Postdoctoral Position - SMART JIA Project (F/M)

Institut Imagine; Paris; Hybride; EUR 42 000 - 56 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Competitive salary

Career development

Live in Paris

Résumé du poste

Institut Imagine in Paris seeks a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join the SMART-JIA project, validating predictive biomarkers of anti-TNF non-response in JIA and adult RA. The role combines single-cell multi-omics, functional immunology, and translational approaches to define TNF-independent inflammatory endotypes.

You will work with patient-derived PBMCs, develop ex vivo assays, and contribute to the SMART-Score algorithm with clinical collaborators across pediatric and adult

Qualifications

• PhD in Immunology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, or related discipline.
• Strong expertise in flow cytometry/cell sorting and functional immunology assays.
• Experience with primary human immune cells, ideally from clinical cohorts.
• Familiarity with single-cell omics technologies (10x Genomics) and/or epigenetic approaches.
• Ability to work independently in a collaborative, translational research environment.
• Excellent scientific communication skills (written and oral, in English).

Responsabilités

• Design, perform, and analyze single-cell multi-omics experiments (10x Genomics Multiome, scRNA-seq, scATAC-seq) from patient-derived PBMCs.
• Develop and execute ex vivo functional assays to investigate molecular mechanisms of treatment resistance.
• Perform computational analyses of single-cell datasets, or collaborate closely with bioinformaticians.
• Contribute to biomarker validation and development of the SMART-Score predictive algorithm with clinical collaborators.

Connaissances

Flow cytometry

Cell sorting

Single-cell omics

Biomarker validation

Collaborative work

Formation

PhD in Immunology or related

Outils

10x Genomics Multiome

scRNA-seq

scATAC-seq

Description du poste

The Ménager lab focuses on deciphering immune cell heterogeneity in inflammatory diseases using single-cell multi-omics, functional immunology, and translational approaches.

https://www.institutimagine.org/en/mickael-menager-187

Project summary:

We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join the SMART-JIA project, which aims to validate, mechanistically characterize, and clinically translate novel predictive biomarkers of anti-TNF non-response in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) and adult Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).

Building on our pioneering scRNA-seq analysis of PBMCs from oligoarticular JIA patients prospectively stratified by anti-TNF response - we identified two transcriptomic signatures significantly enriched in non-responders and revealing TNF-independent inflammatory endotypes

SMART-JIA has three integrated aims:

• Aim 1: Prospective validation of Sig1/Sig2 as a SMART-Score in an independent JIA cohort, integrating molecular and clinical data into an AI-driven stratification tool

• Aim 2: Mechanistic characterization of the resistance to anti-TNF

• Aim 3: Cross-disease validation of Sig1/Sig2 in biologic-naïve adult RA patients

Role and responsibilities:

• Design, perform, and analyze single-cell multi-omics experiments (10x Genomics Multiome, scRNA-seq, scATAC-seq) from patient-derived PBMCs

• Develop and execute ex vivo functional assays to investigate molecular mechanisms of treatment resistance

• Perform computational analyses of single-cell datasets (or collaborate closely with bioinformaticians)

• Contribute to biomarker validation and development of the SMART-Score predictive algorithm with clinical collaborators (pediatric and adult rheumatology, Necker and Cochin Hospitals)

We offer:

• An exciting scientific project at the forefront of precision medicine in rheumatology

• A position in a world-class research institute with highly collaborative and translational environment with direct access to clinical cohorts, biobanks and state-of-the-art single-cell genomics, and bioinformatics core facilities

• Competitive salary according to INSERM postdoctoral scales and experience

• Opportunities for career development, including mentoring, conference attendance, and networking within national/international consortia

• The opportunity to live and work in Paris, one of Europe's leading scientific hubs.

Required qualifications:PhD in Immunology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, or a related disciplineStrong expertise in flow cytometry/cell sorting and functional immunology assaysExperience with primary human immune cells, ideally from clinical cohortsFamiliarity with single-cell omics technologies (10x Genomics) and/or epigenetic approachesAbility to work independently in a collaborative, translational research environmentExcellent scientific communication skills (written and oral, in English)

Preferred qualifications:Experience in autoimmunity, or inflammatory/rheumatic diseasesComputational skills in R/Python for single-cell data analysisTrack record of publication in peer-reviewed journals