Postdoc researcher in biology - study the effects of carbon monoxide molecules produced by plasma in wound healing

21 Feb 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

UNIVERSITE D'ORLEANS

Research Field

Biological sciences

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)
Recognised Researcher (R2)

Country

France

Application Deadline

30 Mar 2024 - 12:00 (Europe/Paris)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Hours Per Week

37h30

Offer Starting Date

3 Jun 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

Context of the work:

In the early 21st century, it was demonstrated that plasma (physical plasma and not blood plasma) can be used for biomedical applications. Non equilibrium plasma has the ability to generate large population densities of reactive species, while keeping the overall gas temperature near room temperature (below 40°C), allowing the plasma to be in direct contact with living tissues with no risk of burning (cf the picture below). This singular feature led to the development of a new area, called Plasma Medicine. Research is now performed on many different topics including work on cancer treatment, wound healing, blood coagulation, dentistry, cosmetology, sterilization and decontamination, among others. The successes of plasmas have come so far from their versatility and their capacity to generate large amounts of reactive species combined with electric field, photons (IR, visible and UV) and charged particles. All these components can act on tissues and their combination induces synergetic effects [1].

 

A great number of the species produced by plasma are reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), such as atomic oxygen, ozone (O3 ), nitric oxide (NO) and hydroxide (OH), produced by the interaction of the plasma with air. These RONS are known to have various beneficial effects such as antibacterial and vasodilator properties. But surprisingly, the role of CO has so far been neglected in biological plasma treatment [2], while this molecule has many beneficial effects for human health and has a broad spectrum of biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, vasodilator, anti-apoptotic, and anti-proliferative effects, and can be easily produced by plasma by the dissociation of CO2 [3].

 

The work will be dedicated to the study of the effects of CO produced by plasma on wound healing. It is summarized into two tasks (the most important task is the first one. The second one will be optional):

In vitro study: determine safe conditions for cells involved in skin wound healing (viability/cytotoxicity assessment), measure the amount of CO accumulated in cells, evaluate the cell migration of cells with a scratch assay and evaluation of phagocytosis of macrophage cells.  

(Optional, it will depend on the candidate) In vivo study: study of wound heling on Black C57BL/6 mice, treatment tolerance (temperature of the skin, the weight and the heart rate of the mouse, histopathological analysis), histology will be conducted to monitor tissue morphology and to make sure that no adverse effect has been induced. Sections of wounds will be either stored for analysis of gene and protein expression of inflammatory markers (such as for instance IL-10 and IL-6 protein) or stained with antibodies to determine angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels) and inflammation (such as VEGF protein and TGF beta).

 

This work will be a collaboration between the GREMI laboratory in Orleans and the INSERM laboratory in Creteil (University Paris-East). GREMI is a laboratory specialized on the study of plasma reactors for biomedical applications and is composed of plasma physicists and chemists. The team number 12 in Creteil is specialized in CO biology and is composed of biologists.

 

[1]      E. Carbone and C. Douat, Plasma Med., vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 93–120, 2018.

[2]      C. Douat, P. Escot Bocanegra, S. Dozias, É. Robert, and R. Motterlini, Plasma Process. Polym., vol. 18, no. 9, p. 2100069, Sep. 2021.

[3]      R. Motterlini and L. E. Otterbein, Nat. Rev. Drug Discov., vol. 9, no. 9, pp. 728–743, Sep. 2010.

Requirements

Research Field

Biological sciences » Biology

Education Level

PhD or equivalent

Research Field

Biological sciences

Education Level

PhD or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Skills :

• Mandatory : PhD in biology
• Mandatory : Molecular biology : Western Blotting, Real Time PCR, ELISA, DNA isolation and DNA purification de DNA, RNA, proteins
• Mandatory : Cellular models: cell growth of mouse and human endothelial, macrophages, fibroblasts and keratinocytes cells, fluorescent Microscopy, flow cytometry
• Recommended (but not necessary) : Animal disease model (wound healing, diabetic)
• Recommended (but not necessary) : Vascular biology, dermatology and measure of inflammation and immune markers (ELISA test, spectrophotometry)
• Optional : Use of plasma reactor in plasma medicine field

Additional Information
Additional comments

The GREMI laboratory (PI of the project) is a restricted area, and an inquiry will be mandatory to get a permit to work in this place.

 

Workplace : INSERM, Creteil (suburb of Paris), France  | The position will be funded by the University of Orleans, but the workplace will be at INSERM in Creteil in the suburb of Paris.

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

INSERM / GREMI

Country

France

City

Créteil

Postal Code

94000

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://jobaffinity.fr/apply/m13e4h00mxzah2ivc5

Contact

City

Orléans

Website

http://www.univ-orleans.fr/

Street

Château de la Source, Avenue du Parc Floral

Postal Code

45067

STATUS: EXPIRED