Post-Doc in Single-molecule Biophysics (H/F)

ESPCI Paris

The “École Supérieure de Physique et de Chimie Industrielles de la Ville de Paris” (ESPCI Paris PSL) is a “Grande École d’Ingénieurs” with a strong international reputation for research (6 Nobel Prizes) and a member of the Université PSL (Paris Sciences & Lettres). ESPCI is a highly multidisciplinary environment with teaching and research in physics, chemistry, and biology. The project will be directed by Prof. Andrew Griffiths.

Prof. Andrew Griffiths’ Lab

The Laboratory of Biochemistry (LBC), directed by Prof. A. Griffiths, is a multidisciplinary laboratory spanning physics, chemistry, and biology. The unifying theme of their research is the use of microfluidic systems, and in particular droplet microfluidic systems, to answer questions in the field of biology and for the development of biotechnology applications. Three main areas of fundamental research can be distinguished: i) the emergence of Darwinian chemical systems (origin of life), ii) Darwinian system dynamics and directed evolution, and iii) single-cell analysis and screening. There is great synergy between fundamental research and applied projects, and this has resulted in the creation of several start-ups.

Directed evolution, mimicking natural evolution in the lab to develop enzymes with desired phenotypes, has had an important impact on biotechnology, as recognized by the 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. While these methods have been used with great success in the past, they all have limitations, notably they often select variants based on a single parameter, for example affinity. This monoparametric description of phenotypes limits both our ability to select for the desired outcomes and our understanding of the evolutionary process. This is particularly true for single-molecule technologies which often rely on the development of protein binders with carefully tailored kinetics.

As a post-doc at LBC you will work on coupling single-molecule kinetics measurements with single-molecule peptide sequencing to perform highly multiplexed biophysical measurements. The rich data from single-molecule measurements will be used to study affinity maturation in single-domain antibodies. 

Core Responsibilities:

• Develop and optimize single-molecule detection methods
• Investigate protein-protein binding kinetics
• Design and perform critical experiments to drive performance improvements

Baseline skills/experiences/attributes

• Ph.D. degree in Biophysics, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, or related field.
• Experience leading and delivering successful projects in a commercial environment
• Experience using biophysical tools, especially single-molecule measurements.
• Wide experience in molecular biology and biochemistry techniques for studying proteins and nucleic acids.
• Demonstrated ability to independently and creatively solve complex experimental challenges in single-molecule biophysics

The candidates should have good interpersonal skills, flexibility, autonomy, and ability to work in a highly multidisciplinary team.

Education requirements: PhD

Excellent oral, written and presentation skills in English.

Recruitment terms :
Starting date : November 2024
Duration : 2 years with renewal possibility

Salary : according to professional experience