PhD CALL FOR APPLICATIONS for 2 PhD positions in the Institute of Microbiology, Bioenergies and Biotechnology (IM2B) of Aix-Marseille Université

• RESEARCH FIELD(S)1

Natural Sciences – Biology, Chemistry

• JOB DESCRIPTION 

This Institute brings together the largest French network of world-class molecular microbiologists. It aims to explore the diversity and functioning of the microbial world, at the molecular, cellular and ecosystem levels, or through its close association with other organisms (plants, microbiota, etc.), with a view to developing innovative biotechnological solutions in the fields of bioenergies, environment and health.

The five PhD projects described below are eligible for funding under this call for applications. They are interdisciplinary projects based on inter-laboratory collaborations.

For each of the projects, the co-supervisors will select one applicant who will be interviewed by a jury. The audition will be held in English or in French, the 3rd of June. At the end of the audition, two applicants will be selected and will be granted with a 3-year fellowship (gross monthly salary: €1975).

The two awarded doctoral students will be granted €4,000 to attend international conferences or to follow training related to their research or professional project. In addition, through the Plinius doctoral programme, they will benefit from personalised support to train in a wide range of cutting-edge technologies and prepare their professional project in an international and multidisciplinary environment.

About the Institute of Microbiology, Bioenergies and Biotechnology

Created in 2019 by Aix-Marseille Université, this Institute brings together more than 400 permanent staff, 250 Masters students, 150 PhD students and 160 post-docs, to strengthen interdisciplinary Research and Teaching in the field of Microbiology and its applications in Bioenergies, Environment and Health. Relying on a network of 11 internationally renowned research laboratories and a network of leading facilities, the IM2B brings together recognized expertise in viruses, bacteria, archaea, fungi, protists and photosynthetic organisms. It covers a large range of approaches, including bioinformatics, mathematical modelling, structural and cellular biology, molecular genetics, biophysics, biochemistry, biodiversity, chemistry. The research effort of IM2B is focused on the integration of all the scales of study, from the atom to the ecosystem, and its biotechnological applications on the different systems studied. The targeted applications are in particular in the field of energy such as CO2 storage, production of biofuel, biogas or bioethanol, new bio-inspired materials, biosensing or biosourced molecules, but also in the field of the environment (biodepollution…) or health (infectious diseases).

PhD projects (for more details, click on the title)

• How an Agr system controls the expression of two bacteriocin clusters in a human symbiont?

Co-supervisors :

Michaël LAFOND, Institut des sciences moléculaires de Marseille – iSm2 (mickael.lafond@univ-amu.fr)

Cécile JOURLIN-CASTELLI, Laboratoire de Bioénergétique et Ingénierie des Protéines – BIP (jourlin@imm.cnrs.fr)

• Investigating the VDAC:Bcl2 complexes implicated in apoptosis using Double Electron-Electron Resonance

Co-supervisors :

James STURGIS / Lucie BERGDOLL, Laboratoire d’Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires –  LISM (lbergdoll@imm.cnrs.fr)

Guillaume GERBAUD, Laboratoire de Bioénergétique et Ingénierie des Protéines – BIP (ggerbaud@imm.cnrs.fr)

• Molecular mechanism of Type IVa pili activation by SgmX in Myxococcus xanthus

Co-supervisors :

Latifa ELANTAK, Laboratoire d’Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires –  LISM (elantak@imm.cnrs.fr)

Romain MERCIER, Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne –LCB (rmercier@imm.cnrs.fr)

• Investigating the bacterial cell-penetrating and cargo capacity of a human protein domain by EPR spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy

Co-supervisors :

Thierry DOAN, Laboratoire d’Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires –  LISM (tdoan@imm.cnrs.fr)

Elisabetta MILEO, Laboratoire de Bioénergétique et Ingénierie des Protéines – BIP (emileo@imm.cnrs.fr)

• Heterogeneous chemo-enzymatic catalysis: an optimized immobilization strategy towards sustainability

Co-supervisors :

Yasmina MEKMOUCHE, Institut des sciences moléculaires de Marseille – iSm2 (y.mekmouche@univ-amu.fr)

Anne de POULPIQUET, Laboratoire de Bioénergétique et Ingénierie des Protéines – BIP (adepoulpiquet@imm.cnrs.fr)

How to apply?

You are interested in applying for one of the PhD projects? The candidate must hold a Master2 degree by summer 2022.

Applications, in English, including a CV (specifying the English level), a cover letter, transcripts and ranking of Master degree (Master 1 and first semester of Master 2), and the contact information for at least two references must be sent to the supervisors by May 9th 2022.

Deadline application:

By May 9th 2022

For further information