Association 2D2B

Nutritional epigenomics of placenta:

impact of unbalanced diets on transcriptionnal regulation and epigenetic patterns

in rodents and humans

A two years postdoctoral position is available at Inserm U781: « Genetics and epigenetics of metabolic diseases, neurosensorial diseases and development ». Claudine Junien, Professor of Genetics, Co-Director of Inserm UR 781. Hôpital Necker - Enfants Malades, Paris, France.

Scientific project

Unbalanced diet and metabolic disturbances associated with a significant and increasing proportion of women who are overweight and overfed when pregnant increase the risk of epigenetic and metabolic malprogramming for the fetus - giving rise to the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adulthood. As for fetus growth and development, complex epigenetically controlled mechanisms are required for placental development. Nutrition can affect these epigenetic mechanisms, causing long-term changes in gene expression and malprogramming. Thus, improving the nutritional environment to which an individual is exposed during development represents a major health challenge for future generations.

The aim of this project, which is already in progress, is : 1) - to identify differentially expressed placental murine genes according to the physiopathological and nutritional status of the mother; 2) – to identify diet-specific and sex-specific epigenomic signatures in relevant gene promoters and/or repetitive sequences that would allow us to identify candidate targets for dietary interventions : transcription factors and/or chromatin remodeling factors.  3) - to transfer to human placentae – from 6 cohorts covering the spectrum of physiopathological and nutritional conditions associated with malprogramming - data thus acquired with experimental rodent models, by functional genomics and epigenomics approaches. Appropriate human placentae markers would allow us to trace back the in utero journey, but also would serve as new biological predictors of responses to nutritional interventions.

Expected profile

The postdoctoral fellow should have a good expertise in epigenetics signatures analyses i.e. DNA methylation and histone modifications (chromatin immunoprecipitation).

Experience and contacts in one or more of the following fields will be an advantage : epigenetics developmental programming, obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, nutrition, placenta, and animal models.

The eligible candidate will be funded for one year renewable by a grant. The salary will be between 1830 € and 2500 €, depending upon the candidate.

This research program is presently funded by grants from ANR (Agence Nationale pour la Recherche) and FCA (Fondation Coeur et Artère) to a 5 teams network on rodent and human placentas coordinated by our lab.

The position is available immediately.

Contact

Applicants should send a covering letter outlining their suitability for this position, along with their CV, either by email to junien@necker.fr /claudine.junien@inserm.fr or by post to Pr Claudine Junien, Inserm UR 781 Hôpital Necker - Enfants Malades, Clinique M. Lamy 149 rue de Sèvres 75015 Paris France.