Postdoctoral position: Phytoplankton biodiversity

A « phytochips » : a new tool to study the toxic phytoplankton diversity
in the bay of Seine.

The aims of this project is to develop a new molecular tool as
alternative means to provide fast, safe and complete identification of
Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) species. Monitoring of phytoplankton is
actually based on the microscopic identification and counting of the
cells of interests. It is time consuming, tedious and no challenging.
Microarray or Phylochips have been chosen since this technology allows a
genetic identification of the target organisms. It can be used to
achieve simultaneous detection of phytoplankton species and to estimate
the number of taxons in the seawater samples. This study is a part of
the project called “Comanche”, which one of the objectives is to study
the origin of the toxic algae blooms and to investigate their impact on
the scallop fisheries in the Bay of Seine. In this area, recurrent toxic
events, ASP (Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning) and DSP (Diarrheic Shellfish
Poisoning) events occur in the eastern Channel affecting the scallop
fishery. The identification of the Pseudo-nitzschia species is crucial
to evaluate the potential risk of samples since all of the species
belonging to this genus do not produce phytotoxin. The determination of
these species requires an electronic microscopy analysis, which is
inappropriate for extensive monitoring. This novel Phylochip will allow
us to discriminate the toxic species within Pseudo-nitzschia genus, to
quantify the biodiversity of phytoplankton and follow their dynamic and
distribution in bay of Seine as well.

Key words : Microarray, Biodiversity, Pseudo-nitzschia, Dinophysis,
Phylochips, Phytoplankton.

- Expertises :
PhD candidate with a strong background in microarray technique,
bioinformatics and statistics expertises. Knowledge in phytoplankton
ecology is not necessary, but will be appreciated.

- Investigators : :
Informal enquires
to Dr. Catherine Dreanno (Catherine.dreanno@ifremer.fr)
and to Véronique Le Berre Anton (veronique.leberre@insa-toulouse.fr)


-Funding : Ifremer- ANR 18 months

- Location : Laboratoire ou Service et Unité d’accueil :
Service Interfaces et Capteurs, Unité Recherches et Développement
Technologiques, Ifremer, centre de Brest, 29280 Plouzane, France.
And Laboratoire d'Ingénierie des Systèmes Biologiques et des Procédés
(LISBP)
UMR INSA/CNRS 5504/INRA 792 INSA - 135, avenue de Rangueil 31077
Toulouse, France.

Caution the candidate will work in these two laboratories.


Web site :
To apply for this position, please send
a letter of intent and a CV to Dr. Catherine
Dreanno (Catherine.dreanno@ifremer.fr) or visit our web site :
http://wwz.ifremer.fr/institut/Travailler-a-l-Ifremer/Bourses-de-recherche/Bourses-post-doctorales-2011-2012,
before September 12th 2011.




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Dr. Catherine DREANNO (PhD)

Service Interfaces & Capteurs
IFREMER
BP 70
29280 Plouzané, FRANCE
Tel : (+33) 02.98.22.40.99

http://www.ifremer.fr/ic/