Join us
We need you! Our team has always open positions for talented and highly motivated students.
Our team has always open positions for talented and highly motivated students.
We accept all applications: from undergraduate students (e.g. 6 months Master fellowships) to PhD applications to take a 3-year exciting journey in one of our upcoming research projects at the frontiers of chemistry and biology.
We also welcome post-doctoral students, especially those interested in preparing applications for European grants such as Marie Curie or willing to apply for a permanent researcher position in our team.
Openings
Les PROTACs constituent une innovation majeure dans la conception d’agents thérapeutiques. Ces molécules constituées de deux ligands : l’un ciblant une protéine d’intérêt à dégrader, l’autre une ubiquitine E3 ligase (Ub-E3). Elles permettent de détourner le protéasome afin de dégrader spécifiquement une protéine impliquée dans un processus pathologique. Cependant, la conception et le développement de PROTACs restent fastidieux. Notre projet a pour objectif de lever ce verrou en créant le concept de poly-PROTAC. Il s’agira de générer des polymères fonctionnels présentant de multiples copies de molécules PROTAC et ainsi de permettre le multi-recrutement de protéines d’intérêt à dégrader et d’Ub-E3 ligases.
L’étudiant recruté sur ce projet sera impliqué depuis la synthèse et la caractérisation des ligands d’Ub-E3 ligase et de la protéine protéine d’intêret ainsi que dans leur formulation polymérique. La préparation et la caractérisation des polymères ‘polyPROTACs’ sera également au centre des investigations. Enfin, les évaluations biologiques, et notamment l’aptitude des polyPROTACs à dégrader la protéine d’intérêt, seront externalisés.
Domaines : chimie organique de synthèse ; synthèse sur support solide ; chimie des polymères.
Durée du stage : 6 mois, à partir de fin janvier.
Peptide-Apatite hybrid nanoparticles for the treatment of complex wounds.
Period: 6 months from January/February to June/July 2023
Internship tutors: Pr. Gilles Subra IBMM, Dr. Christophe Drouet CIRIMAT
Contacts : gilles.subra@umontpellier.fr, christophe.drouet@toulouse-inp.fr
Internship locations: IBMM, Pole Chimie Balard, Montpellier, Peptides www.ibmmpeptide.com and CIRIMAT team, Toulouse, PPB team
The work will take place mainly at the IBMM in Montpellier, with one or more short stays (5 days) in Toulouse at CIRIMAT for the synthesis and characterization of particles.
Summary
This Master’s research project at the interface of inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry and biology, aims to synthesize, characterize and evaluate bioorganic-inorganic peptide-apatite hybrid colloidal nanoparticles from a bioactive peptide regulating inflammation and promoting wound healing.
This internship is part of a larger project, conducted in collaboration between IBMM and CIRIMAT and Regentis Pharma for the development of a new generation of bioactive dressings to treat complex wounds with high infectious potential. In 2022, IBMM and CIRIMAT developed an original synthesis to obtain new submicron bio-inspired materials, which combine an apatite core, a natural constituent of bone, and a crown of bioactive peptides (e.g. proangiogenic or antibacterial). It will be necessary to adapt this synthesis to new bioactive peptides, to characterize and biologically evaluate the objects obtained.
Depending on the achievements of the project, CIFRE thesis funding may be proposed at the end of the Master’s internship.
Student work
The Master student will carry out the synthesis, analysis and purification of peptide precursors of interest (e.g. sequence patented by Regentis Pharma) and pseudopeptide (e.g. phophorylated and phosphonated peptides) using support synthesis methods.
He or she will characterize the biomolecules by LC/MS and NMR (H and P). He or she will perform the one-step synthesis of colloidal apatite-peptide hybrid particles and characterize them by TEM, DLS, DRX and FTIR, or even ATG. He or she will perform ligand quantification by multinucleus NMR (H, F and P). He or she will study the stability of particles under conditions close to physiological conditions, and the possible release of bioactive peptides.
Finally, depending on the progress of the project, he or she will be able to study the toxicity of these particles and their pro-healing effect on an in vitro cell model.
Competencies required:
- Project management with several laboratories, work at the interfaces of disciplines.
- Synthesis of peptides, synthesis on support, synthesis of phosphocalcic derivatives, characterization of nanoparticles (TEM, DRX, FTIR), characterization of biomolecules (LC/MS, NMR).
Required skills and soft skills
- Scientific English, Organic Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry Master’s level.
- Knowledge of biology and biochemistry will be appreciated
- Autonomy, scientific curiosity
- Rigor, capacity for work
13 ESR PhD positions will become available on the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network NANOREMEDI-programme in ‘Functional Nano-Scaffolds for Regenerative Medicine’.
NANOREMEDI stems from six Doctoral Courses/Schools at six beneficiary institutions, providing research and training in the field of nanomaterials for Regenerative Medicine. An active contribution of enterprises in training activities is a relevant feature of the programme.
Beneficiaries (Doctorate Courses/Schools):
• University of Milan (Pharmaceutical Sciences), ITALY – Coordinating University;
• Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (Polymers and Biopolymers) SPAIN;
• The Hebrew University Jerusalem (School of Chemistry), ISRAEL;
• Université de Montpellier (Balard Chemical Sciences doctoral school), FRANCE;
• University of Pavia (Bioengineering, Bioinformatics & Health Technologies), ITALY;
• IC nanoGUNE (Materials Physics; delivered by University of the Basque Country – Associated Partner linked to NANOGUNE beneficiary), SPAIN.
Associated partners for secondments activities:
• Bayer Health Care Pharmaceuticals – ITALY;
• Edelweiss Connect GMBH – SWITZERLAND;
• Italfarmaco S.p.A. (CHEMI) – ITALY;
• Jacobacci & Partners – ITALY;
• Lynxter -FRANCE;
• Simune Atomistics SL – SPAIN;
• Ponti & Partners, SLP – SPAIN;
• AbMedica – ITALY;
• DeLama – ITALY;
• Officine Innovazione Srl (Deloitte) –
• ITALY; Genepep – FRANCE; BioBasic Europe rsl – ITALY
The scientific approach proposed by NanoReMedi Consortium is strongly multidisciplinary and will involve a number of different state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies. Expected results are:
• Generate tissue engineered vascular grafts (VGs) to replace damaged peripheral arteries
• Study stem-cell based regenerative medicine for bone and cartilage repair
• Ftakle implantation failure of engeneered tissues/scaffolds
13 ESR PhD positions are offered by the Consortium related to different and multidisciplinary projects strongly interconnected involving different state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies:
– Computational chemistry;
– Chemical synthesis/peptide synthesis;
– Peptide based Nanomaterials (Soft materials/Hydrogels/Electrospinning) preparation and spectroscopic characterization;
– Production of vein graph;
– 3D-tissue fabrication;
– Biofilm prevention;
– Electrostimulated release of antimicrobial peptides
Each ESR will attend the following training activities: i) advanced courses and soft and transferable skill courses provided by University’s doctorate courses/schools; ii) multidisciplinary courses/Summer delivered by NanoReMedi Network at the general Network Meetings/; iii) Nine-months secondment at one of the Beneficiary jointly awarding the doctoral degree to improve research methods complementary to those at home institution; iv) Three-months secondment at one of the enterprise where ESRs are expected to acquire complementary skills.
List of projects can be found here: https://www.nanoremedi.eu/esr-projects/
Eligibility requirement: https://www.nanoremedi.eu/eligibility-requirements/
Applications on https://www.nanoremedi.eu/submit-application/
