Start date: Flexible, from September 1 to January 1

Duration: 12 months

Recruitment level: IE (Ingénieur d’étude)

To apply: https://emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/CDD/UMR7232-DIDPEU-027/Default.aspx

Application deadline: 21th August 2023

 Activities – As part of the ANR « MYODEVO » project, the candidate will participate in the cellular and molecular characterization of muscle types in the jellyfish Clytia hemisphaerica and Pelagia noctiluca, as well as in the development of functional analysis methods in Pelagia (CRISPR/Cas9). Pelagia noctiluca is the most abundant scyphozoan jellyfish in the Mediterranean Sea; it is of biological, ecological and economic interest. This species is a study model in developmental biology, being established in the host team. Genomic resources (chromosomal scale genome, reference transcriptomes, single cell transcriptome, ATACseq) are available, as well as a range of experimental protocols (injection into fertilized eggs, in situ hybridization, immunofluorescence, transmission electron microscopy) . The complete life cycle is also mastered in the laboratory.

Clytia hemisphaerica is a model jellyfish, reared in the laboratory. Experimental protocols and genomic resources are available and well established (reviewed in Houliston et al. 2022: https://hal.science/hal-03346217/document).

The candidate will be responsible for:

– Characterizing the muscle cell types of the different stages of the life cycle of Pelagia and Clytia (in collaboration with the local imaging platform, BioPIC), using the methods mentioned above.

– Participate in the development of functional analysis methods in Pelagia noctiluca by injection of Cas9 protein and guide RNA into fertilized eggs, followed by phenotyping and genotyping.

 Expected qualifications –

– Basic skills in molecular biology required; previous experience in functional analysis is welcome.

– Experience in fluorescence microscopy; knowledge of electron microscopy is welcome but not required.

– Laboratory experience on marine models would be an advantage, but not required.

– Organizational and interpersonal/collaborative skills.

– Communication in English.

 Work environment – The candidate will work under the supervision of Lucas Leclère in the Cnidevo team “Regeneration, development and evolution of cnidarians”, within the research unit “Integrative Biology of Marine Organisms” (UMR 7232) of the Oceanological Observatory of Banyuls-sur-Mer (France), affiliated with CNRS and Sorbonne University.