The Department of Biology at Virginia Commonwealth University invites applications for three tenure-track faculty positions at the level of Assistant Professor to begin August 2019.
We seek candidates that use a variety of experimental approaches, model systems, and/or “-omic” technologies to investigate the molecular and cellular mechanisms of human disease. Candidates whose research focuses on the molecular basis of addiction are encouraged to apply.
Candidates are expected to develop a strong and creative research program and participate in undergraduate and graduate education. Successful applicants will have excellent opportunities to establish strong collaborations with researchers in the Department of Biology, the College of Humanities and Sciences, the VCU Medical Campus, School of Life Sciences, and Biomedical and Chemical Life Science Engineering. Applicants should have a PhD degree, and appropriate post-doctoral research experience to establish an independent research program and obtain extramural funding, a strong record of scientific achievement.
Virginia Commonwealth University, an urban R1 university in the heart of Richmond, Virginia, has an enrollment of approximately 32,000 undergraduate, graduate, and first professional students, including 43% minority, 29% underrepresented minority, and 1,452 international students from 101 countries. The university is recognized as one of the best employers for diversity and is committed to the recruitment and success of culturally and academically diverse faculty that reflect our unique campus demographics. The Department of Biology (https://biology.vcu.edu)has 44 full-time faculty members with diverse research interests in Cell and Developmental Biology, Evolution, and Ecological Processes and Applications, that teach and mentor over 2,000 undergraduate and over 45 graduate students. The Department has outstanding facilities and support, including a confocal microscopy suite, next-gen sequencers, and animal vivaria. In addition to an M.S. program, the Department is served by a doctoral graduate program in Integrative Life Sciences that provides five years of student support.
Please apply online at www.vcujobs.comand be prepared to submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a statement of teaching (1 page) and a statement of research accomplishments and plans (4-5 pages). You will be asked to list names and email addresses of three references. An email will be sent to your references, asking them to upload a letter of recommendation. The positions are open until filled. Priority consideration will be given to those applicants who apply by December 3rd, 2018.
Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action university providing access to education and employment without regard to age, race, color, national or ethnic origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation, veteran’s status, political affiliation or disability. Women, minorities and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
In the Larsen lab, we are interested in testing a 50-year old question: How do sex combs rotate in fruit flies? Despite extensive studies of the process using 4D confocal microscopy, there remain many questions about the spatial and temporal dynamics of sex comb rotation we cannot address with currently available tools. We therefore turned to computer simulations and mathematical modelling to explore these issues.
It was love at first sight. JNM: I came to the University of Toronto with a strong interest in understanding how physical forces influence the evolution of morphogenesis. My PhD supervisor, Ellen Larsen, showed me a perfect model to explore this biological question: sex comb rotation. Although I was a bit skeptical because I did not know what a sex comb was and did not have any experience working with fruit flies, she convinced me in less than one minute. To do so, she showed a time-lapse movie of the rotating comb made by the other student in the lab, Joel Atallah (Mov. 1A). I was so intrigued by the beauty of this morphogenetic process, it was love at first sight.
Movie 1. Sex comb rotation. A) Time-lapse movie B) simulation. Early (red polygons) and late cell expansion (blue polygons). Rotating comb (green polygons), epithelial cells above the comb (yellow polygons).
Our hands were tied. This movie shows the development of the fore leg epithelium and embedded within it, a rotating row of bristle cells, the sex comb (Mov. 1). Thanks to the genetic tools available for fruit flies, we imaged combs of different lengths and angles of rotation. After a few years of hard work, we proposed that the driving force for the rotation came from a push from the epithelial cell growth underneath the sex comb1. However, to study cell growth in local areas and at different times was impossible with available biological techniques. Although our hands were tied using experimental biological tools, computer simulations set us free to explore the development and evolution of this morphogenetic process. To give you more insight into the comb rotation problem, here is some background information.
What are the sex combs of fruit flies?
Sex combs are male-specific group(s) of bristles located on the front legs of many Drosophila species (Fig. 1).
Figure 1. Sex combs of Drosophila melanogaster. Adult sex combs are enclosed in red boxes. B was modified from reference 4.
