Nature and purpose on the research and teaching project
Innovation to transform models of disease
Summary of the scientific project
The junior professor will develop an independent research project, original and carrying conceptual and technical innovations, based on the development of new technologies, cellular modeling such as organoids or organs on chip to simulate development and/or physiological, normal or pathological contexts. The junior professor will be able to develop, as examples:
1. embryo culture to identify the developmental trajectories of pluripotent cells, in response to controlled environmental factors (morphogens, mechanical constraints…);
2. the culture of cancerous spheroids which allows to study the impact of the genotype on the tumor growth, in a vision of personalized medicine;
3. the culture of muscle fibers derived from induced stem cells, with a view to regenerative medicine
4. new models to better understand age-related human pathologies, particularly neurodegenerative diseases
5. new generations of on-chip brains to enable personalized medicine
6. New models to study rare diseases
The work of the junior professor will aim to improve the use of in vitro culture protocols (composition of the medium, 3D topology, differentiation of IPSCs or other types of stem cells, etc.) to better simulate natural processes, and to identify the mechanisms underlying differentiation, morphogenesis, and physiological and pathological functions in those cultures, which could allow for “bench to bed” and “bed to bench” approaches.
Summary of the teaching project
The junior professor recruited will be involved in biology or health biology courses at the Bachelor’s or Master’s level in order to strengthen the training-research link. He/she will propose teaching in English and innovative, interdisciplinary pedagogical actions mobilizing technological platforms that could be financed by the TFR 2020-2029 program (Transformation of Training through Research), which could involve the European alliance CIVIS.