En savoir plus

POSITION

A postdoctoral position is available beginning on (or after) the 1^st April 2015, in the Evolution and Specificity of Multitrophic Interactions (ESIM) team at INRA Sophia Agrobiotech Institute, France.

This position is a 18 months appointment funded by the French ANR IMetSym “Immune and Metabolic Control in Intracellular Symbiosis of Insects”.

While metabolic and evolutionary aspects of insect endosymbiosis have been thoroughly investigated over the past decades, very little is known of the molecular mechanisms allowing its establishment and then the maintenance and regulation of intracellular symbiotic bacteria. The pea aphid is a model organism for answering such questions as it harbors an obligatory symbiont and a wide range of facultative endosymbionts. It also has an essentially clonal reproduction, allowing comparison of different facultative symbionts in the same genetic background. Immune and metabolism aspects will be integrated in the context of the ANR project to decipher the interactions of facultative symbionts with their aphid hosts.  

The project aims at:

1. Improving our knowledge of the aphid defences, focusing mainly on the cellular immunity ;
2. Exploring the way obligatory and facultative symbionts interfere with the immune system ;
3. Understanding the mechanisms explaining the observed modulation of aphid immune components depending on the hosted facultative symbiont species and strain, and through the aphid development.

QUALIFICATIONS

We look for motivated applicants with a strong background in cellular biology and knowledge in insect immunology. Experience in the area of interaction between bacteria and cells will be particularly valuable. Interest in symbiosis will be a plus.

SALARY

Salary will depend on the candidate experience. The minimum starting salary is 1800 € neat/month.

APPLICATION

Your application should contain a one-page cover letter, two references with contact information and a detailed CV.

CONTACT

• Pr. Marylène Poirié
• Dr. Jean-Luc Gatti

Evolution and Specificity of Multitrophic Interactions (ESIM)

UMR INRA (1355)- CNRS (7254)- University Nice Sophia Antipolis

Sophia Agrobiotech Institute

400 Route des Chappes, BP 167

06 903 Sophia Antipolis, France