Postdoctoral Researcher in Mycobacteriology (M/F)

Organisation/Company CNRS Department Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier Research Field Biological sciences Medical sciences Pharmacological sciences Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Application Deadline 13 Nov 2026 - 23:59 (UTC) Country France Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 1 Feb 2027 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 primary objective of this project will be to identify novel receptors involved in phage recognition, as well as potential genes participating in the late stages of the infection process, in order to gain a deeper understanding of phage-mycobacteria interactions. Elucidating these mechanisms will improve our knowledge of the determinants governing phage-host specificity and could, in the longer term, contribute to the optimization of novel phage cocktails and the development of new phage therapy strategies.

The project will involve the characterization of several environmental mycobacteriophages and the determination of their host range using a collection of clinical Mycobacterium abscessus isolates. The lytic activity and host specificity of these phages will be evaluated in vitro, both in the presence and absence of antibiotics, to investigate potential synergistic interactions between phage therapy and antibiotic treatment.

In a second phase, bacterial mutants resistant to selected phages will be generated from susceptible strains. Genomic analysis of these mutants will enable the identification of genes involved in phage resistance, as well as bacterial genes required for the early and/or late stages of phage infection. This work will provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying phage-host interactions and will contribute to a better understanding of the determinants governing phage susceptibility in M. abscessus.

Virtually all the equipment and technological platforms required for the completion of this project are already available within the laboratory or on-site. Most experiments will be conducted in a Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) containment laboratory.

Proficiency in molecular biology techniques, including PCR, cloning, transformation, and the construction of deletion mutants.
Strong expertise in phage biology and mycobacterial biology is required.
Extensive experience in bacterial genomics and sequence analysis is essential.
Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to work both independently and collaboratively.

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