Hosted by:
Carlos Marques
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
ENS de Lyon, Chemistry Laboratory
perso.ens-lyon.fr/carlos.marques
Project Specification
Project Summary
We will study the influence of lipid oxidation on the ability of the membranes to interact with and to be impacted by proteins from the surrounding bilayer environment. Membranes with engineered and well-defined oxidation states will first be assembled to screen the membrane affinity to protein condensed phases, thus providing a map to guide the design of light-actuated interactions. Photo-induced oxidation will then be used to trigger attractive or repulsive interactions between protein condensates to the membrane. Light actuation will be used in combination with other techniques to study modification of membrane properties by interactions with condensates, and in particular to the formation or closure of pores under an electric field (new technology developed by Ionera, a partner of this consortium, will be used here). Furthermore, the action of oxidative or oxidation repairing proteins will be studied. Initiation of reactions at the membrane level will be triggered by modifying the membrane/condensates interactions by light, and theoretical tools will be developed to understand and predict the interplay between oxidative reactions at the membrane surface and in the bulk.
The project will include secondments at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands (Poolman Group), the University of Siena in Italy (Rossi Group), and the company Ionera to integrate their technology into the project.
Selected References
- Lafarge, E.J., Muller, P., Schroder, A.P., Zaitseva, E., Behrends, J.C. and Marques, C.M., 2023. Activation energy for pore opening in lipid membranes under an electric field. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(11), p.e2213112120. https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2213112120
- Morandi, M.I., Kluzek, M., Wolff, J., Schroder, A., Thalmann, F. and Marques, C.M., 2021. Accumulation of styrene oligomers alters lipid membrane phase order and miscibility. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(4), p.e2016037118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2016037118
- Itri, I., Marques, C.M. and Baptista, M., Shining light on membranes, The Giant Vesicle Book, (2019), CRC Press, Boca Raton.
Standard duties and responsibilities of the DC
For the 36 months of employment contract the doctoral candidate (DC) will be required to work exclusively on the MSCA programme. In all cases, all duties and responsibilities will be clearly outlined in the DC personal Career Development Plan, as determined in the early stages of the project between the DC and their supervisory committee.
Candidate Specification
Qualifications
Essential | Desirable |
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Applicants should hold or expect to attain before the interview a Master Degree in Biophysics, Physics, Chemistry, Bioengineering or related area. |
Knowledge and Experience
Essential | Desirable |
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Research project carried out in at least one of the above disciplines. | Microscopy experience (optical, confocal) |
A demonstrated knowledge of at least one of the following: membrane biophysics, biomolecular condensates, lipid chemistry, colloidal physical chemistry |
Skills and Competencies
Essential | Desirable |
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Applicants whose first language is not English must submit evidence of competency in English. | |
Evidence of interest, aptitude and research experience in the above disciplines. |
Application
Applicationd should be submitted by email to carlos.marques [at] ens-lyon.fr
Further information
For any informal queries, please contact Carlos Marques by sending an email to carlos.marques [at] ens-lyon.fr