PhD in molecular chemistry - Manufacturing and studies of cooperative photoswitchable materials for tuning the organization of complex biological systems

11 Apr 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

Nantes Université

Department

CEISAM UMR-CNRS 6230

Research Field

Chemistry » Molecular chemistry

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

France

Application Deadline

1 Sep 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

Context. Materials manufacturing out of molecular compounds nowadays addresses numerous areas of our daily life (drugs, displays, flat screen…). Self-assembling of small functional molecules is often involved to yield nanomaterials or nanometer-thin films with properties ruled by the molecular orientation and density. Optimizing the properties of individual molecules has thus usually been the main concern, and yet mastering cooperative phenomena at the nanoscale has still been overlooked despite its utmost importance. Indeed, bulk activation in response to weak perturbations produced by optical, mechanical, thermal, electrical or magnetic stimuli represents high stakes, addressing many topics (biological scaffolds for growing organoids, thermoelectrical materials to produce energy from heat recovery, spintronics for high-speed and high-density information transfer and storage, production of micro- and nanorobots as future possible actuators in surgery).

Research studies. The targeted research work will thus deal with photoactivatable molecules, amenable to large macroscopic response when processed as materials, which can lead to drug delivery and controlled deformation of thin films. It will address the synthesis of molecules before processing them as thin films, in order to study cooperative processes by inducing major surface deformations, modulate surface properties, and eventually control adhesion and interactions of complex biological systems (cells, protein/DNA assemblies). Physico-chemical investigations will first probe the ability of thin films to deform under light exposure or mechanical perturbation, provoked at the nanoscale by a tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM). They will be expanded to the coupling of biological systems with photodeformable surfaces to modify and quantify in a controlled fashion the resulting organization and responses, through light only.

Requirements

Research Field

Chemistry

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

All these PhD studies will be carried out in the framework of a national program of the French Research Agency (ANR - EUR LUMOMAT) in tight collaboration between two research units CEISAM – UMR CNRS 6230 and IMN – UMR CNRS 6502 at Nantes University, acquainted with strong expertise in the manufacturing, and photophysical and mechanical investigations of molecular and polymer nanomaterials, for various biological and optoelectronic applications. The recruited candidate is expected to possess a strong working-together spirit, be open-minded and ready to interdisciplinarity, and have strong expertise physical chemistry.

Languages

ENGLISH

Level

Excellent

Additional Information
Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

CEISAM UMR-CNRS 6230

Country

France

City

NANTES

Postal Code

44000

Street

2 Rue de la Houssinière

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://theses.doctorat-bretagneloire.fr/3mg/campagne-2024/elaboration-et-etude…

Contact

City

NANTES

Website

https://ceisam.univ-nantes.fr/en/
http://WWW.UNIV-NANTES.FR

Street

1 QUAI DE TOURVILLE, BP 13522, 44035 NANTES CEDEX 01

E-Mail

[email protected]
[email protected]

STATUS: EXPIRED