| Organization/Laboratory/Company’s Name | Oniris/Laboratory of Cellular & Molecular Immunology Endocrinology |
| Contact email | steffi.bosch@oniris-nantes.fr |
| Who to contact | Steffi BOSCH |
| Job Title | PhD position |
| A detailed offer: | Evaluation of the therapeutic potential of engineered extracellular vesicles to modulate antigen-specific immune responses in type 1 diabetes. |
| Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease caused by the destruction of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreatic islets of Langerhans. This results in chronic hyperglycaemia and life-long insulin dependency. Despite notable improvements in diabetes care, no cure exists to date and patients experience serious long-term complications and reduced life expectancy. Ideally, the preservation or restoration of antigen-specific tolerance would allow to prevent and treat T1D, all while avoiding deleterious effects associated with systemic immune suppression. | |
| In this context, extracellular vesicles (EV) are promising candidates for therapeutic innovation. These membrane-bound nanovesicles released by living cells support intercellular communication through transfer of protein, genetic, lipidic and other materials across long distances. | |
| EVs derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are particularly notable for their well-documented immunomodulatory and regenerative properties. The central hypothesis of the present project is that MSC-derived EVs engineered to express pancreatic beta-cell antigens, could promote antigen-specific tolerance in the context of T1D. | |
| The project aims are (i) to develop engineered EV expressing beta-cell antigens in collaboration with an industrial partner, (ii) to establish the proof of concept for antigen-specific tolerance induced by engineered MSC-EV in murine models, and (iii) to evaluate the immunomodulatory properties of these EVs in vitro on immune cells derived from a cohort of type 1 diabetic patients in collaboration with the endocrinology department of the University Hospital of Nantes (NCT01042301, https://clinicaltrials.gov/). | |
| The candidate must have completed a Master’s degree (Master 2 or equivalent) in experimental research in immunology, innovative therapy or similar research fields | |
| The candidate must demonstrate the ability to work in a team, skills in communication and scientific writing as well as proficiency in spoken and written English. A certification in animal experimentation would be appreciated. | |
| Supervisors: Steffi BOSCH (PhD director), Grégoire MIGNOT and Apolline SALAMA | |
| Type of contract | Full-time position |
| Type of contract | Fixed-term contract |
| Position available from | 01-sept-25 |