This row of bristles is used during courtship behavior, increasing the quantity of successful matings. As with any sexual trait, sex combs display an incredible morphological diversity among Drosophila species (Fig. 2).
Figure 2. Morphological variation observed among Drosophila combs.
Why study sex comb rotation? Despite the rapid progress achieved in understanding the genetic basis of evolution, the cellular basis remains much less studied. Sex combs are a great tool to investigate the cellular basis of evolution. Biologists including in our laboratory have used sex combs to study the developmental mechanisms underlying biodiversity1 and the cellular basis of allometric evolution2. Our present work shows an example in which mechanical forces play a fundamental role in understanding the evolution of morphogenesis.
Figure 3. Sex comb rotation in Drosophila melanogaster. A) Schematic and B) Confocal images. In A, initial (gray circles) and final (black circles) sex comb position. In B, sex comb is shaded in green in B.
A bit of history. The study of sex comb rotation commenced in 1962 when Chiyoko Tokunaga, using genetic mosaics produced in sex combs during different times in development, hypothesized that this group of bristle cells changes in position during development3 (Fig 3A).
Our laboratory has concentrated on developing and standardizing an in vivo imaging technique to study comb rotation. To investigate the cellular mechanisms involved, we combine this imaging technique with standard genetic tools available for studying fruit fly morphogenesis such as mutants, transgenic flies with fluorescent proteins and artificial selection. Our work led to three candidate models concerning the source of the force underlying rotation (Fig. 4).
The one which hypothesizes the source of pushing force coming from the region distal to the sex comb (the “push” model) appears to best explain existing experimental data.
Figure 4. Hypothetical models of sex comb rotation. At least three hypothetical models can reproduce the temporal variation in this cell parameter: pull, push, and push and pull.
United we stand. Even though we have evidence to support the “push” model of sex comb rotation, we are still lacking the critical insight on how the apparent random nature of distal epithelial cell expansion can properly rotate the comb. We believe that mathematics can help solve the mystery.
EH: I am a physicist and neuroscientist by training, and currently a data scientist by profession. Juan and myself were dormmates for several years at the University of Toronto. Over many dinner-table conversations, we discovered we shared a common interest in using mathematics to understand biology. After getting my PhD in computational neuroscience, I went on to do a post-doc in epilepsy research and had also been involved with industrial data science projects. While juggling my outside data science gigs, I collaborated with Juan and developed a mathematical model describing sex comb rotation. Computer simulations derived from the mathematical model (made easy with the open-source package compucell3d5 and a modern high-performance computing facility6) were used to mimic the cell properties of the developing comb (Mov. 1B and Fig. 5).
Figure 5. Computer simulations. Example initial cell configuration of pixels in the cellular Potts model. For details, see the primary paper.
A picture of sex comb rotation finally emerges as a result of this computational-experimental approach. The picture clearly depicts how the underlying epithelial cell dynamics facilitate sex comb rotation—by utilizing the asymmetry in the timing and location of cell growth. First, the epithelial cells start out smaller closer to the leading tip of the comb as compared to the comb base, thus creating an inhomogeneity in initial cell size distribution (Fig. 6).
Figure 6. Homogeneous and inhomogeneous cell growth. Initial (gray circles) and final (black circles) sex comb position. For details, see the primary paper.
As the cells expand, this inhomogeneity translates into a differential push which maintains the shape of the comb during the entire rotation. In addition, the mathematical model identified a temporal component in which delayed expansion of distal cells closer to the comb base protects the combs from breaking during rotation, a phenomenon also subsequently verified by experimental imaging data.
We will discuss below how our discoveries have shed light on the essential relationship between comb evolution and its underlying cellular processes.
Evolutionary implications
How to modify comb orientation. Sex combs in the family Drosophilidae can be divided into three main groups based on their orientation relative to the joint: transverse (0˚-30˚), diagonal (30˚-60˚), and vertical (60˚-90˚) (Fig. 7).
Figure 7.Morphological variation in Drosophila comb orientation. Adult sex combs of Drosophila species (top panel) and D. melanogaster lines (bottom panels). White dotted line indicates sex comb or bristle row angle relative to the joint. Scale bar:20 µm. D. melanogaster females lack sex combs and are used as a control. For details, see the primary paper.
