This announcement arrived via Prof. Seppo Vainio:

1 PhD student position

Genetic and epigenetic control of pancreas development and disease

A PhD Student position is opened at the University Pierre et Marie Curie (http://www.upmc.fr) located in the center of Paris (France) in the Developmental Biology Laboratory (UMR7622 CNRS-UPMC, http://bio-dev.snv.jussieu.fr/) and the Biology Institute (IFR83, http://www.ifr83.idf.inserm.fr) interested in cell cycle, signalling, determination of cell fate and cell differentiation.

We are looking for a PhD student to join our team working on organogenesis and genetic diseases. The PhD position is funded by an Integrated Project of the European Commission (FP7) to study the biological programs controlling pancreatic and liver function and to identify therapeutic targets for diabetes. This project brings together European molecular and cell biologists, bioinformaticians, clinicians and developmental biologists.

The project is dedicated to the study of mechanisms underlying genetic and epigenetic regulation of gut regionalisation, pancreas specification and endocrine cell differentiation and regeneration, mainly using mouse conditional knockout strategies. Studies include phenotype and molecular analysis (confocal and electron microscopy, explant organ culture, isolation of mutant and wt  primary cell lines) on mouse models available in the laboratory, as well as in an animal model of the MODY5 disease.

The position is open to foreign candidates, and is appointed for period of 36 months. The contract should start september/october 2009. Applicants should have a master degree with some background in developmental biology, molecular biology, molecular genetics. Applications should include a CV, a statement of interest, and contact information of 2-3 referees, and submitted by e-mail to

Silvia Cereghini

Cécile Haumaitre

ERL U969 INSERM, UMR7622 CNRS UPMC Boite 24

9 Quai Saint Bernard- 7ET- BAT C, 75005 Paris France

TEL 01 44 27 21 51, FAX 01 44 27 34 45

Email : Silvia.Cereghini@snv.jussieu.fr , cecile.haumaitre-sarron@inserm.fr

Related publications

- Haumaitre  C, Lenoir O, Scharfmann, R. Directing cell differentiation with small-molecule histone deacetylase inhibitors the example of promoting pancreatic endocrine cells. Cell Cycle. 2009. 8(4):536-44.

- Haumaitre C, Lenoir O, Scharfmann R. Histone deacetylase inhibitors modify pancreatic cell fate determination and amplify endocrine progenitors. Mol Cell Biol. 2008. 28(20):6373-83.

- Lokmane L, Haumaitre C, Garcia-Villalba P, Anselme I, Schneider-Maunoury S, Cereghini S. Critical role of vHNF1/HNF1b/TCF2 in vertebrate hepatic specification. Development, 2008. 135(16):2777-86.

- Haumaitre C, Fabre M, Cormier S, Baumann C, Delezoide AL, Cereghini S.  Severe pancreas hypoplasia and multicystic renal dysplasia in two human fetuses carrying novel HNF1beta/MODY5 mutations. Hum Mol Genet. 2006 Aug 1;15(15):2363-75.

- Haumaitre C, Barbacci E, JennyM, Ott MO, Gradwohl G, Cereghini S. Lack of TCF2/vHNF1 in mice leads to pancreas agenesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Feb 1;102(5):1490-5.

- Barbacci E, Chalkiadaki A, Masdeu C, Haumaitre C, Lokmane L, Loirat C, Cloarec S, Talianidis I, Bellanne-Chantelot C, Cereghini S.  HNF1beta/TCF2 mutations impair transactivation potential through altered co-regulator recruitment. Hum Mol Genet. 2004 Dec 15;13(24):3139-49.