Tracking the cellular origins regeneration
Postdoc in regenerative biology
Deadline for applications: 23 October 2025
Expected starting date: Early 2026
Expected starting date: Early 2026
A 3+ year post-doctoral position is available at the Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon (IGFL), to investigate the cellular basis of regeneration in the crustacean Parhyale hawaiensis. The project will focus on identifying progenitor cells that underpin the regeneration of sensory organs.
Research topic
Regenerating animals must re-make complex structures, consisting of many different cell types, from progenitor cells that are already present in adult tissues. What is the nature of these progenitors and what is the key to their plasticity? Do they include resident populations of stem cells or do they arise from de-differentiating cells at the site of injury? Are individual progenitor cells destined to give rise to specific cell types, or are they multi-potent?
Our team has established the crustacean Parhyale hawaiensis as an experimental model for addressing these questions. Adult Parhyale can regenerate their legs with high fidelity over a period of ~1 week. Using transgenic lines expressing fluorescent proteins, we are able to image the entire course of leg regeneration at cellular resolution and track the genealogies of single cells from the moment of amputation, through successive cell divisions, to fully regenerated legs. The objective of this project is to identify and track the progenitors of every cell type in the leg, starting from the cells that make up the leg's sensory organs.
The selected researcher will:
- Be trained in the live imaging and transgenic approaches available in Parhyale
- Generate fluorescent markers for the various cell types that constitute the leg's sensory organs (including neurons, setae, support cells and glia)
- Use long-term live imaging and cell tracking to identify the progenitors of these cells during regeneration
- Develop and apply a recombinase-based cell barcoding strategy to trace cell lineages during leg growth and regeneration.
The researcher will work in close collaboration with our international partners Jan Huisken and Mette Handberg-Thorsager (light-sheet microscopy), Marco Grillo (barcode-based cell tracking), Jean-Yves Tinevez and Ko Sugawara (AI-based cell tracking) and Théo Vart (video-game-based tracking and outreach). The project will be supervised by Michalis Averof.
Work environment
The postdoctoral researcher will join the Development, Regeneration and Evolution team at the Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon (IGFL), located at the ENS de Lyon campus in the south of Lyon, France. The IGFL is an internationally renowned research centre. The researcher will participate in the team's lab meetings, seminars, retreats and outreach activities. The team is international and the working language is English.
The project is funded for 3+ years by a grant from the Agence Nationale de la Recherche. The initial contract will be for 1 year, renewable for up to 3-4 years.
The project is funded for 3+ years by a grant from the Agence Nationale de la Recherche. The initial contract will be for 1 year, renewable for up to 3-4 years.
Qualifications
- PhD in developmental biology, or related fields such as regenerative biology, cell biology, molecular genetics
- Experience in microscopy (preferably live imaging), lineage tracing, and/or the development and use of transgenic tools
- Collaborative spirit and ability to communicate fluently in English
Candidates should submit a motivation letter and a CV in English.