Nantes Université MSCA-PF 2023 - hosting offer at the Interdisciplinary Chemistry: Synthesis, Analysis, Modelling

Arnaud TESSIER researcher from the Interdisiplinary Chemistry: Synthesis, Analysis, Modelling (CEISAM) at Nantes Université is looking for postdoctoral candidates interested in applying for a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA-PF) in 2023.

• Key words
  Multistep synthesis, nucleosides, prodrugs, virology, rational drug design, chemical-biology
   
• What is a MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship?
  MSCA Postdoctoral fellowships support the career development of researchers for enhancing their individual competence diversification in terms of skills at multidisciplinary level and 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. This call to interest concerns the European Postdoctoral Fellowships (12 to 24 months of duration in Europe + optional placement in private sector in Europe of 6 months). For more information: MSCA-PF
   
• Team description
  The CEISAM Institute, through its research activities, has positioned itself as one of the leading molecular chemistry institutes, both in France and on an international scale.
  CEISAM means "Interdisciplinary Chemistry: Synthesis, Analysis, Modelling", an acronym which perfectly reflects the Institute’s areas of research. The institute is organised into 5 research teams, which together cover a broad field of activities, and that are involved in joint research projects and scientific events.
  The originality and quality of molecular chemistry developments allowed the Institute to carry out / get involved in numerous national and international projects, on the one hand, and to develop and secure long-lasting partnerships with a wide range of socio-economic players, on the other hand, be them small and medium businesses (including CEISAM spin-offs like Graftys or Atlanchim Pharma) or major, international companies (Eurofins, Merck, Janssen, Sanofi, Servier).
   
• Profile of the supervisor
  Arnaud Tessier is senior CNRS researcher in organic chemistry with expertise in the multi-step synthesis of natural and non-natural products at the chemistry/biology interface, asell as vectorization of biomolecules for drug therapy. His current research activity concerns the synthesis of organic molecules with biological interest in the fields of cancer, viral or infectious pathologies and cardio-vascular diseases, through university and industrial collaborations. These medicinal chemistry projects involve a wide variety of molecular structures (nucleosides, glycochemistry, heterochemistry, asymmetric synthesis, etc.). He is also in charge of the CHEM-Symbiose platform dealing with interdisciplinary projects.
   
• Research project
  Our research activities essentially concern the synthesis of natural and non-natural bioactive molecules. This positioning includes multi-step synthesis and the development of new synthetic methodologies as well as the preparation of original multi-functional synthons in heterochemistry and glycochemistry. Our concern is to respond to societal challenges in the field of chemistry/health.
  Infectious diseases are expanding as a target therapeutic area in which the team is positioning itself as a key element of ambitious interfaced projects. Some programs mobilizing know-how in multi-step synthesis are set to continue. An example concerns theranostics and the development of new prodrugs in the field of infectiology. Given the current health context and thanks to its expertise in the chemistry of small bioactive molecules, the proposed project is a continuation of our experience in the field of virology. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been more than 6 million deaths worldwide. The current pandemic reminds us of our vulnerability to viruses, and more particularly to emerging RNA viruses (SARS-CoV, MERS, SARS-CoV-2, Zika, Dengue, Chikungunya, Ebola, etc.). Like nucleosides such as remdesevir or ribavirin, nucleosides represent, in this fight, more than half of the antivirals on the market. In this context, our research program plans to design and evaluate new antivirals against these emerging viruses.
  The objective of this project is part of a rational approach for the design and development of new original nucleoside analogues in order to strengthen our activity within the GAVO consortium (INC CNRS). In support of this work, the biological evaluation of these original analogues on a large panel of viruses will be carried out with the support of a consortium of virologists and biologists (ViroCrib, INSB -CNRS).
   

• What are the eligibility criteria?
  Candidates must hold a PhD at the call deadline (13 Sept. 2023) 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 France for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the call deadline.Candidates can be from any nationality.
  Although not an eligibility criterion, a good track record is recommended.
   

• What’s in it for me?
  1. Selected candidate will have access to online training programme and one-to-one proposal preparation sessions with our experienced European Officers.
  2. Selected candidate will have the opportunity to come to Nantes for two days in the beginning of July to meet his supervisor and to start working on the writing of the project. The grant awarded for this stay will cover travel, hotel and subsistence expenses for 2 days and 2 nights (up to 1000€ for the EU countries and up to 2000€ for the non-EU countries). Nantes Université does not cover the visa fees.
   
• I’m interested. What should I do?
  If you are interested and have the required background, apply by sending the application form  to Arnaud TESSIER (arnaud.tessier@univ-nantes.fr) and the European office (europe.drpi@univ-nantes.fr)

  More information on the dedicated webpage.

• Registration for this scheme does not imply automatic funding. Applications will be examined in the light of the MSCA PF evaluation criteria, both by your potential supervisor and by the experienced European Officers. No application will be considered after April 14th but we encourage you to apply as soon as possible as they will be evaluated as they arise.The short-stay grant will be distributed among the selected candidate within the limits of the available budget.

  You should expect feedback for your application by 15 May.

• Brief description of Nantes Université
  Nantes Université is a higher education and research institution created in 2022. This new institution has adopted a new University model unprecedented in France by bringing together a university, a university hospital (CHU de Nantes), a technology research centre (IRT Jules Verne), a public scientific and technological institute (Inserm) and higher education establishments (Centrale Nantes, École des Beaux-Arts Nantes Saint-Nazaire, École d’Architecture de Nantes).
  Nantes Université is a sustainable and committed institution and one of the driving forces behind societal development. With a global and outward-looking culture, it promotes innovativeness and openness: open science, open research, open education, open innovation. Nantes Université has received the HR Excellence in Research Award and is already involved in various European projects, notably MSCA actions