Phylogenetic analyses reveal that changes in comb orientation not only occur frequently, but also occur between closely related Drosophila species. To study how comb orientation evolves, we used genetic perturbations in D. melanogaster that phenocopy the morphological variations in nature (Mov. 2 and Fig. 7).
Movie 2. Time-lapse movies of D. melanogaster lines with three comb orientations.
In vivo experiments show that a reduction in apical cell expansion leads to a reduction in the angle of rotation. With computer simulations, we now understand that nature exploits the asymmetry of distal cell expansion to achieve this goal. In other words, the smaller the degree of rotation, the smaller the degree the inhomogeneity in cell expansion is required for the rotation. These findings suggest that changes in comb orientation can occur via fine-tuning the pattern of cell growth to achieve the pattern of inhomogeneity we have described. This narrows our focus to determining those genes and tissue forces involved, which will go far in understanding the enigma of sex comb rotation and perhaps other morphogenetic events where local differential growth occurs.
Relationship between comb length and shape. Despite the spectacular morphological diversity observed in Drosophila combs, their shape tends to be straight (Fig. 8).
Figure 8. Morphological variation in Drosophila comb and bristle row shape. Yellow dotted lines indicate sex comb straight shape, while red dotted line show minor bends. Scale bar:20 µm. For details, see the primary paper.
Since the combs are used as a grasping tool, a straight comb shape seems to be fundamental for proper functioning. Our computational model uncovers the critical mechanisms that maintain the comb shape during the entire rotation.
Experimentally, short combs tend to be straight while long combs are more likely to display minor bends (Fig. 9).
Figure 9. Long combs are more likely to bend during rotation. Yellow dotted lines indicate straight sex comb shape, while red dotted lines show minor bends.
In fact, computer simulations show that increasing comb length is associated with multiple mechanical limitations to achieve a proper rotation. Long combs, for instance, are more likely to break during rotation (Mov. 3).
Movie 3. Long combs are more likely to break during morphogenesis. Examples of adult legs displaying sex comb breaking in Drosophila species (A) and Drosophila melanogaster lines (B). Schematic (C) and computer simulation (D) showing sex comb breaking during rotation.
These findings are consistent with the Drosophila comb diversity observed in nature. Most of the long combs (>15 bristles) display a different mechanism to achieve a vertical position. The only exception is Drosophila guanche, but as predicted by our model, this Drosophila comb generally displays bent and broken phenotypes.
Future directions. This work shows that the computational-experimental approach is an effective method to study morphogenesis and its evolution. For example, we can use simulations to further explore the thresholds beyond which long combs are unable to rotate due a spatial limitation1. The computer simulations on sex comb rotation generated many hypotheses that will be tested by combinations of new techniques.
Acknowledgements. We are deeply grateful to Joel Atallah, Lewis Held and Artyom Kopp for their detailed and constructive comments during this challenging project.
Juan N. Malagon is currently a Research Associate with Dr. Ellen Larsen
and hopes to get a faculty position, which allows him to combine his
two passions: teaching and developing research projects with students. His professional website is: https://juannicolasmalagon.com.
The successful applicant will be involved in research and contribute to operations in the area of Genetics and Evolution of Morphogenesis under the direction of the Director Prof. Miltos Tsiantis.
We are seeking an individual with a PhD in biology or a related discipline and demonstrable high-level competence in analysis of morphogenesis and its genetic control, using advanced imaging. Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills are required including outstanding record keeping, good IT literacy, willingness and ability to learn new methodologies and strong communication skills. A key responsibility of the post is to apply and improve advanced imaging methods (e.g. time-lapse imaging). The scientific questions asked relate to how developmental genes regulate cellular growth to generate diversity. Please, refer to Vlad et al. 2014, Science; Rast-Somssich et al. 2015, Genes Dev; Vuolo et al. 2016, Genes Dev; Vuolo et al. 2018, Genes Dev, for relevant published work by the group.
