Jobs and PhDs
Postdoc, Trypanosome Transmission Group - Trypanosome Cell Biology Unit, Pasteur Institute
A 24-month post-doctoral position starting on March 1st 2025 and funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR) is available in the Trypanosome Cell Biology Unit at Institut Pasteur in Paris (Trypanosome Transmission Group: https://research.pasteur.fr/en/team/groupbrice-rotureau/).
Project: TrypaDiff - Glycerol, a new key player in the trypanosome parasite cycle Trypanosoma brucei is an extracellular parasite responsible for sleeping sickness in Africa and transmitted by a blood-feeding insect vector, the tsetse fly. In its mammalian host, the rapidly dividing slender forms predominate in the blood and tissues. At the peak of parasitaemia, slender forms differentiate into growth-arrested stumpy forms (ST) to protect the host by preventing high parasitaemia. Slender to stumpy differentiation relies on a quorum sensing mechanism triggered by the accumulation of di- and tripeptides produced by oligopeptidases excreted by the parasites. The current model of T. brucei transmission from mammals to the insect vector emphasises the key role of the quorum sensing-derived stumpy forms (ST-QS) produced in the blood. However, this may not be the only differentiation pathway. Our recent unpublished data showed that glycerol, which is abundant in the skin and adipose tissues where the parasites also reside, induces differentiation of slender to stumpy-like forms (ST-Glyc), which are competent for differentiation into parasitic forms present in the insect. We thus propose a rational working hypothesis, in which the glycerol present in the skin would induce the production of ST-Glyc mostly responsible for the parasite transmission to the fly. To study this new paradigm, our ANR-funded consortium composed of Dr. Brice Rotureau (IPP), Dr. Lucy Glover (IPP) and Dr. Frédéric Bringaud (Bordeaux, coordinator of the TrypaDiff project) will (i) characterize glycerol-induced stumpy-like forms, (ii) determine the biological relevance of these parasites, and (iii) characterize the signaling pathway(s) involved in their glycerol-induced differentiation. This program will contribute to a better understanding of the developmental biology of trypanosomes responsible for human and domestic animal diseases and will highlight possible new ways to control parasite transmission.
Experimental approaches: CRISPR-cas9 genetic engineering, microfluidic organoid model, experimental infections in mice and flies, in vivo imaging.
Requirements: Candidates with a recent PhD in Biological Science, especially in Parasitology or Cell Biology are encouraged to postulate. Experience in experimental infection in mice is required. Highly motivated and autonomous candidates are wanted. Skills in entomology or in vivo imaging or microfluidic models would be greatly appreciated.
Application: Applicants should send a CV, a bibliography, a motivation letter and the names of three references in a single pdf file to Dr. Brice Rotureau (rotureau@pasteur.fr) before November 30th 2024.
Discovery Medicine North Doctoral Training Partnership (DiMeN DTP) PhD Opportunity - University of York
PhD student position in molecular parasitology with a focus on bioinformatics at the University of Ostrava, Czech Republic
Laboratory of Trypanosomatid Biology, University of Ostrava, Czech Republic invites enthusiastic highly motivated students with interest in modern omics (genomics-transcriptomics-proteomics) to apply for a PhD position starting in 2025. The preferable start dates are February or September; further details can be negotiated individually.
The project will be primarily focused on comparative omics and in silico analysis of RNA editing in model and non-model Trypanosomatidae. The successful candidate will also have a chance to get involved in other on-going projects in the laboratory, such as those addressing evolutionary biology of parasitism, virulence, or mechanisms of translation in these fascinating flagellates.
1. doi:10.1093/nar/gkae168 (Nucl Acids res, 2024)
2. doi:10.1016/j.pt.2023.11.009 (Trends Parasitol, 2024)
3. doi:10.1093/ve/veae037 (Virus Evol, 2024)
4. doi:10.1038/s41586-022-05584-2 (Nature, 2023)
5. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.060 (Curr Biol, 2023)
6. doi:10.1016/j.csbj.2022.11.023 (Comput Struct Biotechnol J, 2022)
7. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0010510 (PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 2022)
8. doi:10.1261/rna.079088.121 (RNA, 2022)
9. doi:10.1093/nar/gkab114 (Nucl Acids Res, 2021)
10. doi:10.1016/j.pt.2020.01.006 (Trends Parasitol, 2020)
Postdoctoral opportunity - University of York
Apply by 03/01/2025
Provisional interview date is 20/01/2025
Several PhD projects at the University of Edinburgh, UK
Interested in doing a PhD in parasitology? We have multiple parasitology PhD projects available at the University of Edinburgh. These are funded by the BBSRC EastBio doctoral training partnership, which offers fully-funded studentships open to both UK and international applicants. Follow the links below to find out about all the projects on offer and how to apply.
Closing Date: 17th January 2025
Dynamics of mitochondrial genome complexity in trypanosomes
Specificity and function of RNA communication in gastrointestinal nematode-host interactions
Understanding how chromatin controls antigenic variation in Trypanosoma brucei
Scavenge or synthesise? How human parasites acquire nutrients from the host
Malaria and the intestinal immune response
How do Leishmania parasite cells control their swimming to get where they need to go?