RESEARCH PROJECT TITLE : Role of Midkine in Alveolar Regeneration and the Pathophysiology of Emphysema
WORKPLACE : IMRB U955 équipe GEIC20, Faculté de Santé, 8 rue du General Sarrail 94010 Créteil cedex
LABORATORY AND CONTEXT : The teams GEIC20 belongs to IMRB which is one of the major multidisciplinary biomedical research centers in the east of Paris. This INSERM unit is affiliated with the faculty of Health and Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC) and the Henri Mondor Hospital providing a multidisciplinary research environment and state-of-the-art technological platforms. The general scientific objective of the team is to understand the interplay between genetic and environmental factors in the development of lung diseases in particularly Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Cystic Fibrosis throughout life.
COPD, pathology induced by cigarette smoke, is characterized by an airways remodeling and a destruction of alveolar wall (emphysema) which results in a reduction of the alveolar exchange surface, and lead to a chronic respiratory failure Currently, no curative treatment exists. The lack of repair in emphysema is questioned and why the alveolar progenitor are not able to repair is still to be determined. Excessive lung senescence is now emerging as a cardinal cellular process that negatively impacts the repair via their secretome. In this context, the team is currently recruiting a postdoctoral researcher on a 1-year contract in order to study the role of midkine secreted by senescent fibroblasts on the alveolar stem cells niche.
Our hypothesis is that the cigarette smoke induces the senescence of cells belonging to the stem cells niche which in turn could act on lung fibroblasts via their secrétome especially midkine through induction of their senescence and alter the capacity of regeneration of alveolar progenitor cells.
The recruited researcher will participate to the isolation of lung fibroblasts from biopsies stemming from patients and to the characterization of senescence induced by midkine.
He/she will also assess the effect of midkine on the alveolar regenerative capacities by using alveolar organoids. He/she will benefit from all the tools of cellular and molecular biology and biochemistry, and access of platforms as well as the expertise of the teachers and university hospital researchers on the team. Take into account that this research project received funding from IRESP.
APPLICATION / RECRUITMENT / CONTACT PROCEDURE :
Send your CV, application letter and contact/referent details as soon as possible to : maylis.dagouassat @inserm.fr before September 15. In return an interview will be offered to you. Recruitment is planned for October 2025
Candidates are PhD, with classical skills in cell biology, molecular biology as well as biochemistry.
Skills in culture of primary cells is recommended, and competencies in the field of organoids is a “plus”.
Rigor and teamworking skills are essential. In addition to their research mission, the candidate will have the possibility to supervise undergraduate students. This project will allow the candidate to acquire original scientific expertise in pulmonary and senescence area.
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