The post holder should also be interested in science management as he/she will contribute to maintaining genetic resources relating to microscopy. The successful applicant will be a strong team player and highly solution-oriented. Payment and benefits will depend on age and experience and will be according to the German TVöD scale for a part-time, 50% position. An appointment will only be made if and when a suitable candidate is identified and applications will be first evaluated end of December. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The post is initially for 2 years with possibility for renewal. The post would suit a young researcher who is passionate about developmental biology and also wishes to obtain training and experience in project management.
The application should include a two-page CV and a letter of motivation stating clearly how previous experience and interests match the post requirements and career aspirations, names and addresses of two referees and should be submitted electronically as one file (yourname_imaging) to Dr. Karakasilioti (applications.tsiantis@mpipz.mpg.de), by 20 December 2018.
The Max-Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply.
The Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research (MPIZ) in Cologne (http://www.mpipz.mpg.de/2169/en) is one of the world’s premier sites committed to basic research and training in plant science. The institute has four science departments, three independent research groups and specialist support, totaling 400 staff including externally funded positions.
The department of Comparative Development and Genetics at the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research (MPIZ) is seeking a
Plant Developmental Biologist
The successful applicant will be involved in research and contribute to operations in the area of Genetics and Evolution of Morphogenesis under the direction of the Director Prof. Miltos Tsiantis.
We are seeking an individual with a PhD in biology or a related discipline and demonstrable high-level competence in analysis of morphogenesis and its genetic control, using advanced imaging and genetics. Excellent interpersonal and organisational skills are required including outstanding record keeping, good IT literacy, willingness and ability to learn new methodologies and strong communication skills, including demonstrable ability to write clearly and concisely in English. A key responsibility of the post is to develop and improve advanced developmental biology methods (e.g. time-lapse imaging and use and improvement of methods for analyzing genetic mosaics) and associated approaches. The scientific questions asked relate to how developmental genes regulate cellular growth to generate diversity. Please, refer to Vlad et al. 2014, Science; Rast-Somssich et al. 2015, Genes Dev; Vuolo et al. 2016, Genes Dev; Vuolo et al. 2018, Genes Dev or http://www.mpipz.mpg.de/226344/tsiantis-dpt for relevant published work by the group
The post holder should also be interested in project management as he/she will also contribute to maintaining relevant departmental technical expertise and genetic resources and in training of new or junior researchers. The successful applicant will be a strong team player, highly solution-oriented and will have a key role in ensuring smooth running of lab activities in the area of morphogenesis. He/She will also support funding applications in the area of plant development. Payment and benefits will depend on age and experience and will be according to the German TVöD scale. An appointment will only be made if and when a suitable candidate is identified and applications will be first evaluated end of December. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The post is initially for 2 years with possibility for renewal. The post would suit a young researcher who is passionate about plant developmental biology and also wishes to obtain training and experience in project management.
The application should include a two-page CV and a letter of motivation stating clearly how previous experience and interests match the post requirements and career aspirations, names and addresses of two referees and should be submitted electronically as one file (yourname_devbio) to Dr. Karakasilioti (applications.tsiantis@mpipz.mpg.de), by 20 December 2018.
The Max-Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply.
The Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research (MPIZ) in Cologne (http://www.mpipz.mpg.de/2169/en) is one of the world’s premier sites committed to basic research and training in plant science. The institute has four science departments, three independent research groups and specialist support, totaling 400 staff including externally funded positions.
Hatchling catshark CT scan, scanned by Kyle Martin and Amin Garbout at The Imaging and Analysis Centre, NHM, London
Understanding how complex biological patterns arise is a long standing and fascinating area of scientific research. The patterning, or spatial arrangement, of vertebrate skin appendages (such as feathers, hair and scales) has enabled diverse adaptations, allowing animals to both survive and thrive in varied and challenging environments. Such adaptations include temperature control of mammalian hair1 and drag reduction of shark scales2. In our recent paper published in Science Advances, we examine how such patterning is regulated throughout development of the shark3.
Alan Turing was a remarkably influential scientist, renowned for his pivotal role as a code breaker during the Second World War. He is also considered the forefather of the modern computer. In 1952, two years before his tragic death following prosecution under the homophobic law of ‘Gross Indecency’, Turing wrote a mathematical model describing how interactions between diffusing chemicals known as morphogens can produce patterns4,5. These morphogens include a short-range, self-promoting activator which also promotes a long-range inhibitor. Turing demonstrated that when his model is appropriately tuned, stable patterns can arise.
