Regulation of food intake in Mulard ducks: analysis of mechanisms (gut/brain) and optimization

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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

Laboratory: INRAE/UPPA, Nutrition, Metabolism and Aquaculture team (NuMeA). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTsaGtaNsxg&list=PL1ewW_gW5fdvfJnM5PziMdxHuPXTV6xtC&index=28
 

Thesis advisors: Marianne Houssier (associate professor) and Stéphane Panserat (research director). https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Marianne-Houssier?ev=hdr_xprf et  https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Stephane-Panserat

Project:

Background:
Force-feeding in ducks is a traditional farming practice used for the production of foie gras. However, in a context of increasing concerns about animal welfare, the sector is facing growing pressure from public opinion and European authorities to develop alternative production methods.

Our team recently demonstrated, in a study published in American Journal of Physiology (Zwick et al., 2026), that it is possible to induce transient hyperphagia (voluntary ingestion of large amounts of food) in mule ducks through a learning phase. However, feed intake drops sharply when the fasting period between meals is reduced, a condition that is nevertheless required for liver fattening.

Objective:
This project aims, on the one hand, to improve our understanding of the mechanisms regulating feed intake in ducks and, on the other hand, to optimize a split-feeding protocol to develop a genuine alternative to force-feeding. Two optimization strategies will be explored: first, a nutritional approach based on adjusting meal frequency and/or diet composition; and second, a strategy based on embryonic programming.

Methodology:
Molecular biology analyses (RNA extraction, relative expression of target genes, Western blot, and ELISA) will be performed on samples from the brain (hypothalamus and cortex), digestive tract (duodenum, proventriculus, and pancreas), and plasma, collected before and after meals with high or low intake. Immunohistochemistry analyses will also be carried out on brain sections to precisely localize the expression of regulatory factors. Finally, hepatic transcriptome and lipidome analyses will be considered during the optimization phases of liver fattening.

Keywords:
Feed intake, molecular biology, metabolism, nutrition

Further reading: key articles underpinning the project, published by the team:

Andrieux, Charlotte, Marchand, M., Larroquet, L., Veron, V., Biasutti, S., Barrieu, J., Morganx, P., Morisson, M., Coustham, V., Panserat, S., Houssier, M., 2023. Fasting/refeeding: an experimental model to study the impact of early thermal manipulation on hepatic metabolism in mule ducks. American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology 324, R45–R57. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpregu.00158.2022

Andrieux, C., Marchand, M., Larroquet, L., Veron, V., Biasutti, S., Morisson, M., Coustham, V., Panserat, S., Houssier, M., 2023. Optimization of embryonic thermal programming confirms increased liver fattening in mule ducks and changes in lipid metabolism. Front. Physiol. 14, 1142398. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2023.1142398

Zwick, L.-L., Hakkach, C., Biasutti, S., Andrieux, C., Roy, J., Panserat, S., Houssier, M., 2026a. Hyperphagia and hepatic lipid storage in ducks: an exploratory experimental model. American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology ajpregu.00191.2026. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpregu.00191.2025

Training and skills

A background in molecular biology, energy metabolism, nutrition, or feeding behavior would be an advantage.

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