Postdoctoral position (3 years) in genetics of neurodevelopment - Lyon, France

The team "GEnetics of NeuroDEVelopment" (GENDEV) at the Lyon
Neuroscience Research Centre (CRNL) is seeking a highly motivated
post-doctoral fellow for a fully funded 3-years position to work on a
project aiming to unravel the role played by minor splicing in embryonic
development through the study of zebrafish models of a family of
neurodevelopment disorders.
The 36 months postdoctoral position (ANR funding) is available from
October 2018.

Profile

Candidates must hold a PhD degree in Genetics, Neurosciences,
Biochemistry, Cell Biology or other related fields, and a postdoctoral
experience of less than 3 years. Excellent skills in molecular and cell
biology techniques and in zebrafish model are required; experience in
neuroscience would be a bonus.
Fluency in oral and written French and/or English is required.

Project description

Biallelic mutations in the non-coding gene RNU4ATAC were identified by
our group in the Taybi-Linder syndrome (TALS, OMIM 210710, Edery P et
al. 2011 Science). TALS is a rare autosomal recessive syndrome
characterized by severe brain malformations. RNU4ATAC, the non-coding
human gene responsible for TALS is transcribed into U4atac snRNA, a
component of the minor (also called U12) spliceosome, a
ribonucleoproteic complex that removes a restricted subset (<1%) of
introns during the mRNA maturation process. Recently, two other very
rare congenital disorders have also been attributed to biallelic
RNU4ATAC mutations. We combine multiple approaches including genetic
epidemiology, clinical genetics, genomics, transcriptomics,
bioinformatics, molecular biology, cell biology and zebrafish models to
decipher the molecular causes and physiopathology of RNU4ATAC-associated
syndromes to improve knowledge on the role of minor (U12) intron
splicing in brain development and to allow accurate information, genetic
counselling and medical care of patients with a disorder of brain
development.
The candidate will perform in zebrafish morpholino-driven and CRISPR
gene editing, development and morphology analyses, transcriptional
profiling via RNA-seq, and general molecular biology techniques to
generate and characterize phenotypes and molecular and cellular defects
associated with RNU4ATAC mutations.

Scientific environment

The GENDEV research team was created in 2016 at the Lyon Neuroscience
Research Centre (CRNL) and is composed of clinical and molecular
geneticists. The CRNL is a neuroscience research centre located within
new buildings next to four large hospitals that integrates the
multidisciplinary expertise of 380 members (14 teams) with a synergistic
approach of brain organization and development, cognitive functions and
mental states in physiological and pathological conditions, using
various a broad spectrum of research tools ranging from cognition to
genetics. The position will provide opportunities for a young researcher
to benefit from the GENDEV collective first-rate expertise on human
syndromes, genomics, transcriptomics, bioinformatics, biochemistry and
zebrafish model to perform a multidisciplinary research study.

Contact information

To apply, please send a cover letter and a CV including contacts for
references to sylvie.mazoyer@inserm.frpatrick.edery@chu-lyon.fr and
marion.delous@inserm.fr before 30 November 2018.