Postdoctoral Researcher in Insect Pathology (Fixed-Term Contract)

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INRAE presentation

The French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE) is a major player in research and innovation. It is a community of 12,000 people with 272 research, experimental research, and support units located in 18 regional centres throughout France. Internationally, INRAE is among the top research organisations in the agricultural and food sciences, plant and animal sciences, as well as in ecology and environmental science. It is the world’s leading research organisation specialising in agriculture, food and the environment. INRAE’s goal is to be a key player in the transitions necessary to address major global challenges. Faced with a growing world population, climate change, resource scarcity, and declining biodiversity, the Institute has a major role to play in building solutions and supporting the necessary acceleration of agricultural, food and environmental transitions.

Work environment, missions and activities

The at Micalis research project is part of the larger collaborative ANR FLYPATH project, having IRBI at University of Tours, and three BSF rearing companies involved.  The aim of FLYPATH is to investigate insect pathogens and epidemic risks in black soldier fly (BSF) farms ; an insect reared for animal feed. With focus on identifying potential viral and bacterial pathogens and their transmission pathways using metagenomic analysis, diagnostic testing and by exploring host pathogen interactions. The project outcome will contribute to understanding pathogen dynamics and ecology, particularly in relation to specificity and transmission modes.

Scientific environment:

The successful candidate will join the MICALIS Institute, INRAE, Team GME (https://www.micalis.fr/equipe/gme/). The MICALIS Institute is a leading microbiology research unit affiliated with INRAE (The French National Institute for Agricultural Research), AgroParisTech, and Paris-Saclay University. With over 350 researchers, engineers, and students, MICALIS offers a stimulating and resourceful scientific environment (https://www.micalis.fr/micalis/). The INRAE research center in Jouy-en-Josas is the largest INRAE center in France, It is also part of the Université Paris-Saclay campus.

Specific research objectives:

This PostDoc project will focus on BSFL responses to spore-forming entomopathogenic bacteria through controlled exposure experiments. The aim is to uncover the infection process to determine the pathogen dynamics and persistance associated with larval responses at tissue and immunity levels.The research approaches and objectives may depend on the expertise of the candidate and outcome of preliminary experiments  with sporeforming  bacteria. They may include :

• Exposing BSF larva to increasing bacterial doses.
• Recording physiological parameters such as mortality, development time, and weight
• Monitoring pathogen replication and clearance rates quantitative PCR (qPCR), droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), RT-PCR, or selective bacterial growth media.
• Performing histology /imaging approaches (pathogen-intestinal barriers interactions)
• Performing controlled infections and transcriptional response analyses using dual experiments to study gut microbial community composition (16SrDNA metabarcoding) and immune gene expression (qRT-PCR/ddRT-PCR).
• Assessing the impact of infections on BSF fertility

• Evaluating horizontal-vertical transfert

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduction and supervising infection experiments and analysis with help from a team technicien.
• Setting-up /applying quantitative PCR (qPCR), droplet digital PCR (ddPCR),
• Taking part in a master student supervision
• Scientific publications and dissemination.
• Active participation in GME team activities, both scientifically and organizationally.

The Micalis unit is operating under a restrictive regime, and recruitment will only be confirmed once the Ministry has given its approval.

Training and skills

• Host -pathogen interactions
• Entomology and/or Microbiology
• Molecular biology (NGS, RT-qPCR) Bioinformatics (metabarcoding analysis, transcriptomics,
• Imaging -Microscopy, knowledge in histology and immune response analysis
• English proficiency (C1 level or higher)
• Like team work but ability to work independently
• Excellent communication skills (analyse/write papers, oral presentations) 

INRAE's life quality

By joining our teams, you benefit from (depending on the type of contract and its duration):

- up to 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.

How to apply

I send my CV and my motivation letter