Mots-Clés

omics, immunology, autoimmunity, modelling, immunoregulation

Description

Strategy of the host institution: INSERM, one of the leading biomedical research institutions in Europe and worldwide, is driven by the international dynamics of research in biology and health to delve into increasingly complex questions. This exploration requires the utilization of multidisciplinary approaches that encompass various scientific disciplines and technological expertise. Consequently, INSERM has made the recruitment of innovative profiles a key objective in its strategic plan, aiming to foster groundbreaking advancements. In line with this objective, the proposed recruitment of a junior professorship position at the i3 Laboratory perfectly aligns with INSERM's vision. The institution seeks to recruit a candidate who can harness cutting-edge approaches to advance our understanding of autoimmune diseases and push the boundaries of knowledge in immunology. In addition to contributing to these objectives, the junior professor will play a role in training young scientists and medical doctors through the Systems Immunology training program at Sorbonne Université. This will facilitate the development of novel skills in the future generation of researchers and medical professionals.

Strategy of the host laboratory: The i3 Laboratory has been developing a translational systems immunology approach in the field of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases (AID) for over 10 years. Established collaborations with various clinical services (internal medicine, rheumatology, diabetology and the Biotherapies clinical investigation center) affiliated to AP-HP and Sorbonne Université, the multidisciplinary composition of the team (biologists, immunologists, clinicians, informaticians, and bioinformaticians) and the numerous major national and european fundings (LabEx and RHU by Investissement d’Avenir, Agence Nationale pour la Recherche ; ERC Advanced and H2020) have been pivotal to this expertise development. As such, the laboratory has generated unique massive multiparametric datasets, representing an investment of over 10 million euros for their generation, that describe the immune systems of more than 900 patients with one AID, recruited under observational or interventional clinical trials.

I3’s personel involved in systems immunology has grown from 5 members (with 2 permanent PIs) to now 15 members (including 5 permanent members (4 PIs and 1 assistant engineer). To maximize the exploitation and valorization of this investment, the i3 lab aims at recruiting a junior professor with expertise in systems immunology to introduce innovative ideas and propel the research forward.

Summary of the scientifc project: The proposed junior professorship position at the i3 Laboratory will be seamlessly integrated into the research and training endeavors of the laboratory and affiliated institutions. The primary objective for the candidate will be to propose innovative projects aimed at identifying biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets through either the development of advanced computational models and algorithms to uncover fundamental mechanisms underlying immune system dysregulation or the design of translational research projects aimed at testing and validating new therapeutic strategies. A central aspect of this role will involve building upon the extensive datasets already generated by the i3 Laboratory. These datasets include comprehensive immunophenotyping of blood cells, full transcriptome and T-cell receptor repertoires of regulatory T-cells, effector T-cells, and CD8 T-cells, as well as gut microbiome data from a cohort of 900 patients with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases and healthy volunteers. Additionally, meticulous metadata containing accurate clinical descriptions of the patients are available.

Candidate should possess a strong background in Immunology and substantial professional experience with state-of-the-art omics technologies together with experimental skills in cellular and molecular biology or in modeling and computational biology.

Summary of the teaching project: The rise of integrated approaches and technological advancements necessitates interdisciplinary training for the next generation of researchers in biology, modeling, and bioinformatics. Within the i3 Laboratory, a team of members has spearheaded the establishment and coordination of the pioneering Systems Immunology training program at Sorbonne Université. This program is integrated into the third year of the Bachelor's degree (Unit of Teaching LU3SV648: Big data in biology - public health challenges) and the second year of the Master's degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology, specializing in Immunology through the Integrative and Systems Immunology master 2 track. The training program covers various essential aspects, including innovative omics’ technologies, modeling, analysis of complex data, and bioinformatics. Annually, approximately 50 students from scientific, pharmaceutical, and medical backgrounds enroll in these programs. Innovative pedagogical approaches such as project-based learning and autonomous learning strategies are employed. The junior professor's expertise will contribute to the continued improvement and innovation of the training program, through lectures and workshops, ensuring that students receive cutting-edge knowledge and skills in Systems Immunology.  

Funding: ANR package of 200 k€. In addition, the i3 lab offers a well-established environment enabling the processing and analysis of the data belonging to the project. For the first period of 3 years, Master 2 students (1 per year) will be recruited.

Co-Funding : Newly obtained grants (> 1.5M€) will provide additional funding €

Skills and requirements : PhD is required in either bioinformatics, biostatistics, statistics, mathematics or computer science. PhD in immunoly or biological sciences with know-how in bioinformatics are also eligible. Significant experience with R tools and coding languages (Python, C++), as well as high throughput data analysis, management and integration are required.