Founded in 1967, the Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM) is a non-profit organization that conducts basic and clinical biomedical research while training the next generation of scientists in an innovative environment. With approximately 425 employees and trainees, the Institute includes more than 35 laboratories conducting high-impact research in the fields of infectious diseases, immunology, cancer, neuroscience, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, systems biology, and medicinal chemistry. The IRCM also operates specialized research clinics in long COVID, immunology, hypertension, nutrition, and diabetes.
Dr. Falcone is a physician and scientist specializing in infectious diseases. She is the Director of both the IRCM Post-COVID-19 Research Clinic and the Microbiome and Mucosal Defence Research Unit. The IRCM Post-COVID-19 Research Clinic (IPCO) was the first long COVID research clinic established in Montreal and represents a truly unique infrastructure where all patients are both clinically evaluated and enrolled in a research protocol with biobank aimed at understanding the long-term effects of SARS-CoV2 infection.
This Falcone lab is a dynamic team that combines clinical care with cutting-edge clinical, translational, and fundamental research. The successful candidate will work in an energetic and solution-oriented environment that values equity, diversity, and collaboration.
Job summary and responsibilities
The candidate selected for this posting will be supervised by Dr. Emilia Liana Falcone and therefore involved in different aspects of Dr. Falcone’s clinical and translational research program.
The training will focus on the study of Gut Dysbiosis, intestinal barrier dysfunction and immune dysregulation in the context of Chronic Inflammatory Conditions, including Long Covid, HIV-infection and inborn errors of immunity. As part of our lab, the candidate will be involved in furthering the understanding of mechanisms responsible for such imbalances and their impact in sustaining inflammation using both in vitro and in vivo models.
The project will include isolation and characterization of microbial Extracellular Vesicles (EVs), as well as the assessment of their inflammatory and/or immunomodulatory potential on host cell populations. The interaction between microbes or their EVs and host cells will be done using human tissue, in vitro (e.g. organoids) and in vivo (e.g. conventional and gnotobiotic mice) models. We view observations emanating from these studies will lead to the identification of novel markers, which could be exploited in the design of future therapeutic strategies.
Qualifications and required skills
• MSc in Health Sciences, with a marked interest for microbiology/immunology.
• Experience with some of the following techniques is privileged: multicolour flow-cytometry, ELISA based technologies, cell culture assays, biochemical technology, animal models, QPCR
• Excellent judgment
• Reliability and integrity
• Flexibility, autonomy, rigor, organizational skills
• Diplomacy, dynamism, and professionalism
• Excellent work ethic
• Demonstrates leadership and good collaboration skills in a team environment
• Good written and oral communication skills.
Starting date: September 2023
Working conditions
• Duration to be determined
• Full-time, daytime schedule.
To apply, please send your CV to: RecruteRH@ircm.qc.ca
