PhD in Single-Cell Immunogenetics & CAR-T Metabolism
Organisation/Company Universite de Montpellier Department Human Resources Research Field Biological sciences Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Application Deadline 20 May 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Paris) Country France Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Offer Starting Date 1 Oct 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Other EU programme Reference Number 2026-D0020 Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No
Offer Description
- work environment: The PhD research will be supervised by Sofia Kossida at the Institute of Human Genetics in Montpellier, as part of the Nexus Nutri-CART project, in collaboration with the teams led by Valérie Zimmermann (IGMM) and Marie Péquignot (INM/Genopolys).
CAR T-cell therapies represent a major advance in the treatment of haematological cancers, but responses remain variable. Patients’ nutritional status and metabolism influence the proliferation, persistence and functionality of CAR T-cells.
Understanding these mechanisms at the single-cell level, through the integration of transcriptomic and clonotypic data (scRNA-seq, scTCR-seq), is essential for identifying signatures associated with therapeutic response and improving treatment efficacy. This project forms part of a translational approach combining bioinformatics, immunogenetics and clinical research.
- main mission: The goal of the project is to characterize, at the single-cell level, the diversity and clonal dynamics of the TCR repertoire, using scRNA-seq to describe the cellular states of T lymphocytes, and analyzing the data with IMGT® tools. More specifically, it aims to link clonotypes, functional states, and nutritional/metabolic parameters to identify signatures associated with response or non-response to CAR-T therapy, while developing a standardized and reproducible pipeline compliant with IMGT® standards.
- activities:
- Process and analyze scTCR-seq and scRNA-seq data
- Develop and standardize bioinformatics pipelines for reproducible analyses
- Perform statistical and integrative analyses linking clonotypes to functional states and metabolic profiles
- Prepare results for publication and present findings at conferences
The gross monthly salary is €2,300
Contract duration: 3 years
Contract date from 01/10/2026 to30/09/2029
Where to apply
Requirements
Research Field Biological sciences Education Level Master Degree or equivalent
Skills/Qualifications
- Background in bioinformatics, computational biology, genomics, or immunogenetics
- Experience in NGS data analysis
- Programming skills in Bash, R and/or Python
- Knowledge of IMGT® tools and databases for TCR annotation
- Interest in immunology, and translational research
- Ability to work both autonomously and collaboratively within multidisciplinary international teams
- Strong organizational and analytical skills
- Good command of English, both written and spoken
Diploma/field required: Bac+5 in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Genomics or Immunogenetics
Additional Information
Selection process
The application must include the following
- A CV
- A letter of motivation
- A copy of the diploma required for enrollment or, if unavailable, the most recent transcripts from Master 2 (semester 1 and/or semester 2)