PhD position OT-26024
PhD in plant development biology (Theme: Coordination of cell polarity and division in a simple shoot meristem)
69007 Lyon
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
You will work in the RDP (Reproduction et Développement des Plantes) laboratory. The RDP is a multi-tutorial joint research unit (CNRS, INRAE, ENS de Lyon, UCBL, and associated with INRIA) comprising 8 research teams (around 130 people). The laboratory is located on the Monod site of the ENS de Lyon (https://www.ens-lyon.fr/RDP/?lang=eng). The PhD, funded for 3 years (starting October 1, 2025), is part of a collaborative project between the Plant Reproduction and Development Laboratory (ENS Lyon, France), the Biochemistry Laboratory of Wageningen University (WUR, Netherlands) and the Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin (IJPB, INRAE Versailles, France). The student will be based at ENS Lyon and work under the supervision of Dr Yoan COUDERT (SIGNAL team). He/she will be co-supervised by Pr Dolf WEIJERS (WUR) and Dr Philippe ANDREY (INRAE Versailles). Visits to Wageningen Versailles are planned as the project progresses.
Research topic: Cell polarity is essential for the growth and organization of multicellular organisms. Although widely studied in animals, notably in the regulation of asymmetric cell division and cell fate segregation, its role in plant development remains largely unexplored. In particular, the link between cell polarity and asymmetric division in plant meristems remains poorly understood (Véron et al., Trends Plant Sci 2021). This is partly due to the complexity of cell division patterns in angiosperm shoot cell niches and a still limited knowledge of polarity establishment at the molecular level. However, this is beginning to change with the recent discovery of SOSEKI (SOK) proteins, which show structural and functional homologies with polarity regulators in animals. SOKs are auxin targets, conserved in land plants, and exhibit tissue-specific polar distribution patterns (Yoshida et al., Nat Plants 2019; van Dop et al., Cell 2020). However, their developmental role remains to be elucidated.
Research goal: This project exploits the simplicity of the shoot apical meristem of the moss Physcomitrium patens to understand the complex relationships between cell polarity, division orientation and shoot architecture. Preliminary experiments have shown that SOK proteins are essential for Physcomitrium meristem establishment and lateral organ production, but the underlying cellular mechanisms remain unknown. In this project, we will explore the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which SOK proteins dynamically coordinate cell polarity and division in a simple plant meristem to produce robust stem architecture.
Training and skills
Desired knowledge: Strong interest in plant developmental biology, general knowledge of developmental, cellular and molecular biology
Appreciated experience : Phenotyping of living organisms at cellular level, molecular biology and biochemistry (PCR, cloning), in vitro cell and tissue culture, confocal microscopy and image analysis
Desired skills: Motivated candidate, strongly involved in his/her research project and capable of solving scientific problems, critically discussing experimental results and interacting with scientists from different backgrounds. The working languages of the laboratory and institute are French and English. Excellent writing and communication skills are required.
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
Send a cover letter, CV and the names and contact details of two referees to : Yoan COUDERT : yoan.coudert@ens-lyon.fr
You can write directly to Yoan COUDERT if you have any questions about the proposed project.
All persons employed by or hosted at INRAE, a public research establishment, are subject to the Civil Service Code, particularly with regard to the obligation of neutrality and respect for the principle of secularism. In carrying out their functions, whether or not they are in contact with the public, they must not express their religious, philosophical or political convictions through their behaviour or by what they wear. > Find out more: fonction publique.gouv.fr website (in French)