Since its publication, there has been a surge of theoretical and experimental research discussing Turing’s model. In fact, his seminal paper has now been cited almost 12000 times4, and experimental work has suggested that this system controls the patterning of both mouse hair and bird feathers6,7. These animals – which belong to a group of vertebrates known as tetrapods – are both classic model species for studying developmental biology. However, until recently, the role of Turing’s system in the skin appendage patterning of vertebrates that arose prior to tetrapods has been poorly understood.
Hatchling catshark denticle SEM – Rory Cooper
Sharks belong to a group of vertebrates known as cartilaginous fishes, which branched from most other jawed vertebrates before tetrapods diversified. They possess scale-like skin appendages known as denticles, which have been observed in the fossil record as long as 450 million years ago8. Denticles are made from dentine and enamel-like materials, similar to our own teeth. In our recent study, we demonstrate that Turing’s patterning system can explain the arrangement of denticles in an emerging model shark3 – the small-spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula).
We first used computer modelling based on Turing’s equations to demonstrate that denticle patterning is consistent with his system. Next, we examined genes that act as morphogens during the Turing patterning of feathers, and revealed their expression is conserved throughout shark denticle patterning. This includes sonic hedgehog (shh) and fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) as activators, and bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) as inhibitors7. By inhibiting FGF signalling, we showed there is likely functional evolutionary conservation of these genes, meaning they appear to play the same roles in both feather and denticle development.
Clear and stained catshark denticles
Having found this evidence for Turing-like patterning of shark denticles, we went on to show that altering the parameters of the model can produce patterns with different densities of coverage. These patterns were reflective of arrangements observed in species of sharks and rays that are alive today, demonstrating that simple alterations to Turing’s model can explain the diversity of patterns observed in nature. Therefore, we provide a potential mechanism for how important adaptations, such as hydrodynamic drag reduction and defensive armour, have arisen in sharks. It is likely that Turing’s model is of widespread importance throughout the skin organ patterning of diverse vertebrate groups, all the way from sharks to mammals6,7.
The pattern of shark denticles is one important factor in achieving drag reduction. Another is the shape of individual denticles, which vary both within and between different shark species. Our next research goal is to examine the developmental mechanisms underlying the diversity of denticle shape. Together, this research will provide us with an insight into how important functional traits have arisen in the shark.
Catshark embryos (100 days post fertilisation)
Shark-inspired materials have already been created, with the aim of improving the efficiency of travel9. Potential applications include aeroplanes, boats and cars, which are all subject to drag, that is, resistance to the forward motion of an object. Understanding how both denticle patterning and shape contribute towards reducing drag may help to improve the effectiveness of these materials, leading to reduced energy consumption in a wide range of industries. This is an ever-important challenge in a time of depleting resources and climate crisis.
References
Ruxton, G. D. & Wilkinson, D. M. Avoidance of overheating and selection for both hair loss and bipedality in hominins. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.108, 20965–20969 (2011).
Dean, B. & Bhushan, B. Shark-skin surfaces for fluid-drag reduction in turbulent flow: a review. Philos. Trans. A. Math. Phys. Eng. Sci.368, 4775–806 (2010).
Cooper, R. L. et al. An ancient Turing-like patterning mechanism regulates skin denticle development in sharks. Sci. Adv. 4, 11, eaau5484 (2018).
Turing, A. M. The chemical basis of morphogenesis. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B. Biol. Sci.237, 37–72 (1952).
Kondo, S. & Miura, T. Reaction-Diffusion Model as a Framework of Understanding Biological Pattern Formation. Science329, 1616–1620 (2010).
Sick, S., Reinker, S., Timmer, J. & Schlake, T. WNT and DKK Determine Hair Follicle Spacing Through a Reaction-Diffusion Mechanism. Science314, 1447–1450 (2006).
