Information
The Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d’Aquitaine (INCIA, CNRS) brings together researchers specialised in cognitive and integrative neurosciences. The institute comprises nearly 60 researchers and faculty members and covers various research fields which include cognitive neuropsychology, neuroscience, psychophysics and computational science to address basic scientific themes such as neural network operation underlying adaptive motor behavior, addiction, executive functions, motivation, emotion and memory, perception and attention, cognitive deficits and disability.
The team Development and Neurobiology of Neural Networks propose a thesis research project aiming to study the development and functioning of the central nervous system in mice and the consequences of prenatal and postnatal exposure to titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Organisms are exposed to a variety of environmental agents from the prenatal period onwards, which can have harmful effects on health, particularly on brain functions. This project aims to understand the mechanisms of action of these chemical factors on the development of motor neuropathologies from birth to adulthood. We will focus particularly on respiratory function, as any dysfunction of this motor behavior can have lethal consequences.
To carry out this project, electrophysiological recordings of respiratory neuronal activities will be combined with functional imaging approaches (calcium imaging) and pharmacological treatments on isolated nervous tissue preparations in vitro (isolated brainstem, brainstem transverse slice). Immunohistochemical labeling and molecular biology techniques will also be implemented to identify anatomical abnormalities within respiratory networks, groups of motoneurons, or glial cells, as well as variations in the expression of proteins of interest. In addition to these in vitro approaches, in vivo recordings of respiratory activity by plethysmography will be conducted.
This project is financed by the Foundation for Medical Research (FRM).
Start date: December 1st, 2023
Profile
- Master’s degree in the field of biology and neuroscience in particular
- Strong knowledge of neuroscience and neuronal networks
- Interest in multiple and interdisciplinary approaches
- Strong motivation, curiosity, scientific rigor, and organizational skills
How to apply?
Send your CV and cover letter to Muriel Thoby-Brisson < muriel.thoby-brisson@u-bordeaux.fr > and Laurent Juvin < laurent.juvin@u-bordeaux.fr >. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interviews.