A 2 year postdoctoral position is open in the Functional Genomics of Metabolic Diseases Unit of the I2MC in Toulouse, France. The position is aimed at a computational biologist, with an emphasis on bioinformatics, capable of taking charge of a project incorporating results from multiple, different high-throughput technologies to infer biologically relevant hypotheses regarding the host/microbiome interactions that play a role in diabetes and obesity. Host transcriptome profiles of the target tissue, deep sequencing of the host tissue bacterial content and clinical parameters related to the disease condition are to be analyzed by the applicant from raw data to publication.
While biological researchers in the unit have prepared all samples and collected all clinical/metabolic parameters, the applicant will be responsible for the computational processing of raw data files and the application of a myriad of bioinformatics tools on this data in order to discover biologically relevant hypotheses. In addition, there is an ongoing collaboration with biostatisticians and mathematicians to establish methods to assess the potential relevance of such hypotheses.
The INSERM is a French public research institute focused on human health (http://english.inserm.fr). The Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases Institute (French acronym: I2MC), is a center of 13+ research teams, located in Toulouse (http://www.i2mc.inserm.fr).
The project involves a collaboration between the biological host laboratory of Professor Remy Burcelin and the bioinformatician of the I2MC. The successful candidate will therefore need to work with this bioinformatician in order to advance the project. Preference will be given to the applicant with experience at the linux command line and R/Bioconductor. The ideal candidate prefers simple linux terminals and editors (such as vi/emacs) and has already developed clear and concise coding habits. Experience with mothur, usearch, vsearch and Qiime are desirable in the order listed. To manage this project, one must have a desire to learn bacterial taxonomy and understand how bacterial profiles can be exploited to gain knowledge of functional changes related to health. The I2MC is a bilingual environment so fluency in French and/or English is required.
The position is available starting in May 2016 and has a salary competitive with academic post-doc salaries in the region, but depends on the qualifications of the candidate. To apply, please send cover letter, list of publications and CV to remy.burcelin@inserm.fr.