Jung, H. et al. Local Inhibitory Action of BMPs and Their Relationships with Activators in Feather Formation: Implications for Periodic Patterning. Dev. Biol.196, 11–23 (1998).
Sansom, I. J., Smith, M. M. & Smith, P. Scales of thelodont and shark-like fishes from the Ordovician of Colorado. Nature379, 628–630 (1996).
Domel, A. G. et al. Shark skin-inspired designs that improve aerodynamic performance. J. R. Soc. Interface15, (2018).
Two BBSRC/Wellcome Trust-funded positions at the University of Sheffield are available for candidates with a background in (i) cell and/or developmental biology and (ii) mathematical modelling to join an interdisciplinary team investigating the coordination of tissue patterning and growth using Drosophilaepithelial development as a model system.
The Strutt lab (http://www.shef.ac.uk/bms/research/strutt) is a world leader in studying the planar polarity signalling pathways that control coordinated cell polarisation in animal tissues. In this collaborative project with Dr Alexander Fletcher (http://alex-fletcher.staff.shef.ac.uk) we are now combining our biological expertise with mathematical modelling approaches, to build an integrated understanding of how tissue patterning and growth are coordinated to achieve consistent organ shape and size during animal development.
Informal enquiries may be directed to David Strutt (d.strutt@sheffield.ac.uk) or Alexander Fletcher (a.g.fletcher@sheffield.ac.uk). Formal applications should be made directly to the University of Sheffield (http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/jobs, Job Refs: UOS020789 and UOS020791) by no later than 4thDecember 2018.
Recent relevant publications:
Kursawe J, Baker RE, Fletcher AG (2018). Approximate Bayesian computation reveals the importance of repeated measurements for parameterising cell-based models of growing tissues. J Theor Biol. 443:66-81
Fisher KH, Strutt D, Fletcher AG (2017). Integrating planar polarity and tissue mechanics in computational models of epithelial morphogenesis. Curr Opin Sys Biol 5: 41-49.
Strutt H, Gamage J, Strutt D (2016). Robust asymmetric localization of planar polarity proteins is associated with organization into signalosome-like domains of variable stoichiometry. Cell Rep 17:2660-2671.
Hale R, Brittle A, Fisher KH, Monk NA, Strutt D (2015). Cellular interpretation of the long-range gradient of Four-jointed activity in the Drosophila wing. eLife 4:e05789.
Wells RE, Barry JD, Warrington SJ, Cuhlmann, S, Evans P, Huber W, Strutt D, Zeidler MP (2013). Control of tissue morphology by Fasciclin III-mediated intercellular adhesion. Development 140:3858-3868.
Brittle A, Thomas C, Strutt D (2012). Planar polarity specification through the asymmetric subcellular localisation of the atypical cadherins Fat and Dachsous. Curr Biol 22:907-914.
Every year our Institute (IST Austria) opens its doors to the public during an outreach event called Open Campus. Visitors can participate in demonstrations and guided tours of the labs while scientists explain their research. But how do you show a variety of different activities performed in the lab within a 20 min tour? We wanted to make it possible for people to take a look behind the scenes of week-long experiments in just 3 minutes… so we came up with an idea of a video: a glimpse into our everyday work with cells, embryos and datasets.
Making this type of video requires you to step out of your scientific comfort zone and to consider what the audience will want to see. It is a great way to engage the public in your research and, needless to say, you can finally show your family and friends what ‘being in a lab’ is all about.
After some brainstorming sessions, endless laughs (it is not easy to keep a straight face when you thought you had been recording for 5 minutes and you had forgotten to press the record button), lots of editing and, most importantly, scouring the internet to find an ideal soundtrack… We made a movie!
Since we received a lot of uplifting positive feedback, we would like to share our short movie with The Node Community as well. Welcome to Kicheva Lab and get inspired!
An engineer/technician position is available on the Marseille-Luminy campus to work on tumorigenesis using the chick embryo as a model organism. The candidate will work in the context of a collaborative project between the lab of Dr Cédric Maurange and Dr Marie- Claire Delfini at the Institute for Developmental Biology of Marseille (IBDM).
Funding is provided by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) for 12 months.
