PhD positions at the Institute of Microbiology, Bioenergies and Biotechnology (IM2B) of Aix-Marseille Université

The two PhD projects described below are eligible for co-funding under this call for applications. They are interdisciplinary projects based on inter-laboratory collaborations.

PhD projects (for more details, click on the title)

• Study of PilY1, ubiquitously found at the tip of bacteria pili: biology, regulated assembly and adhesion properties

Co-supervisors :

Emilia Mauriello, Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne (LCB) & Renaud VincentellI, laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques (AFMB)

• Nanodisc: a key advantage in studying bioenergetics membrane proteins

Co-supervisors :

James STURGIS, Laboratoire d'Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires (LISM) & Eric PILET, Laboratoire de Bioénergétique et Ingénierie des Protéines (BIP)

Institute of Microbiology, Bioenergies and Biotechnology (IM2B)

Created in 2019 by Aix-Marseille Université, IM2B gathers more than 400 permanent staff, 380 Masters students and 120 PhD students, to strengthen interdisciplinary Research and Teaching in the field of Microbiology and its applications in Bioenergies, Environment and Health. Relying on a network of 11 internationally renowned research laboratories and 28 core facilities with state-of-the-art equipement, IM2B brings together recognized expertise in viruses, bacteria, archaea, fungi, protists and photosynthetic organisms. It covers a large range of approaches, including bioinformatics, mathematical modelling, structural and cellular biology, molecular genetics, biophysics, biochemistry, biodiversity, chemistry. The research effort of IM2B is focused on the integration of all the scales of study, from the atom to the ecosystem, and its biotechnological applications on the different systems studied. The targeted applications are in particular in the field of energy such as CO₂ storage, production of biofuel, biogas or bioethanol, new bio-inspired materials, biosensing or biosourced molecules, but also in the field of the environment (biodepollution...) or health (infectious diseases).

The awarded doctoral student(s) will be granted € 4 000 to attend international conferences or to follow training related to its (their) research or professional project. In addition, through the Plinius doctoral programme, he/she / they will benefit from personalised support to train in a wide range of cutting-edge technologies and prepare their professional project in an international and multidisciplinary environment.

The candidate must hold a Master 2 degree by summer 2025. The expected profile of the candidates is specific to each PhD project and is available by clicking on the title of each project (description du sujet).