Description
Organisation/Company: CNRS
Research Field: Biological sciences Chemistry Pharmacological
sciences
Researcher Profile: Recognised Researcher (R2)
Application Deadline: 23/08/2022 23:59 - Europe/Brussels
Location: France › GIF SUR YVETTE
Type Of Contract: Temporary
Job Status: Full-time
Hours Per Week: 35
Offer Starting Date: 01/01/2023
The successful candidate will be in charge of the synthesis and
characterization of:
- compounds sensitive to ionizing rays (NMR/LC-MS characterizations)
- multi-anchoring peptide ligands prepared on solid supports (SPPS) (LC-
MS/Maldi characterizations)
- final multimodal macromolecules (LC-MS/Maldi characterizations)
After preparation/characterization and optimization of the final compounds,
the candidate will evaluate them on tumor cell lines (toxicity (MTT
assays), internalization/localization in tumor cells vs. healthy cells (ICP-
MS and optical imaging)). The radio-amplifying effect and the synergistic
effect (radio-amplification and action of the pro-drug) will be evaluated by
quantification of clonogenic survival and compared with those obtained with
conventional treatments combined or not. The diffusion of macromolecules
within tumors and the synergistic effect of combined treatment will also be
studied (3D cell models).
She/he will be responsible for writing laboratory
notebooks/reports/publications.
The candidate will need solid experience in organic chemistry but will also
have to adapt to the project's multidisciplinary nature.
As part of a Labex NanoSaclay/Charm3at project (SmartTher: Radio-activatable
anti-cancer therapy), a 12-month postdoctoral research position in organic
chemistry is available. This project, which ranges from the chemical synthesis
of compounds to preliminary in vitro evaluations, focuses on designing anti-
cancer drugs that can be activated by ionizing radiation and that target
tumors for applications in radiotherapy/chemotherapy.
The candidate will integrate, at the ICSN, a group from the Department of
Chemobiology composed of 3 permanent researchers. The effectiveness of these
molecules in medical physics will be evaluated by a team from ISMO that
studies anti-cancer compounds in cellulo under irradiation.
Context of the research project:
One out of two cancer patients is treated with radiotherapy. This treatment
is, unfortunately, the cause of side effects on the surrounding healthy
tissues and is not very effective on radioresistant cancers. Recent
developments bring new avenues for greater efficiency, such as combining
ionizing radiation with nano-objects based on heavy atoms (Z>50), amplifying
the effects of ionizing radiation, or using pro-drugs of radiation-activatable
cytotoxic agents.
We propose, in this project, to combine these last two strategies hoping to
have a synergistic effect but also to improve the targeting of chemo and
radiotoxic impact on the tumor. In this perspective, we propose to develop and
test multimodal, radio-amplifying macromolecules capable of targeting tumors
and releasing anti-cancer agents at these tumors' levels under ionizing
irradiation. These radio and chemotherapeutic compounds will make it possible
to amplify the damage caused to cancerous cells while limiting the side
effects to other surrounding healthy cells. Breaking with conventional
protocols, they should provide a breakthrough in treating cancers that are
difficult to cure, such as cancers surrounded by susceptible healthy tissue or
cancers resistant to traditional treatments.
At the interface of Chemistry, Physics, and Medicine, this project is
interdisciplinary and requires varied expertise to carry out the
synthesis/characterization of chemical compounds, the study of their toxicity,
and their biological evaluation to study the synergistic effect associating
pro-drug and radio-amplifiers.
The Institute of Chemistry of Natural Substances (ICSN) is a CNRS Research
Unit whose research axes are chemistry and biology. It is part of the
University of Paris-Saclay which, since 2015, has brought together research
and education establishments in southern Paris. The ICSN is located on the
Gif-sur-Yvette campus and has approximately 125 agents, including 76 permanent
staff, spread over three buildings. Within the Department of Chemobiology
(https:// www. icsn.cnrs-gif.fr/spip.php?article1280), the recruited agent will
join a group of 3 researchers and three doctoral students. He/she will be
placed under the hierarchical authority of the team leader. The institute
benefits from a privileged working environment for activities at the
chemistry/biology interface with numerous platforms and equipment
(https: // icsn.cnrs.fr/plateformes).
ISMO (https:// www. ismo.universite-paris-saclay.fr/spip.php?rubrique1) is a
joint research unit of the CNRS and the University of Paris-Saclay, bringing
together 159 people, 82 of whom are permanent. The institute is a center of
excellence in three major scientific fields: molecular physics and its
applications, nanosciences, and physics for biology. The Nanomedicine and
Biophotonics team involved in this project carries out a cutting-edge
interdisciplinary activity at the chemistry-physics-biology interface. It
benefits from a large fleet of equipment (lasers, spectrometers, particle
beams, super-resolution microscopes, beamline in partnership with SOLEIL,
etc.) and collaborations for access to different types of radiation (proton,
carbon …).
Eligibility criteria
The candidate will have a Ph.D. in organic chemistry and research skills
resulting in at least one publication as first/second author.
We are looking for a candidate with solid knowledge of organic synthesis, a
good understanding of peptide synthesis, and willing to work at the
chemistry/biology/medicine interface for biomedical applications.
An interdisciplinary chemistry/biology profile, particularly with peptide/pro-
drug chemistry skills, will be appreciated.
The candidate must have organizational skills and a positive attitude to work
in a team on multidisciplinary projects while respecting rules and procedures.
She/he should be fluent in French and English.
Additional comments
Two reference letters and contact details should be provided. The start date
is ideally early January 2023.
Web site for additional job details
https: // emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/CDD/UPR2301-STEDEV-003/Default.aspx
Required Research Experiences
RESEARCH FIELD
Chemistry
YEARS OF RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
1 - 4
RESEARCH FIELD
Biological sciences
YEARS OF RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
1 - 4
RESEARCH FIELD
Pharmacological sciences
YEARS OF RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
1 - 4
Offer Requirements
REQUIRED EDUCATION LEVEL
Chemistry: PhD or equivalent
Biological sciences: PhD or equivalent
Pharmacological sciences: PhD or equivalent
REQUIRED LANGUAGES
FRENCH: Basic
Contact Information
Organisation/Company: CNRS
Department: Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles
Organisation Type: Public Research Institution
Website: https:// www. icsn.cnrs-gif.fr/
Country: France
City: GIF SUR YVETTE
