Postdoctoral Position in Pediatric Cancer

Structure d'accueil

Institut Curie is a major player in the research and fight against cancer. It consists of a Hospital group and a Research Center of more than 1000 employees with a strong international representativeness.

The objective of the Research Center is to develop basic research and to use the knowledge produced to improve the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutics of cancers as part of the continuum between basic research and innovation serving the patient.

Missions

Activités principales

Laboratory

The “Signaling and Cancer Progression” team, led by Celio Pouponnot, investigates signaling pathways and their impact on transcription factors in cancer, using biochemical and functional experimental approaches both in vitro and in vivo.

Our research focuses on pediatric brain tumors, particularly medulloblastoma (Garancher et al., Cancer Cell, 2018; Morabito et al., EMBO Molecular Medicine, 2019; Mirabal-Ortega et al., Nature Communications, accepted). Our team has developed and uses genetically engineered mouse models and patient-derived xenografts to study pediatric brain cancers, particularly medulloblastoma (MB).

Our current research aims to elucidate the mechanisms underlying treatment resistance, particularly resistance to radiotherapy, and to identify actionable molecular vulnerabilities in pediatric brain cancers.

https://curie.fr/equipe/pouponnot

The project

Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant brain tumor in children. Among the four molecularly defined groups, Group 3 (G3) is associated with a poor prognosis. Despite recent advances, our understanding of G3 remains limited, notably due to the lack of models that allow the study of tumor initiation and interactions with the immune system.

The project aims to generate and characterize immunocompetent mouse models of G3 MB, including genetically engineered mouse models and models based on the in vitro transformation of cerebellar progenitors, followed by orthotopic transplantation into the cerebellum. These models will enable the study of the different steps of tumor transformation and alterations in developmental programs. Multimodal analyses, including lineage tracing, bulk and single-cell transcriptomic analyses (scRNA-seq), will be performed to validate and characterize these models.

These models will enable us to investigate how oncogenes initiate tumorigenesis, disrupt normal development, and shape the immune microenvironment, as well as to test new therapeutic strategies.

Constraints

work outside regular working hours/days (in vivo experiments)

Profil du candidat

Savoirs et compétences attendus

Training And Skills Required

• Training: PhD with strong experience in mouse model (GEMM (Genetically Engineered Mouse Models: CRE-ERT2 lines…) and primary cell culture.
• Scientific skills: Mouse colony management, mouse genetic, in vivo mouse experiment, primary cell culture, molecular biology (subcloning, RNA/DNA preparation, WB…)
• Professionnal experience: PhD
• Language skills: ability to write and communicate in English

Desirable Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• cell culture with primary neural progenitors (dissection, purification and culture of primary neural progenitors)
• Tumor immunity (immune infiltrate characterization by FACS)
• Competence in basic NGS data analyses and statistical methods is a strong merit but not required.

Abiliites

• Scientific rigor
• Excellent analytical and synthetic capabilities
• Well organised, ability to work independently
• a high team spirit
• Dynamic personality with passion for innovation and problem-solving
• A will to work in a multidisciplinary environment
• Ability to communicate

All Our Opportunities Are Open To People With Disabilities

Contract information

Type of contract

Fixed-term contract.

Starting date

from 1/12/2026 to 1/02/2027

Duration

3 years

Working time

full time

Remuneration

from 36219.16€ to 39808.96€/year according to the current grids of the Institut C