We are seeking a highly-motivated candidate with some practical experience in molecular biology. A previous experience with chick embryos is desirable but not mandatory as the candidate will have the possibility to be trained.
The engineer/technician will generate DNA constructs to perform gain and loss of function experiments in the chick embryo via electroporation in order to initiate tumorigenesis. She/he will perform immunostainings or in-situ hybridization and use confocal microscopy to document the experiments.
Engineer or technician level will be recognized according to education (Bachelor +2-4 e. g. IUT, BTS, Diploma, Master).
The position is available starting from February/March 2019.
preLights, The Company of Biologist’s new preprint highlighting service, has now been running for more than eight months. At the heart of preLights is the community of early-career researchers who select and highlight interesting preprints in various fields.
As the service is building momentum, we are ready to grow our team of preLighters and are seeking early-career researchers (PhD students, postdocs, early-stage PIs) who are passionate about preprints and enjoy writing and communicating science. We welcome researchers from across the biological sciences and especially those with expertise in Neuroscience, Bioinformatics, Microbiology, Ecology, Plant biology, Biophysics, and Systems Biology.
To join our team of preLighters, please send your application to prelights@biologists.com by 1 December 2018.
In your application, please provide:
A short biography, telling us who you are and what you work on
A few sentences about why you are interested in joining our community
A preLights post highlighting a recent preprint of your choice (that is not older than 1 month)
We have a flexible format for preLights, but your post should aim to include:
A short and engaging ‘Tweetable’ summary of the preprint; background of the preprint; key findings of the preprint; what you like about this preprint/why you think the work is important; future directions and questions for the authors.
The post should reflect your personal opinion on the research in the preprint that you selected. Please also provide the URL link of the preprint. Your post should not exceed 1000 words.
To learn more about the ideas behind preLights, please read this introduction, or check out the interviews with current preLighters on their experience on our News page.
What’s in it for me?
This is a great opportunity for you to gain experience in science writing. You will get editing feedback from us and your peers and we aim to raise your profile as a trusted preprint selector and commentator. You will grow your professional network, and we are happy to support you by offering recommendation letters or in other ways.
But there is also a commitment; we expect you to select and highlight a preprint every one-or-two months.
We are aiming to have a diverse team and might not be able to accept all applicants, but are looking forward to welcoming our new preLighters.
Humankind has been researching and engineering for as long as we have existed. It was a matter of survival back then and it is still is nowadays. This long and involved process that spanned over several millennia has enabled civilisations to rise and fall. Thousands of years of science and scholarly traditions have led to the accumulation of an incommensurable amount of knowledge spread across various disciplines including mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology.
What is translational science?
The latin word “Scientia”means knowledge, but it is only recently that the concept of “translational science” has emerged.To understand the essence of this neologism the expression needs to be broken down into two definitions “translation” and “science”.
The mathematical definition of translation corresponds in geometry, to the process of moving something from one place to another. The second word science is defined as follows: the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment.
The combination of these two definitions leads to the concept of translational science, which is the translation of fundamental scienceinto practical applications. A famous illustration of this is the serendipitous discovery of penicillin in 1928 by Alexander Fleming which broke open a new field in modern medicine.In other words, fundamental science is the engine that powers translational research. If for any particular reason, the engine stop running, then there is nothing left to be translated.
In order for science to be developed in an unbiased way it needs to be performed free from any interest, otherwise conflict arise and findings tend to matches expectation and not observations. This point is crucial and clearly is a roadblock for translational science which, by definition is developed to be applied in order to generate a useful application and potential profit.
Science is unique in the sense that it is not made to deliver a product; it is designed purely to generate knowledge. Obviously there are major directions in science, but there is not a pre-determined end point. Instead, each discovery leads to the next one and adds to our understanding of the world in which we live. It is an endless process that is really often convoluted. Taking advantage of a particular discovery to make an invention that will be useful in a specific context is a different process that cannot be assigned to fundamental science. It corresponds to an engineer perspective where a technical issue is solved by a technological advance. Research directions in fundamental science have to remain limitless, otherwise, the scope of discoveries, and therefore the range of potential applications, would be limited to a predefined scientific horizon.
