PostDoctoral Position in Neurobiology, Sophia-Antipolis, South of France : Valbonne, France

A postdoctoral position is available to undertake novel and exciting research in the neurobiology field. Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is a leading genetic cause of intellectual disability and autism. Using a metabonomics-based approach, we have identified a metabolic signature and biomarkers associated with FXS in various brain regions of its mouse model. An integrative network strategy further enabled us to predict altered pathways directly contributing to FXS metabolic phenotypes in the brain (Davidovic et al., 2011). Using metabolic profiling of FXS mouse model’s biofluids, we have now identified systemic candidate biomarkers of FXS.
The primary aims of the project are:
i) to investigate molecular and cellular dysfunctions of metabolic pathways in FXS mouse model, both at the cerebral and systemic level.
ii) to explore the translational potential of the identified systemic biomarkers of FXS to human, using a biobank of Fragile X patients’ biofluids.
This multidisciplinary project combining molecular approaches to integrative biology has recently been funded by an ANR grant (2013-2016) and will address fundamental questions in the Fragile X field, whilst having an important and much needed application in the field of FXS biomarkers discovery.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Dumas ME & Davidovic L (2013) Metabolic phenotyping and systems biology approaches to understanding neurological disorders. F1000Prime Rep. 3;5:18.
Davidovic, L., Durand, N., Khalfallah, O., Tabet, R., Barbry, P., Mari, B., Sacconi, S., Moine, H., Bardoni, B. (2013) A novel role for the RNA-binding protein FXR1P in myoblasts cell-cycle progression by modulating p21/Cdkn1a/Cip1/Waf1 mRNA stability. PLoS Genet. 9(3):e1003367.
Zongaro, S., Hukema, R., D’Antoni, S., Davidovic, L., Catania, M.-V., Willemsen, R., Mari, B., Bardoni, B. (2013) The 3’UTR of FMR1 mRNA is a target of miR101, miR129-5p and miR-221: Implications for the molecular pathology of FXTAS at synapse. Hum. Mol. Genet. 22(10):1971-82.
Davidovic L, Navratil V, Bonaccorso CM, Catania MV, Bardoni B & Dumas ME. (2011) A metabolomic and systems biology perspective on the brain of the fragile X syndrome mouse model. Genome Res. 21(12):2190-202.

APPLICATION
Funding is available for 24 months. The candidate should hold a PhD in Neuroscience, Biology, Biomedical Sciences or equivalent obtained no more than 4 years ago. The candidate may have experience in molecular and cellular biology and additional skills in mice manipulation and physiology. Experience or interest in generation, manipulation and integration of omics data would be a plus.
The candidate has to display flexibility to explore different aspects and opportunities as they arise. Furthermore, he/she must demonstrate interest for mobility since he/she will be involved in already-funded international collaborations.

Applications in English are invited by e-mail in the form of :
- a motivation letter clearly mentioning research interests and past experience
- a curriculum vitae clearly specifying academic achievements, laboratory experience including techniques, informatics and statistics, language skills
- a complete list of publications and attended meetings (oral presentations, posters, abstracts)
- detailed contacts of 2-3 references.