Job offer

Organisation/Company: University of Poitiers

Department: Biology & Health

Research Field: Biological sciences » Biology, Neurosciences » Neurobiology

Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)

Positions: PhD Positions

Country: France

Application Deadline: 7 May 2025 - 23:59 (Europe/Paris)

Type of Contract: Temporary

Job Status: Full-time

Offer Starting Date: 7 Apr 2025

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Other EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

This is a co-supervised PhD, with approximately 50% of the research conducted at the University of Poitiers in France (October 2025-September 2027) and 50% at the University of Coimbra in Portugal (October 2027-September 2029).

Description of the project: Diet has been identified as a modifiable factor that promotes or harms brain health, with the Mediterranean diet associated with positive effects on age-related cognitive decline. In the brain, neural stem cells (NSCs) persist throughout life and produce new neurons that integrate neural circuits and contribute to learning and memory.

The thesis project will explore the effects of specific compounds derived from the Mediterranean diet, notably with senolytic properties, on NSC activity and determine the extent to which these compounds can correct deficits in NSC activity induced by a high-fat diet. The mechanisms involved in these processes, linking cell senescence and neuroinflammation, will be analysed. We will focus on calcium channels as our studies have identified them as major regulators of NSCs, and as, on other cell types, diet has been shown to modify the activity of these channels.

In this project, we propose to study the effects of a high-fat diet on adult mice NSC activity and to determine whether senolytics from the Mediterranean diet would be interesting for reversing the high-fat diet effects. Based on in vitro and in vivo approaches, the project will characterize the impact of the diet on NSC proliferative and neurogenic activity before looking for specific molecular targets that may be affected. Among these, we will focus on calcium channels, which we identified as essential regulators of NSC activities, showing in other cell types, changes in their expression and/or activity following exposure to a high-fat diet.

Where to apply

E-mail: valerie.coronas@univ-poitiers.fr

Requirements

Research Field: Biological sciences » Biology

Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

The candidate should have a Master’s degree in biomedicine and/or physiology and/or cell biology and/or neuroscience. He/she should have a good knowledge of ion channels, pharmacology and, if possible, of stem cells.

The candidate is motivated, proactive, autonomous, rigorous, curious and likes to take initiative.

Training in animal experimentation would be a plus. A good level of English (reading, writing and speaking) and good writing skills (English) will be real assets.