PhD position on the link between iron, dementia, and brain aging in the context of sustainable dietary transitions

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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

Here is the English translation of the first part of the PhD offer:

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You will be hosted in the Joint Research Unit PNCA (INRAE-AgroParisTech, Bd Gaspard Monge, 91120 Palaiseau), within the PROSPECT team (Protein consumption, nutritional safety, and cardiometabolic risk), whose research aims to better characterize and predict the consequences of current and future protein nutritional transitions on diet quality and health.

This PhD project, funded by the France Alzheimer association, aims to study the link between dietary iron bioavailability and pathological brain aging within the context of sustainable dietary transitions. It lies at the intersection of brain aging epidemiology and nutritional sciences. The PhD will be supervised by Dr Jeanne Neuffer (Assistant Professor in nutritional and health determinants of sustainable dietary transitions) and Prof. François Mariotti (Professor of Nutrition).

More specifically, the PhD will be structured around three objectives. Using data from two European cohorts (UK Biobank and B cube), you will be responsible for:

- Estimating dietary intakes of heme and non-heme iron and their bioavailability as modulated by dietary cofactors (vitamin C, polyphenols, phytates, etc.)
- Estimating their respective associations with the onset of dementia (notably its main cause, Alzheimer's disease), cognitive decline, and visible changes in MRI markers of pathological brain aging.
- Exploring the role of iron in the link between adherence to plant-based diets and Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, as well as the genetic differences that may modify the association between different types of iron and brain aging.

Ultimately, this PhD will help clarify how the transition toward more plant-based diets, through the modulation of iron intake, could influence the risk of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, and identify the individuals most affected by these effects.
 

Part of the work may be carried out remotely (2 days per week).

Training and skills

Recommended background: Master's degree in Public Health (preferably in Epidemiology or Biostatistics) or an Engineering degree (with a specialization in Health/Nutrition).

Desired knowledge: Epidemiology, Nutrition, Data analysis, Statistics.

Desired experience: Database management, Data analysis, Application of advanced statistical models, Use of statistical software (R, SAS, or Python).

Required skills: Rigor, organizational skills, writing abilities, ability to work independently and as part of a team, strong interest in public health and nutrition, good command of French and English.

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

Please send your cover letter and CV to the email addresses provided, with the subject line "candidature thèse fer-cerveau".