Space physiology: exploring bone and cardiovascular adaptations in real and simulated microgravity through longitudinal 3D CT imaging correlated with blood biomarkers and cardiovascular phenotypes
23 Feb 2024
Job Information
- Organisation/Company
Université Jean Monnet - Université de Lyon- Department
Faculty of medicine- Research Field
Biological sciences
Computer science- Researcher Profile
First Stage Researcher (R1)- Country
France- Application Deadline
24 Mar 2024 - 23:59 (Europe/Paris)- Type of Contract
Temporary- Job Status
Full-time- Hours Per Week
35- Offer Starting Date
1 Oct 2024- Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?
Not funded by an EU programme- Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?
No
Offer Description
We are looking for a candidate for a 36-month PhD fellowship, to be awarded through a two-step selection procedure. The research project is interdisciplinary, combining physiology, image analysis and statistics to understand the skeletal and cardiovascular adaptation to microgravity.
Project and job description:
The project aims to characterise and understand bone remodelling and its association with concurrent cardiovascular, metabolic and inflammatory alterations in the settings of spaceflight and the space-flight analog of bedrest. This will be achieved through longitudinal 3D bone imaging (high resolution X-ray tomography, HR-pQCT) and profiling of blood biomarkers, to be correlated with cardiovascular, metabolic and inflammatory phenotypes collected in parallel from the same subjects. The goal is to reveal the mechanistic bases of impaired skeletal functions associated with cardiovascular and metabolic disturbances and to define new early biomarkers of bone adaptation and health.
This project will rely on primary imaging data and blood samples that are being collected by the laboratory in on-going studies organised by ESA, NASA and CNES.
The PhD candidate will process and analyse this wealth of data and parameters. She/he will
Such multidisciplinary and integrative novel approaches will be developed for human spaceflight, but will be relevant for diseased, multi-morbid populations on Earth, in particular those affected by bone fragility and osteoporosis resulting from sedentary lifestyle, disuse/mechanical unloading and aging.
Host lab:
SAINBOSE-LBTO (laboratory of bone and joint tissue biology) has strong expertise and an international reputation for studies on bone physiology, carried out at the cell, tissue and organism level, in particular related to bone deconditioning in astronauts and “space models”. It has maintained a decades-long collaboration with NASA, ESA and the French Centre for Research on Space (CNES). We carry out basic, translational and clinical research related to osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. The combined skeletal and cardiovascular deconditioning of astronauts and the interplay between the skeleton, metabolism, inflammation and the cardio-vascular system are among our main interests. The laboratory has unique access to astronauts’ and cosmonauts’ data and samples and to platforms for microgravity analogues. It enjoys access to excellent facilities, the support of permanent staff and a nice group of French and international undergraduate and graduate students. The unit also includes medical doctors, engineers and statisticians and fosters a culture of interdisciplinarity and collaboration.
https://sainbiose.univ-st-etienne.fr/fr/index.html
Requirements
- Research Field
- Other
- Education Level
- Master Degree or equivalent
Skills/Qualifications
Applicants must hold either a Master’s degree or equivalent in Biology/Biomedical sciences in the large sense, with experience in benchwork and some experience with image analysis, or a Master’s degree or equivalent in Computer sciences/Engineering/Physics with experience in image analysis and a strong interest in biomedical applications. The proposed multidisciplinary projects will require broad interests and a willingness to explore new topics, acquire new skills and the capacity to exchange with colleagues from different disciplines.
Knowledge of the osteo-articular system and/or coding will be a plus. Specific useful skills (but not essential pre-requisites) include microscopy, biochemistry/ELISA, X-ray or MRI imaging, statistical analysis packages and R.
Candidates must be curious and intellectually ambitious. The successful candidate will work independently and contribute effectively to team efforts. She/he will communicate well in English (oral/written). Basic knowledge of French (or willingness to learn) will be useful.
- Languages
- ENGLISH
- Level
- Excellent
Additional Information
Benefits
Contract: PhD position for three years, expected to start in October 2024, funded by a doctoral contract. The successful candidate will be enrolled in the Graduate School for Science, Health and Engineering at the University UJM Saint-Etienne (EDSIS 488).
Selection process
This fellowship is conditional to the successful completion of a two-step selection, the first step of which is advertised here. If you are interested in the project, please submit your application by e-mail to Maura Strigini (e-mail provided in the ad) no later than March 24th , 2024. Apply early, as shortlisted candidates will be selected for interviews every 2 weeks, to be interviewed on-line or on-site (depending on the candidate’s location) in March or early April, until suitable candidates are found.
After these interviews, two candidates will be preselected and will then compete in the Graduate School selection (Saint-Etienne EDSIS 488 Graduate School, concours de l'Ecole Doctorale) around May 13th -17th , 2024, for the second and final round of selections.
Additional comments
The application, in English, must include:
- The candidate’s CV (no more than 2 pages)
- A short letter explaining her/his motivation for this position and project
- Grades from Masters courses (the two last year of studies)
- A recommendation letter from someone who supervised the candidate’s laboratory work (for example the supervisor of the Masters project/internship) – please ask the referee to send the recommendation letter directly to Maura Strigini (e-mail address provided below), by email.
- The name, e-mail address and telephone details of one additional referee.
Work Location(s)
- Number of offers available
- 1
- Company/Institute
- SAINBIOSE INSERM U1059, Faculty of medicine, University of Saint-Etienne
- Country
- France
- City
- Saint-Priest-en-Jarez
- Postal Code
- 42270
- Street
- 10 rue de la Marandière
- Geofield
Where to apply
[email protected]
Contact
- City
Saint-Etienne- Website
https://www.univ-st-etienne.fr/en/index.html
https://sainbiose.univ-st-etienne.fr/fr/index.html- Street
10, rue Tréfilerie
STATUS: EXPIRED