of T2DM and PD in humanized mouse models.

Your Work Environment

The Institute of Functional Genomics (IGF) is a CNRS-INSERM-University of Montpellier Joint Research Unit with a multidisciplinary focus, whose research programs span the fields of neuroscience, physiology, and cancer biology. The IGF is home to approximately 380 people—researchers, faculty members, engineers, technicians, postdoctoral fellows, and students—divided among 22 research teams, 8 technology platforms, and research support services. The successful candidate will work under the supervision of Mr. Ravier within the “Innovative Therapies for Diabetes” team led by Mr. Ravier and E. Renard. At the time of starting the position, the team will consist of 3 researchers, 2 clinicians, 2 research assistants, and 3 doctoral students. This thesis project is the result of a collaboration between the team at the Montpellier Institute of Functional Genomics and the team led by Thierry Baron and Guillaume Becker at ANSES (Lyon). This collaborative framework will allow the successful candidate to benefit from complementary expertise on MP and dopaminergic neurons. The techniques and tools used in the project are well-established and already in place in the host laboratory. The successful candidate will receive training in microscopy techniques directly from the thesis advisor. “The IGF is located on the Arnaud de Villeneuve campus, which is a participant in the 'Objectif Employeur Pro-Vélo' program.”

Constraints and risks

The person hired must have the “designer” level in experimentation.

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

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.

CNRS

The research professions