Post-doctoral position “Intracellular crowding and cellular aging”

Today, the Université de Bordeaux is one of the most influential multidisciplinary research universities in France and the world.

Firmly rooted in its core values of education and research, and through its 2030 strategic plan "Making our university model a lever for new balances, actions and impact", the Université de Bordeaux is now stepping up its commitment to the societal challenges of the 21st century, particularly the urgent need to address climate change. As the driving force behind a number of major programs, our ambition is to be an attractive partner, sought after for its capacity to transform in the service of responsible and ethical progress.

Joining us means working in a privileged environment within a particularly diverse and open professional community, benefiting from welcome and inclusion schemes, training and internal mobility. It means taking part in an academic, scientific and human adventure. It's a commitment to meeting the challenges of the 21st century.

The IBGC is a UMR 5095 with 12 research teams and 4 general services (property, management, IT, laundry). The institute also has two microscopy technical platforms: electron microscopy and photonic microscopy.

The IBGC is under the supervision of CNRS Biology and the University of Bordeaux. Its activities are dedicated to fundamental research in biology. The unit is part of the Université de Bordeaux's ecosystem of excellence (Department of Biological and Medical Sciences). It is also part of the Oncosphere regional research network, dedicated to cancer research and supported by the Conseil Régional de Nouvelle Aquitaine.

Cells are self-organized in membrane-enclosed organelles, where energy-driven, active transport events provide spatiotemporal control of cellular processes through the delivery of macromolecules to distinct compartments. In contrast, passive, diffusion-mediated transport was not thought to be regulated. This paradigm was recently challenged when it was discovered that cells also control their diffusional properties. Indeed, budding and fission yeast cells display a remarkable increase in internal stiffness, density and macromolecular crowding when entering quiescence upon glucose starvation. Similar observations were made in bacteria under conditions of low metabolic activity, suggesting that the capacity of cells to modulate their fluidity and the diffusivity of their content may be part of a conserved response to alterations in the environment.

Interestingly, the capacity of quiescent cells to resume growth diminishes with time. This phenomenon of chronological aging is observed in a broad range of cell types and species, and it contributes to the long-term behavior of cell populations in both multi- and unicellular organisms. Our multidisciplinary project uses the fission yeast as a genetic model to investigate the interplay between chronological lifespan and macromolecular crowding. To this end, we will focus on:

1. the implementation of new imaging and analysis tools for monitoring intracellular fluidity
2. the characterization of intracellular biophysics throughout the aging process
3. how modulating these properties may directly impact chronological lifespan.

We are seeking candidates who are motivated to work at the interface of genetics, biology and physics in an interactive and international environment. This project will be pursued in the context of an interdisciplinary network of collaborators. We welcome applicants with a broad range of backgrounds, from biology to biophysics. Expertise in live-cell imaging will be an advantage for conducting this research. This project is funded by the Frontiers of Life program of the University of Bordeaux. Candidates will also receive our full support for applying to post-doctoral fellowships and continue to work on this project beyond the initial period. A good level of English is essential, as the language of the lab and institute is English.

More information:

Based in Bordeaux – access by tramway line A (stop «Saint Augustin») buses, bike.

The laboratory is near the city-centre of Bordeaux and about 60 Km of the Atlantic coast.

Salary gross: 2700€ according to the salary grid

Job Benefits:

• 50 days of vacation from the first year of collaboration
• Refill of 75% of the subscription to the public transport
• Participation in the private healthcare up to 15€ / month
• Leisure, sport and culture for all staff
• Disabled-friendly establishment
• Possibility of staff parking
• Sustainable mobility package for commuting – work