Job title:
Call for expression of interest to welcome a Marie S. Curie Postdoctoral Fellow – SATO: To propoSe new foods and dietAry ingredients rich in proTeins from different species Of cultivated or wild algae for the health sector
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Job description
is a highly prestigious renowned EU-funded scheme. It offers talented scientists a unique chance to set up 2-year research and training projects with the support of a supervising team. Besides providing an attractive grant, it represents a major opportunity to boost the career of promising researchers.Research laboratories in Brittany are thus looking for excellent postdoctoral researchers with an international profile to write a persuasive proposal to apply for a Marie S. Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2025 (deadline of the EU call is set for 10th September 2025). The topic and research team presented below have been identified in this regard.Research Field: Life Sciences (LIF)Research sub field(s): Valorization of macroalgae in food and pharmaceutical fieldsKeywords: Algae, biochemical analysis, nutritional properties, biological activities, foodResearch project descriptionAccording to recent data from the Food and Agriculture Organization, world hunger continues to rise, despite major efforts to guarantee access to food resources. At the same time, the diets of developing countries are tending to align with Western models, with increased consumption of lipids and animal proteins. This imbalance is known to lead to overweight and obesity, associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The gradual worldwide trend towards animal protein consumption also raises environmental issues linked to the sustainability of food systems, both production systems and processing industries.The real challenge is not just to limit the consumption of animal proteins, but also to offer new, healthy alternative proteins that enable nutritious, better-balanced diets, while being more sustainable from an economic, social and environmental point of view. Macroalgae is attracting growing interest due to its many nutritional and environmental benefits. Rich in proteins, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants, they represent a naturally available sustainable alternative to traditional food resources.They are generally regarded as a viable and renewable protein source as their essential amino acid (EAA) composition meets FAO requirements and they are often comparable to other protein sources, such as soybean or egg The EU’s Farm to Fork strategy indeed specifically mentions ‘well-targeted support for the algae industry, as algae should become an important source of alternative protein for a sustainable food system and global food security. Macroalgae have been used by human as food for centuries mostly in coastal areas or along the rivers. However, they have been the subject of relatively little research compared to other protein alternatives such as insects or legumes. Protein extraction from macroalgae is particularly challenging. This is due to the presence of polysaccharide components that make up the anionic cell wall. They are intracellularly bound to proteins making the extraction of protein difficult. In addition, insoluble phenolic compounds can be bound to cell wall polysaccharides via hydrophilic and hydrophobic bonding which protein structures are attached to. Therefore, efficient disruption of the algal cell wall is essential for the extraction of algal proteins.The project proposes to develop new sources of protein-rich raw materials for the health sector from different cultivated and wild species of green macroalgae Ulva sp., and Cladophora sp. Due to the complexity of the algal wall and the strong interactions between polysaccharides and proteins, protein extraction remains the main challenge. Different innovative biomass pre-treatment and eco-responsible extraction technologies will be tested at laboratory scale and then at industrial level. The Postdoctoral fellow will work on the effect of High-Pressure Homogenization, Ultrasound processes and fermentation on biochemical composition. Protein and amino acids content, fibers, ash, lipids, polyphenol content, nutritional values, and antioxidant activities will be evaluated. The idea would be to propose innovative and creative high nutriment recipes or formulations for under-nourished people. Relevant approaches include a multi-criteria environmental, economic and logistical evaluation of the macroalgal protein food chain could be proposed in order to highlight the obstacles and drivers for building a sustainable value chain.ReferencesVega-Gomez et al., 2024Salido et al. 2024Michalak & Messyasz, 2021SupervisorThe Postdoctoral Fellow will be supervised by Pr. Nathalie Bourgougnon. Pr. N. Bourgougnon has thirty-five years of experience in marine biochemistry of molecules extracted from seaweeds with Plant or Human Health applications. In 1994, she obtained a PhD in Marine Biochemistry about antiviral polysaccharides extracted from Rhodophyta from Nantes University and acquired training in marine biochemistry and biotechnology. In 1995, she was appointed as an associate professor in plant biology at the University of La Rochelle. In 2001, she joined the LBCM in Bretagne Sud University as professor. Her main area of research relates to the search for marine substances with biological activities. She has published
