post-doctoral researcher

Organisation/Company CNRS Department Institut de Biologie Intégrative de la Cellule Research Field Chemistry Physics > Biophysics Biological sciences > Biological engineering Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Application Deadline 22 Sep 2026 - 23:59 (UTC) Country France Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 1 Nov 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The postdoctoral researcher will participate in the collaborative ANR-funded “FLIPPER” project, one of the objectives of which is to reconstitute in vitro the machinery responsible for the active transport of phospholipids. In cells, this transport is essential for maintaining the asymmetric distribution of phospholipids between the two leaflets of biological membranes. The main proteins involved in active lipid transport are lipid flippases, including the Drs2-Cdc50 complex.
It has been shown that the small GTPase Arl1 interacts with the N-terminal region of Drs2, while the Gea2 protein interacts with the C-terminal region of Drs2, and that both proteins stimulate lipid transport in vivo. The successful candidate will investigate in vitro, following reconstitution of the Drs2-Cdc50 complex into a model lipid system, the ability of Arl1 and Gea2 to activate lipid transport by Drs2-Cdc50. The candidate will also contribute to the production of a complex containing Gea2, Arl1, and Drs2-Cdc50 for subsequent structural characterization by cryo-electron microscopy.
The FLIPPER project brings together teams from the Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (IGF), Montpellier, Aarhus University (Denmark), and the Institut de Biologie Intégrative de la Cellule (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette.

Main activities

• Overexpression in S. cerevisiae and purification of the Drs2-Cdc50 complex and Gea2 protein using affinity chromatography and size-exclusion chromatography.
• Overexpression in E. coli and purification of the Arl1 protein using affinity chromatography and size-exclusion chromatography.
• Functional assays of purified proteins: measurement of ATP hydrolysis by Drs2-Cdc50 using a spectrophotometric assay, and measurement of nucleotide exchange activity by Gea2 using an assay based on the intrinsic fluorescence of Gea2.
• Reconstitution of the Drs2-Cdc50 complex into proteoliposomes.
• Measurement of Drs2-Cdc50-mediated lipid transport using fluorescently labeled lipids.
• Determination of the effects of Gea2 and Arl1 on phospholipid transport catalyzed by Drs2-Cdc50.
• Reconstitution of the Drs2-Cdc50-Gea2-Arl1 complex into nanodiscs for subsequent structural characterization by cryo-electron microscopy.
• Regular progress meetings with members of the research team and department, as well as with members of the FLIPPER consortium.

The successful candidate will join the Membrane Proteins and Systems (LPSM) team at I2BC. The LPSM investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying the transport of molecules and ions across biological membranes, using biochemical, biophysical, and molecular dynamics approaches. More specifically, the team studies the protein machinery responsible for maintaining the asymmetric distribution of lipids in biological membranes.
The LPSM is part of the Institut de Biologie Intégrative de la Cellule (I2BC), an interdisciplinary research institute comprising five scientific departments, approximately 60 research teams, and 15 high-level technological platforms. I2BC is located in Gif-sur-Yvette, approximately 25 km southwest of Paris, at the heart of Université Paris-Saclay.
The position is funded through a grant awarded by the French National Research Agency (ANR).

Research Field Biological sciences > Biological engineering Years of Research Experience 1 - 4

Additional Information

Eligibility criteria

The successful candidate will hold a PhD in biochemistry or biophysics.

Essential technical skills

• Biochemistry and molecular biology, including cloning and site-directed mutagenesis.

Desirable technical skills

• Expression and purification of membrane proteins.
• Use of detergents for membrane protein solubilization.
• Reconstitution of membrane proteins into proteoliposomes.

The successful candidate should have excellent collaborative skills, be motivated and ambitious, and demonstrate the ability to take init