Postdoc or PhD student position on “microalgae lipid droplet”

Host laboratory:

The team of “Environment, Bioenergy, Microalgae and Plants”, CEA, CNRS, Aix-Marseille University, France

Supervisor: Yonghua Li-Beisson (yonghua.li@cea.fr)

Biogenesis and degradation of lipid droplet in microalgae

Lipid droplets (LDs) are subcellular organelles that are made of a core of neutral lipids and surrounded by a single layer of membrane lipids and a proteinaceous coat harboring a large diversity of proteins. Over 200 proteins have been found to be associated to LDs in algal cells, but only a few have been characterized. Emerging evidence highlights the role of LDs as a central hub for carbon and energy homeostasis in cellular metabolism. LDs are observed to be remobilized very quickly, either through the lipolysis or autophagy pathways. LD biogenesis and turnover play a critical role not only in cell oil content, but also in algal growth and fitness, determining overall biomass quality and productivity. However, the molecular mechanisms of LD turnover remain mostly unknown. We hypothesize that proteins around LDs are organized and interacting among them, therefore ensuring efficient LD turnover in response to environmental changes. This project aims to dissect the protein-protein interaction networks around LDs and identify key targets for genetic manipulation of LD turnover in microalgae.

Requirement: candidates with background in biochemistry, cell biology or molecular biology are all encouraged, and previous experience with microalgae is preferred.

How to apply :

For motivated candidates, please send your CV to Yonghua Li-Beisson (yonghua.li@cea.fr)

The position is open until a suitable candidate is identified.

References:

For additional information related to this project or on our work, please visit:

Team website: https://www.cite-des-energies.fr/biam/recherche/ebmp/