We are looking to recruit a highly motivated post-doctoral scientist to come work with us at the Institut Pasteur to study the role of specific post translational modifications on antigen gene switching in African trypanosomes https://research.pasteur.fr/en/team/trypanosomes-molecular-biology/.
Antigenic variation (AV) is a fundamental process used by pathogens to evade the host immune response. In T. brucei AV is the stochastic switching of the variant surface glycoprotein (VSG). It has been shown that inherent fragility within a VSG expression site (ES, locus of VSG gene expression) leads to the formation of double strand breaks (DSB) which triggers VSG recombination events and switching (Boothroyd, C, Nature, 2009; Glover, L, Plos Pathog, 2013). A repertoire of approximately 2000 VSG genes form a vast subtelomeric archive which enables the trypanosome to continuously switch VSGs and prolong an infection. This archive is accessed in a semi-predictable order during an infection. There are several outstanding questions to understanding AV in trypanosomes. We are interested in what factors influence VSG recombination and VSG switching. The aim of this study is to dissect the effect of acetylation on the DSB repair (DSBR) and VSG recombination.
We are looking for a motivated post-doctoral researcher with a strong background in molecular biology to join our team. This project will involve molecular biology based techniques, RNA and DNA-seq, proteomics and bioinformatic analysis of T. brucei. A background in parasitology is not essential for this position, but some experience in bioinformatics will be beneficial. The successful applicant will be expected to work independently, analyse and present their data within the lab and at international conferences. This project is funded by the Parafrap LabEx.
Please send your CV, three references and a motivation letter to lucy.glover@pasteur.fr by the 31st of March 2022.