Molecular Biomarkers - Postdoctoral position 2013 France

High-throughput "omic" technologies represent promising opportunities to find new disease biomarkers because of their comprehensiveness and their complementarity. However, integration of such massive and highly heterogeneous data is a bioinformatic challenge. First, for each experiment, raw data must be processed to obtain a n sample x p variable table of signal intensities (e.g. peak detection, quality control, normalization). Second, innovative statistical methods must be developed to extract relevant features from those n << p matrices. Third, additional database information regarding interactions between molecules must be taken into account in collaboration with biologists to validate the identified biomarkers and fingerprints.

Project:

The Biomargin European project aims at finding new molecular biomarkers of renal graft injuries and at developing algorithms to assist clinicians in detecting and interpreting chronic graft dysfunction. As leader of the workpackage "Data integration and disease prediction modeling", our team will first be responsible for statistical integration of the datasets (transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic) provided by the clinical partners. Second, the annotated candidate biomarkers will be validated through pathway analysis (e.g. with the Ingenuity software). Third, a model of disease progression based on the selected fingerprints will be developed and validated on a prospective cohort of transplant patients.

Job description:

In our laboratory, the post holder will use multivariate statistical techniques (multi-block analysis, orthogonal partial least-squares) for data integration and biomarker selection. All information regarding the selected molecules will be stored in a dedicated database. Once the candidate markers have been validated by the experimental partners, machine learning algorithms will be developed for the prediction of patient status.

 Profile:

 Interested applicants should hold a PhD in biostatistics or bioinformatics and and be used to programming with the R software. The candidate should be highly motivated by applied trans disciplinary team work aiming at clinical applications.
 
Our offer:

    1-year contract (renewable once).

    Net salary: about 2200 €/month, depending on experience.

Note:

    Funding is dedicated to PhD candidates under 30 years old.

To apply

    Please send your CV and your letter of motivation to:
    Etienne Thévenot (etienne.thevenot@cea.fr)
    Laboratory of Data Analysis Tools
    CEA Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France

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