A recent example of this, is the discovery of molecular scissors known as “crisp/rcas9” which is currently revolutionising biological and medical research. It is now possible to edit the genome of a living organism without complex procedure, this has opened up new research avenues and therapeutic options. Such a discovery was originally made by scientists working on understanding the basic molecular mechanism driving of viral infection in bacteria.
For practical and ethical reasons it is not sustainable for academic science to get engaged in products development.The lack of funding in academia for one part and the industry commitment and better ability to develop translational science leaves no doubt about role distribution.
Where things become blurry is that there is no clear demarcation defining where fundamental science does stop and where translational science is starting. There is not even aclear definition of what translational science is, this notion can vary between research fields. It is just a vague concept that is being abused since in essence every fundamental discovery is potentially translational, but in reality only a really low percentage will become translated. This confusion is mostly due to the time scale difference. While academia establishes project planned over a decade translational research projects span over a shorter period of time (a few years).
Why has translational science been so successful over the past few decades?
Translational science draws on the large amount of knowledge that has accumulated over the past century. Sadly, this wealth of basic findings is not endless. The accumulation of knowledge generated by fundamental science has suddenly started to down-size due to a major shift into translational science activity that mostly feeds on previous ground-breaking discoveries, but that does not generate any novel fundamental findings itself. Translational science owes its success in part to a high level of attention from the media. This has contributed to draw support from the public arena but this push by the media in a desperate search for a scientific buzz also comes with a risk. In fact there is a real threat for scientists of potentially losing credit in the long term if the community fails to deliver.
How does the system remain sustainable in the long-term?
It is critical to maintain the right balance between fundamental science, which constitutes the foundation of any progress, and translational science, which converts a discovery into a useful application. This equilibrium is hard to maintain simply because the rate by which these two sciences evolve are dissimilar. In the case of basic science, significant advances are relatively slow mostly due to the fact that science relies on serendipity and scientific wandering. Some unexpected paths have to be explored over decades to enable a ground-breaking discovery. Failure is an essential part of the discovery process. Further, basic science is often limited by available technology. Ancient concepts are revisited regularly due to the development of new technology that enables us to probe fundamental mechanisms in more depth.
By essence, observation and experimentation are slow processes that rely more and more on complex research tools. Since science is becoming increasingly specialised and dependent on cutting-edge technologies, the discovery process is becoming increasingly more challenging. For instance, one of the bottlenecks of modern science is managing the huge datasets generated by genomic research. In that particular case, the physiological interpretation of the data is one of the limiting step. For this particular reason, it will take time to bridge the gap between genomics approaches and personalised medicine for instance.
By contrast, translational science is evolving at a rapid pace, since it is being determined by a specific endpoint, and its proof of principle, feasibility and viability have been already established by fundamental science.
Where to draw the line between fundamental science and translational science?
This discrepancy has been masked until now by the fact that a lot of knowledge has been accumulated in fundamental science and translational science could draw from this gigantic gold mine. However shortages in option start to arise in particular industries, since basic knowledge is running out. For instance in the case of drug discovery, conventional molecular targets have been over-exploited and pharmaceutical industries and academia have fallen short in discovering new molecular mechanisms that would lead to alternative therapeutic avenues.
National research agencies are pushing hard to encourage translational science, but the way it is being developed is not optimum. Funding bodies are trying to impose a shift of fundamental science into translational science, instead of promoting more bridging strategies that would enable academics and industries to work in a complementary fashion. At the international level with the merciless competition for commercialisation, this strategic choice could cost even more than not investing into fundamental science. At the end of the day, any novel drug of technology that reaches the market will be used on a global scale, and the price of buying its patent will cost a lot more than the initial amount of money that would have been necessary to discover its principle.Governments and other funders must recognise the importance of having a thriving base of fundamental knowledge from which to translate, for both economic and health reasons.
Last but not least, an essential aspect of fundamental science is often forgotten, its main function, which is to generate knowledge. There is no direct dollar value for knowledge and expertise, however one of the industries directly benefiting from this output is the education sector. Translating knowledge into the education system is far more valuable in the long term than any drug that is being commercialised, and it is pretty daunting to envision a future where the engine of human progress would fall into decay.
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