Junior Research Scientist on cellular interactions in muscle construction

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INRAE presentation

The French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment (INRAE) is a public research establishment under the dual authority of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Research.

INRAE is recruiting researchers by open competition and offering permanent position.

It is a major player in research and innovation created on 1^st of January 2020. INRAE is a research institute resulting from the merger of INRA and IRSTEA. It is a community of 12,000 people with more than 200 research units and 42 experimental units located throughout France.

The institute is among the world leaders in agricultural and food sciences, in plant and animal sciences, and is 11^th in the world in ecology and environment. INRAE’s main goal is to be a key player in the transitions necessary to address major global challenges. In the face of the increase in population, climate change, scarcity of resources and decline in biodiversity, the institute develops solutions for multiperformance agriculture, high quality food and sustainable management of resources and ecosystems.

Work environment, missions and activities

The Fish Physiology and Geomics Laboratory (LPGP), located on the Beaulieu university campus in Rennes, develops research in the field of fish growth and reproduction. Within this unit, you will be joining the "Growth and flesh quality of fish" (CROQ) team, composed of eight permanent staff, including four researchers, who have been working on the development of the muscle, adipose and connective tissues that make up muscle and on the determinants of fish flesh quality.
Your project will involve studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms of interactions between the different cell types in muscle.
Firstly, you will characterise in vitro the interactions between the different cell types in trout using 2D/3D co-cultures or organoids, drawing on the team's expertise in the culture of muscle and adipose precursors in this species.
Secondly, you will identify the molecular players involved in these cellular interactions. In the longer term, you will analyse the function of the genes identified previously, and their involvement in tissue development, using functional genomics approaches such as gene editing (CRISPR/Cas9) on model species available to the team (zebrafish in particular). Your research will help to advance our knowledge of the nature of the interactions between the main muscle cell types that are essential for optimal muscle development and, ultimately, for the production of a quality product.

Training and skills

PhD level or equivalent.
Proven skills in animal cell biology are required. Skills in the development of 2D-3D cell models and functional genomics will be appreciated. Knowledge of INRAE's research questions in the field of meat quality would be welcome. If you do not already have experience in animal experimentation, you will need to be trained to enable you to conduct animal experiments.
Fluency in written and spoken English is highly desirable, as is long-term international experience: successful candidates who have not already had such experience will be required to spend time abroad at the end of the internship year.

INRAE's life quality

By joining our teams, you benefit from:

- 30 days of annual leave + 15 days "Reduction of Working Time" (for a full time);
- parenting support: CESU childcare, leisure services;
- skills development systems: training, career advise;
- social support: advice and listening, social assistance and loans;
- holiday and leisure services: holiday vouchers, accommodation at preferential rates;
- sports and cultural activities;
- collective catering.

For international scientists: please visit your guide to facilitate your arrival and stay at INRAE.