Research description

• Keywords:
  
  Image bioinformatics; Deep learning; Light-sheet microscopy; Mouse brain development
• Research interests: In collaboration with team Morpheme (Inria Sophia-Antipolis) and the Fleischmann lab (Brown University), we are developing a scalable pipeline for analysis of three-dimensional images of the developing mouse brain. Current best-practice involves various manual steps, which limits us to 2-3 brain regions. Our goal is to scale to tens of brain regions. Thus we need to automatically map brains to reference shapes; use state-of-the-art nuclei detection methods (ObjMPP, StarDist); and accommodate for developmental changes. It requires evaluating computational costs and alleviating bottlenecks whilst maintaining accuracy and robustness. This project is part of work on gene regulation inference in brain development.
• Inria team:
  
  BEAGLE: https://team.inria.fr/beagle/
• Team description:
  
  The expanded name for Beagle is “Artificial Evolution and Computational Biology”. Our research is at the interface between biology and computer science and aims at contributing new results in biology by modelling biological systems. In other words we are making artifacts – from the Latin artis factum: an entity made by human art rather than by Nature – and we explore them in order to understand Nature. Using computational approaches, we study abstractions of cellular systems and processes in order to unravel their organizational principles.
• Supervisor:
  
  Anton Crombach: https://anton.cromba.ch
• Contact details:
  
  Anton Crombach: anton.crombach@inria.fr
  
  MSCA training organisers: msca-postdoc-prep@inria.fr
  
  Centre's Europe office contact: matthieu.py@inria.fr

What are the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships?

The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship is a grant that supports the career development of researchers, by enhancing their individual competence, diversifying their skills at a multidisciplinary level, and providing an intersectoral experience. The MSCA-PF grant provides a competitive salary plus mobility and family allowances if applicable, as well as research, training, and networking costs. The MSCA European Postdoctoral Fellowships has a duration between 12 to 24 months in an EU member state or associated country + an optional placement in the private sector for 6 months within the EU member states.

For more information: MSCA-PF

What are the eligibility criteria?

• Candidates must hold a PhD at the call deadline (14 Sept. 2022) and have 8 years maximum of full-time research experience after the PhD.
• “Mobility rule”: candidates must NOT have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the beneficiary for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the call deadline (exceptions exist for European nationals).
• Candidates can be from any nationality.
• Although not an eligibility criterion, a good track record is recommended.
• An additional layer is at Inria institutional level regarding security procedures in recruitment, which must be approved by our Defence Security Officer.

What is needed to apply?

The MSCA PF programme requires candidates to write their own research project, in synergy with a supervisor at a European host institution. The proposal is a ten pages document describing the scientific idea, its expected impacts and implementation pathway, with an additional 5 pages for the candidate’s CV. At Inria, we provide extensive support to good quality candidates in the form of preliminary meetings, group training to better understand the programme and the grant proposal requirements, and one-to-one review sessions by specialised staff in the late stage.

I’m interested. What should I do?

1. Check our list of hosting offers, when a domain fits your profile or seems complimentary to your expertise, go to the research team webpage and look for more info.
2. Once you think you have an interesting research project idea that fits the domains described in one of our hosting offers, write it down in 4-5 lines and email the indicated contact persons (even better if you can add a CV or a link to your profile).
3. That’s it for now! Based on the info you provided we will get back to you regarding the next steps.

When should I do that?

The earlier the better! If we had to give an indication, early spring to late May.

What’s in it for me?

Selected candidates will have access to privileged grant writing training sessions and one-to-one proposal review sessions in the last phase with our experienced European Officers. The sessions will take place on the following dates (all times CEST):

• An online event on 6 April will further detail the info given hereafter; you may register for the event here: https://www.inria.fr/en/fund-your-european-postdoc-inria.

1. 26 April 11:00 – 12:30
   
   Introduction to scheme, general considerations & invitation to discuss projects with supervisors
2. 31 May 9:00 – 12:30
   
   Grant writing guide (with exercises)
3. 26 July 10:00 – 12:30
   
   Grant writing: details & advice on polishing