Job ID: 97327

Post doctoral position in neurobiology and stimulation

Position: Post-doctoral Position

Deadline: 30 November 2022

Employment Start Date: 1 December 2022

Contract Length: 2 years

City: GRENOBLE

Country: France

Institution: FONDS DE DOTATION CLINATEC

Department: ISERE

Description:

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that affects nearly 6.5 million people worldwide and is characterized by the destruction of a specific population of neurons involved in the control of mobility. The resulting symptoms are slowness in movement, muscle rigidity and tremors. Different types of treatments exist to improve the quality of life of patients, drug treatments and/or surgery.

Among these surgical treatments, deep brain stimulation (DBS), co-invented by Professors Pollak and Benabid in 1987, makes it possible to stop motor symptoms in Parkinson’s patients when electrical stimulation is active. This treatment intervenes at an advanced stage and is essentially symptomatic but doesn’t act on the progression of the disease. Although DBS has shown its effectiveness, the mechanisms of action of this treatment at the cellular and molecular level remain to be identified.

The AstroPark-ESTIME project consists of studying the mechanistic effect of high and low frequency electrical stimulation on cell models of astrocytes and neurons derived from stem cells (iPSC). Cell culture, immunofluorescence, biochemistry and molecular biology techniques will mainly be used.

The post-doctoral fellow contributes to the scientific advancement of the AstroPark-ESTIME project (studies of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of electrical stimulation) as well as the establishment of a cellular model (astrocytes and neurons) from iPS cells. She/He participates in the development of technical protocols, the implementation of electrostimulation parameters and implements experiments in cellular, molecular biology, biochemistry (…) while actively participating in the daily operation of the laboratory. He/She contributes to the organization of experiments. The post-doctoral fellow presents his/her results and interpretation as well as the project.

His missions will be carried out on two different sites, Grenoble and Geneva with travel to be expected.