130 in peer-reviewed journals and chapters, 2 patents about antiviral substances with H index 47. For more information,She has been involved in several European and recent national project programmes (ANR/ADEME Save-C 2020-2023 and ANR France 2030 PROMALG-Health 2024-2028). She has coordinated the project ASEM-DUO from MAE (Minister of Foreign Affairs) between France and Malaysia (2007-2009), ECOS Nord Mexico (2015-2018) and PHC NUSANTARA with Indonesia (2019-2021) and Laos Project (2024-2025).Department/Research unitThe Laboratory for Marine Biotechnology and Chemistry (LBCM) is labelled by the CNRS as EMR 6076 (Equipe Mixte de Recherche. The LBCM is integrated into the (IUEM). The laboratory is composed of 40 members including 22 professors and assistant professors, 22 PhD students, 5 post-doctorate researchers. The group has also patented several molecules and was involved in national ( , ANR Biopaintrop; Save-C, PROMALG-Health) and international projects. LBCM is focused on biofilms – microbiome and on marine biotechnology by valorization of seaweeds. The participants of this project are experts in innovative projects for extraction of seaweed high added value molecules by new eco-friendly processes for Human and Plant applications. A comparison of various technological, sustainable, and economic processes for extraction and purification of valuable molecules (oligo-, polysaccharides, MAA, lipids, polyphenols) from seaweeds has been conducted with the aim to improve efficiency, yield, quality and biological activity.Staff: N. Bourgougnon (Pr.), G. Bedoux (Pr.), Chirelle Jabbour and Anne-Sophie Burlot (two assistant professors), C. Marty (Engineer ass.). and theLocationThe project will take place at , Campus de Tohannic, Vannes, France.Suggestion for interdisciplinary / intersectoral secondments and placementsAs part of the project, the candidate will be able to visit in order to collect freshwater Cladophora biomass and develop complementary skills on the pre-treatment of the biomass. The aim of this period is to understand traditional preparation, preservation, treatment before consumption, and consumption methods of the species, to determine the sustainability of alternative protein compared to current alternatives, to investigate the existence of recipes or special preparations and to explore new ways of valorization.He/she will also work in collaboration with the company in charge of cultivated seaweed production (Brittany, France).Skills requirements
- Autonomy, curiosity, motivation
- English Languages
- Algal knowledges (biology, biochemistry, application)
- Biostatistics analysis
- International publications after PhD studies
Eligibility criteria for applicantsAcademic qualification: By the MSCA-PF call deadline (10 September 2025), applicants must be in possession of a doctoral degree, defined as a successfully defended doctoral thesis, even if the doctoral degree has yet to be awarded.Research experience: Applicants must have a maximum of 8 years full-time equivalent experience in research, measured from the date applicants were in possession of a doctoral degree. Years of experience outside research and career breaks (e.g. due to parental leave), will not be taken into account.Nationality & Mobility rules: Applicants can be of any nationality but must not have resided more than 12 months in France in the 36 months immediately prior to the MSCA-PF call deadline (10 September 2025).Application processWe encourage all motivated and eligible postdoctoral researchers to send their expressions of interest through the EU Survey application form ( ) , before 31st May 2025. Your application shall include:
- a CV detailing: (i) for each position you had, the exact dates and location (country) and (ii) a list of accepted publications;
- a cover letter including a research outline (up to 2 pages) identifying the research synergies with the project supervisor(s) and proposed research topics described above.
Estimated timetable
- Deadline for sending an expression of interest: 31st May 2025
- Selection of the application: June 2025 at the latest
- Writing the MSCA-PF proposal with the support of the above-mentioned supervisor(s): June – September 2025
- MSCA-PF 2025 call deadline: 10 September 2025
- Publication of the MSCA-PF evaluation results: February 2026
- Start of the MSCA-PF project (if funded): May 2026 at the earliest
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Location
Vannes, Morbihan
Job date
Thu, 13 Feb 2025 02:39:24 GMT
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