We have several open positions (funded) in the team. All of them to start ASAP

  1. Master 2 Internship : Microfluidic characterization of natural rubber latex

Natural latex from Hevea brasiliensis is a complex colloidal suspension made of rubber particles, lipids, proteins and small solutes dispersed in an aqueous phase. Its flow, stability and mechanical response strongly impact plantation productivity, rubber quality and, more broadly, the sustainability of the rubber industry. Despite its major economic importance, our understanding of its interfacial (tension, interfacial composition, protein adsorption) and viscoelastic properties remains limited, partly due to the intrinsic time-dependent instability of latex (coagulation, ageing, pH variations, etc.).

This internship is part of a collaborative project aiming to connect the physico-chemical properties of latex to its behaviour under realistic collection conditions, and to develop microfluidic tools for in situ monitoring directly in rubber tree plantations in Ivory Coast.

More details here : M2 Internship Offer

  1. Master 2 Internship : Quantitative study of MFT protein binding to lipid-coated fluid interfaces

Plant seeds accumulate large amounts of triacylglycerols (TAGs) inside lipid droplets (LDs), which act as a major energy reserve during germination. The architecture of LDs is highly specific: a neutral lipid core is surrounded by a phospholipid monolayer decorated with structural and regulatory proteins. Recent proteomic analyses have identified new LD-associated proteins, including members of the PHOSPHATIDYLETHANOLAMINE-BINDING PROTEIN (PEBP) family, such as MFT (MOTHER OF FT) and its seed-specific homolog SMFT.

Although MFT is known for its role in seed dormancy and germination, its biophysical interactions with LD interfaces remain poorly understood. Understanding how these proteins recognize, bind, and organize at lipid interfaces is a central question at the crossroads of plant biology, interfacial physics, and cell biology.

More details here : M2 Internship Offer