Postdoctoral position – Heart Development and Rare Diseases

The Rochais lab at the Marseille Medical Genetics (MMG) is seeking a talented and highly motivated postdoc whose interests are focusing on mouse heart development and rare congenital heart diseases. Our lab has a longstanding experience in addressing heart development and cardiac regeneration aiming to enhance these knowledges by using transgenic mouse models together with molecular, developmental, transcriptomic and imaging approaches.

In humans, mutations in the PRKAR1A gene encoding the RIα subunit of the protein kinase A have been found in patients with Carney Complex (CNC) syndrome. CNC is characterized by multiple endocrine and non-endocrine tumors including cardiac myxoma described to be associated with altered cardiac morphogenesis including Tetralogy of Fallot. This project aims to explore the developmental origins of cardiac defects related to Carney Complex syndrome. In particular, using iPSC derived CNC patients and unique mouse genetic models coupled with experimental approaches such as molecular biology, imaging, cultures of embryos/explants and high throughput single cell RNA-Seq technology, the role of Prkar1a in controlling cardiac progenitor cell deployment during early heart development will be determined. Altogether this project will for the first time identify the precise requirement of PKA type I during cardiac development and in Carney complex-derived myxoma establishment.

Previous experience in histology, molecular biology and biochemistry methods will be favorable. The postdoctoral fellow will be funded by a 2 years ANR grant.

Application should be sent to francesca.rochais@univ-amu.fr with a detailed cover letter outlining previous research experience, a CV and the names and email addresses of two references.