26 May 2024
Job Information
- Organisation/Company
CNRS- Department
Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire- Research Field
Physics- Researcher Profile
First Stage Researcher (R1)- Country
France- Application Deadline
15 Jun 2024 - 23:59 (UTC)- 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
This thesis is part of an interdisciplinary project developed between the Center for Molecular Biophysics (CBM), in a team specialized in skin biology, and the Research Group in the Energetics of Ionized Media (GREMI), specialized in the study of cold plasmas for biological applications, and is funded by the Mission for Transversal and Interdisciplinary Initiatives (MITI) of the CNRS. The project will be carried out between the 2 laboratories, with joint supervision of the thesis, and in collaboration with the University of Berkeley (California). The candidate will be enrolled in the "Health, Life Sciences, Life Chemistry" Doctoral School of the University of Orléans.
Histology is the gold standard for distinguishing between healthy and cancerous tissue, but it requires the surgical removal of a piece of tissue and cannot be performed in real time. In skin cancer, the urgent need for early detection of curable cases is sometimes balanced by misdiagnosis and unnecessary excision of benign lesions, resulting in unsightly scars. New techniques for reliable, non-invasive, real-time tissue discrimination are therefore being sought. One innovative solution could be the use of cold plasma (ionized gas at T inf.40°C). Plasma is a state of matter with enhanced reactivity produced by the ionization of a gas. Common examples of natural plasma are auroras and thundershowers, but today plasma can also be generated 'cold' (T inf. 40°C), at atmospheric pressure, allowing gentle interaction with biological tissues. Cold plasmas are now used for the treatment of (bio)materials, wound healing and anti-cancer treatments. However, the properties of cold plasma are sensitive to the target being treated, which sometimes limits the controllability of the treatment on complex biological tissues.
What if this sensitivity of plasma to the target, instead of being a defect, became an advantage? Can plasma be used as a local probe, a non-intrusive sensor, because of its sensitivity to the characteristics (chemical, electrical and thermal) of the different biological tissues to be treated? This is the core and main objective of the proposed interdisciplinary thesis. Beyond the scientific interest of the topic, this original development will allow dermatologists to benefit from a decision support tool and avoid sometimes unnecessary excisions, for example to analyze suspicious moles. To achieve this ambitious goal, the doctoral student will have to overcome several scientific hurdles:
- The development of relevant biological models, 3D models of tumors, 3D models of healthy skin, including tumors, while reproducing the pathophysiological microenvironment. Tumoroids (melanoma, glioma) and reconstructed epidermis under hypoxic and/or physioxic conditions have already been obtained separately in other projects at the CBM and will serve as a basis for the development of these new biological models. This will be a key element in advancing the development of plasma technology.
- Design a reliable and automated cold plasma reactor with integrated diagnostic systems to collect electrical and optical signals (emission spectroscopy and infrared camera) in sufficient quantity to allow training of AI models.
- Identify and develop dedicated AI models in collaboration with the University of California at Berkeley (UCB) for real-time analysis of results.
The candidate will be trained and supervised to master and become an expert in the technologies developed individually in the three partner laboratories (cold plasma - GREMI, 3D models - CBM, AI models - UCB) in order to use them in a unique and innovative way in his/her thesis project. At the end of the PhD, the student will have acquired the skills and autonomy to lead an ambitious interdisciplinary scientific project in an emerging field.
Requirements
- Research Field
- Physics
- Education Level
- Master Degree or equivalent
- Languages
- FRENCH
- Level
- Basic
- Research Field
- Physics
- Years of Research Experience
- None
Additional Information
Additional comments
Candidates with a Master's degree in cell biology or plasma physics
Good knowledge in cell biology or plasma physics and AI
Interest, curiosity and adaptability to develop an interdisciplinary biology/physics/AI project and to work in several laboratories (CBM and GREMI are very close).
Required qualities: rigor and seriousness, organization and autonomy, ability to work in a team, very good communication skills, good written and spoken scientific English.
The 3 shortlisted candidates will be interviewed by a selection committee before the best application is submitted to the Doctoral School.
this offer can also be consulted on ADUM: https://adum.fr/as/ed/voirproposition.pl?site=adumR&matricule_prop=57502
- Website for additional job details
https://emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/Doctorant/UPR4301-LAELEG-032/Default.aspx
Work Location(s)
- Number of offers available
- 1
- Company/Institute
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire
- Country
- France
- City
- ORLEANS
- Geofield
Where to apply
- Website
https://emploi.cnrs.fr/Candidat/Offre/UPR4301-LAELEG-032/Candidater.aspx
Contact
- City
ORLEANS- Website
http://cbm.cnrs-orleans.fr
STATUS: EXPIRED