Description of the thesis topic

The PhD student (M/F) will work on the project “Virus-host interactions and sensory-driven behavior in Aedes mosquitoes: toward sustainable vector control”, with the aim of studying the link between mosquito-virus molecular interactions during arboviral infection. It will determine whether infections modify taste- and touch-mediated behaviors, such as blood and sugar feeding and egg-laying in mosquitoes.

Work Context

The PhD student (M/F) will join the 'Mosquito immune responses' team of the M3i unit UPR9022 at IBMC, “Models of innate immunity in insects” at the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology (IBMC). Our team studies the molecular basis underlying interactions between mosquitoes and the pathogens they transmit, and on the basis of these results, designs new strategies to control disease transmission. The PhD student (M/F) will benefit from interactions with students and researchers working on different insect models (Drosophila and mosquitoes) but also from dynamic, scientific and technical, as well as multidisciplinary collaborations with other units housed in the institute. This project will be supervised by Dr Roenick Proveti Olmo.
M3i - IBMC (cnrs.fr)
The PhD will be register and follow under the Doctorale scholl ED414
38h30 per week, Monday to Friday, daytime hours
The Institute is located in the center of the University of Strasbourg's central campus, accessible by bus and tr am. The CNRS contributes to the payment of a private health insurance plan and to public transport travel expenses. An administrative restaurant is available on campus. Meals are supported by the CNRS.

Constraints and risks

Usual constraints linked to biology laboratory work and to the follow-up of experiments and maintenance of mosquito lines.
Working with mice.
Working with pathogens in a level 3 containment laboratory.
Mosquito on-call duty on weekends or public holidays (3 hours once every 3-4 months).