2 years Postdoctoral Position in Neuroscience and Neurophysiology
Team ‘Spinal Cord and Cerebrospinal fluid Interface (SpiCCI)’ (N. Wanaverbecq)
Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone (INT) UMR 7289 CNRS-AMU (Dir. Guillaume Masson)
Campus de la Timone, INT, 27 boulevard Jean Moulin, 13005 Marseille, France
The project aims at deciphering, anatomically and functionally, the circuitry of a poorly known neuronal population present around the central canal (CC) of the spinal cord and in contact with the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF-cNs) as well as its relationship with the spinal cord motor network. Spinal CSF-cNs are present in all vertebrate, they are bipolar neurons sitting under the ependymal cell layer, extend a single dendrite ending with a large protrusion in the CC and project an axon through the parenchyma1–3. They selectively express a ‘Transient Receptor Potential’ (TRP) isoform (PKD2L1) with a potential role as sensory receptor1,4–7 . Recent studies in lower vertebrates point to a role as
neuromodulator of motor activity for CSF-cNs6,7 but this function remains to be demonstrated in mammals.
The Host Team (4 faculty members and 1 PhD student) was one of the first to characterize CSF-cN properties in the mouse and established as leader in the field with a long-standing expertise in cellular neurophysiology. Our team develops a multidisciplinary approach combining in vitro electrophysiology with Ca2+ imaging in transgenic mouse models (Cre-Lox technology from PKD2L1-Cre mice) enabling the selective manipulation of CSF-cNs. In its present form, the team recently joined the INT a highly interdisciplinary environment with 11 research groups and state-of-the-art facilities in photonic imaging, molecular/cellular biology and virology as well as a core facility in IT and scientific computing (www.int.univ-amu.fr).
The Project is part of a recently awarded international ANR grant in collaboration with a research group at the Max Delbrück Center in Berlin (Germany) and involves applying targeted viral neuronal tracing approaches combined to electrophysiological and imaging techniques in in vitro and ex-vivo spinal cord preparations. The principal objective will be to characterize CSF-cN circuitry in the spinal cord and demonstrate the interaction with the spinal motor network.
We are looking for a motivated young research fellow interested in studying synaptic transmission, neuronal network and sensory integration in the spinal cord.
The successful Candidate will have a PhD in neuroscience with a proven expertise in cellular electrophysiology and imaging and some postdoctoral experience. She/He should have experience in small animal surgery (Animals Training Course). A background in molecular biology (transgenic mouse model, viral neuronal tracing techniques) as well as knowledge in programming and analysis software (eg. Python, Matlab, R statistic) would be a plus. The project will be conducted under Dr Wanaverbecq supervision, but the candidate should be autonomous and capable of developing the her/his line of research.
The position is available from the 1 st September 2018 and has 2 years of initial funding (University based pay scheme: from 1982€ gross monthly salary depending on experience), with the possibility for extension.
Applicants should send their CV, a cover letter detailing their research experience and interests, and two letters of recommendation to nicolas.wanaverbecq@univ-amu.fr.
For more details contact Dr Wanaverbecq.