Dear colleagues,
We are looking for a hard-working and motivated PhD candidate to join our consortium in the frame of an ANR-granted project (DREAMY).
The PhD project aims at using a recent lanthanide complex, crystallophore (Ln-Xo4 [1]), as a tool to interact with amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides within the context of amyloid-related diseases. We will use paramagnetic Ln centers so that Ln-Xo4 can be implemented to measure chemical shift and relaxation perturbations and investigate structural and dynamic features of Aβ peptides. We will also develop ultrahigh resolution NMR methods that will be used to improve the quality of NMR spectra recorded in supramolecular interaction studies. To that end, we will use model lanthanide complexes to address the impact of paramagnetic relaxation and dynamic processes on pure shift methods. Ultimately, the methods that will be developed will be applied to study the supramolecular interaction between Aβ peptides and Ln-Xo4 using an hybrid NMR and Molecular Dynamics approach.
This PhD project will be supervised by 2 researchers, Nicolas Giraud at Université Paris Cité and Olivier Maury from the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon. We combine areas of expertise ranging from inorganic chemistry to supramolecular chemistry and analytical chemistry, including Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. We develop an integrative approach to explore supramolecular interaction processes between lanthanide complexes and biomolecules.[2-4] This project involves a tight collaboration with the group of Christelle Hureau (LCC, CNRS, Toulouse).
The PhD candidate will be located at LCBPT at Université Paris Cité (UMR CNRS 8601), a biomedical research center of excellence located downtown Paris, France. He/she will also work in close interaction with Olivier Maury at ENS de Lyon. He/she will be in charge of preparing and handling NMR samples, implementing and optimizing NMR experiments, analyzing and modelling the resulting NMR data together with molecular dynamics results obtained by our collaborator, Elise Dumont (Univ. Côte d’Azur).
The research group on NMR of Biological Substances at Université Paris Cité is located in the heart of Paris and provides a dynamic and international working environment. Our facility includes a state-of-the-art 600 MHz IVDr spectrometer fully dedicated for the analysis of biological samples and a spectrometer operating at 500 MHz, with a liquid-state cryoprobe optimized for 13C detection.
Applicants should have a degree in chemistry with a strong interest for analytical or physical chemistry. Experience with solution NMR spectroscopy and data analysis would be an advantage. We are looking for a hard-working and highly motivated candidate, with good communication skills, notably in English. The eligible candidate will be funded for three years by a grant from the French Research Ministry (ANR grant DREAMY). Any citizenship is welcome, but applications will be evaluated by a Defence Security Official prior to any approval.
References:
1. Engilberge, S et al. Chem. Sci. 2017 https://doi.org/10.1039/C7SC00758B
2. Dumont et al. PCCP 2013 https://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C3CP53671H
3. Denis-Quanquin et al. Chem. Eur. J. 2016 https://dx.doi.org/10.1002:chem.201603460
4. Denis-Quanquin et al. PCCP 2021 https://doi.org/10.1039/D0CP06570F
Contact:
If you are interested in this position, please send CV, letter of interest and contact information for two/three references to Prof. Nicolas Giraud (nicolas.giraud@u-paris.fr)
Website : https://lcbpt.biomedicale.parisdescartes.fr/nmr
Best regards,
Nicolas Giraud.
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Prof. Nicolas Giraud
Université Paris Cité
First year Program Chair, Master Frontiers in Chemistry
https://master-frontiers-in-chemistry.fr
Head, Research Group on NMR of Biological Substances
https://lcbpt.biomedicale.parisdescartes.fr/nmr
Faculty of Sciences
UFR Sciences Fondamentales et Biomédicales
LCBPT - UMR CNRS 8601
45 Rue des Saints-Pères, 75006 Paris