A postdoctoral position is available at the Laboratory of Structural Biology and Chemistry (www.icsn.cnrs-gif.fr/guittet) of the Institute of Chemistry of Natural Compounds (ICSN) in Gif-sur-Yvette, France, 20km southwest of Paris. The project aims at understanding the mechanisms of action of the 275aa, intrinsically disordered, C-terminal cytosolic tail of the tyrosine kinase receptor ErbB2, whose implication in signaling pathways is established but still poorly understood. Over expression of ErbB2 in breast cancer cells results in constitutive ligand-independent activation of tyrosine kinase signaling which contributes to uncontrolled proliferation, resistance to apoptosis and increased motility. Liquid-state NMR is our main research tool, complemented with various biophysical techniques available either in-house or in the direct vicinity of the laboratory (especially SAXS and X-Ray diffraction at the nearby synchrotron SOLEIL). Cellular biologists are also involved in this project, who will perform cellular analyses including cell proliferation and cell migration, thus allowing integrating the structural data in a cellular context. The candidate should have a strong interest in structural biology, with good skills in protein biochemistry and molecular biology. A background in liquid-state NMR spectroscopy is not necessary but the candidate should have a strong motivation to use NMR. Interested candidates should have a PhD in biochemistry, biophysics, chemistry or structural biology. The successful applicant will be exposed to a wide variety of techniques in the area of structural biology and possibly cellular biology. Good communication skills in English are required.
Our group is located at the Institute of Chemistry of Natural Compounds (ICSN) in Gif-sur-Yvette (45mn by train from the center of Paris) in a research campus mainly devoted to chemistry and biology (http://www.dr4.cnrs.fr/delegation/laboratoires/liste_gif.htm). The campus is part of the “Campus Paris Saclay” (http://www.campus-paris-saclay.fr/en/The-FCS), that gathers more than 10000 researchers from all research area, among which a strong research community in Structural Biology centered in the CNRS (french National Scientific Research Center) campus in Gif-sur-Yvette, Paris 11 university in Orsay, the CEA centre of Saclay in Gif and the French national synchrotron facility SOLEIL in Gif. Our laboratory is particularly well equipped with 4 NMR high field spectrometers ranging from 600 to 950MHz equipped with state-of-the-art cryoprobes for solution state protein NMR, all the equipment for protein production, purification and characterization and complementary biophysical techniques. Gif-sur-Yvette is an agreeable town, easily accessible from Paris, at the border of the «vallée de Chevreuse» regional nature reserve. The project is funded by the French National Research Agency, the position is offered for a duration of 2 years, possibly with extension, based on additional funding. Motivated candidates should send their application by e-mail to carine.van-heijeno...@cnrs.fr. Applications must include a CV, a covering letter, and the names and contact details of at least two references. Carine van Heijenoort, phD ICSN-CNRS Laboratoire de Chimie et Biologie Structurale 1 avenue de la terrasse 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette
