Tag: ARKOWITZ

1 Post-Doctoral position for 2 years - starting Fall 2021
1 Post-Doctoral position for 2 years - starting Fall 2021
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Post-doctoral position in Fungal Cell Biology

A 2-year funded postdoctoral position is available fall 2021 at the Institute of Biology Valrose (http://ibv.unice.fr/) of the University of Côte d’Azur, Nice France to investigate the dynamics of polarity establishment in the human fungal pathogen, Candida albicans. C. albicans is a harmless commensal that in response to alterations of its environment can cause superficial as well as life-threatening systemic infections (3). The ability of this organism to switch from an ovoid to a filamentous form is critical for its pathogenicity. This dramatic cell shape change is a distinct advantage for studying cell polarity (1-5). We have recently optimized and established an optogenetic approach in C. albicans filamentous cells that gives us exquisite control of cell polarity in this fungal pathogen (5). In this ANR funded project our goal is to elucidate the interaction between two potential growth sites within the cell, as well as how different membrane compartments contribute to the initiation and stabilization of a new growth. The project will take advantage of cutting-edge imaging approaches, optogenetics and molecular genetics to investigate temporal and spatial control of fungal cell polarity.

We are seeking highly motivated candidates with a background in Cell Biology and previous experience in live-cell imaging. Previous experience in Microbiology is a plus.

Interested candidates can contact R. Arkowitz (arkowitz@unice.fr)

1) C Puerner, A Serrano, RS Wakade, M Bassilana & RA Arkowitz. mBio. 2021 12: e02528-21.
2) C Puerner, N Kukhaleishvili, D Thomson, S Schaub, X Noblin, A Seminara, M Bassilana & RA Arkowitz. BMC Biology.
2020. 18: 122.
3) M Bassilana, C Puerner & RA Arkowitz. Curr. Opin. Cell Biol. 2019 62:150-158.
4) A Weiner, F Orange, S Lacas-Gervais, K Rechav, V Ghugtyal, M Bassilana & RA Arkowitz. Cell Microbiol. 2019 21: e12963
5) PM Silva, C Puerner, A Seminara, M Bassilana & RA Arkowitz. Cell Rep. 2019 28:2231–2245.

PhD position in Fungal Cell Biology
PhD position in Fungal Cell Biology
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A funded PhD position is available at the Institute of Biology Valrose, University of Côte d’Azur, Nice France to investigate the molecular mechanisms of antifungal tolerance – pathways linking cytoplasmic crowding to drug accumulation and stress responses in a human fungal pathogen. Initial studies indicate the majority of fatal fungal infections are caused by drug-tolerant strains. Candida albicans is a harmless commensal that in response to alterations of its environment can cause superficial, as well as life-threatening systemic infections. In this ERC funded collaborative project, our goal is to determine the link between antifungal drug tolerance and cytoplasmic crowding at the single cell level. The project will take advantage of cutting-edge imaging approaches, molecular genetics and image analyses to investigate relationship between physical characteristics of the cytoplasm and antifungal tolerance in C. albicans cells and communities.

We are seeking highly motivated candidates with a background in Cell Biology and previous experience in live cell imaging and/or image analyses. Previous experience in Microbiology is a plus.

Interested candidates contact R. Arkowitz (arkowitz@unice.fr)

  • C Puerner, N Kukhaleishvili, D Thomson, S Schaub, X Noblin, S Seminara, M Bassilana & RA Arkowitz. BMC Biol. 18: 122.
  • M Bassilana, C Puerner & RA Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2020 62:150-158.
  • A Weiner, F Orange, S Lacas-Gervais, K Rechav, V Ghugtyal, M Bassilana & RA Cell Microbiol. 2019 21: e12963.
  • PM Silva, C Puerner, A Seminara, M Bassilana & RA Cell Rep. 2019 28:2231–2245.
  • H Labbaoui, S Bogliolo, V Ghugtyal, NV Solis, SG Filler, RA Arkowitz & M Plos Pathog. 2017 13: e1006205.
1 Doctoral position - Deadline June 1st, 2020 (Optogenetics)
1 Doctoral position - Deadline June 1st, 2020 (Optogenetics)
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 Doctoral position at University Côte d’Azur: Fungal Cell Biology

Light-dependent regulation of cell polarity in a fungal pathogen

The fungus Candida albicans is normally a harmless commensal that is found on mucosal surfaces of the gastrointestinal and urogenital tract in most healthy individuals. This commensal organism can cause superficial as well as life-threatening systemic infections in response to alterations of its environment, and is particularly aggressive in immuno-compromised individuals. As an opportunistic pathogen it can colonize and infect different body sites and is responsible for one of the most predominant fungal nosocomial infections. The ability of this fungus to switch from an ovoid form to a filamentous form is critical for its pathogenicity, in particularly its ability to invade and penetrate into host tissues and evade and burst out of host immune cells.

The recent advent of light-dependent approaches to control protein subcellular localization has made possible the specific alteration of growth, circumventing classical genetic and chemical perturbations. We have optimized such a light-dependent protein targeting system for C. albicans, which gives us exquisite control of growth in this organism. In addition, new variants of these systems have been established which facilitate their use and response time. Furthermore, a number of new, spectrally distinct fluorescent proteins, which we have optimized for use in C. albicans, now make it possible to follow different cellular processes simultaneously during light-dependent perturbation of growth and cell polarity. The goal of this project is to use such a light-dependent protein targeting to probe filamentous growth as well as invasive filamentous growth in a human fungal pathogen. The project will use a combination of molecular biology, microbiology and live cell microscopy to probe filamentous growth and morphogenesis in this fungal human pathogen.

We are seeking highly motivated candidates with a background in Cell Biology and interest in live cell imaging. Experience in Microbiology would be a plus.

Interested candidates can contact R. Arkowitz (arkowitz@unice.fr) by June 1st

 

1) M Bassilana, C Puerner & RA Arkowitz. Curr. Opin. Cell Biol. 2020 62:150-158.
2) PM Silva, C Puerner, A Seminara, M Bassilana & RA Arkowitz. Cell Rep. 2019 28:2231–2245.
3) RA Arkowitz & M Bassilana. F1000 Res. 2019 8.
4) A Weiner, F Orange, S Lacas-Gervais, K Rechav, V Ghugtyal, M Bassilana & RA Arkowitz. Cell Microbiol. 2019 21: e12963
5) H Labbaoui, S Bogliolo, V Ghugtyal, NV Solis, SG Filler, RA Arkowitz & M Bassilana. Plos Pathog. 2017 13: e1006205