About the project Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, yet current immunotherapies remain limited by systemic toxicity and poor tumour selectivity. The Intelligent Biohybrids Group at INSERM/CBS Montpellier is recruiting a postdoctoral researcher to develop a new class of programmable bacterial therapeutics for lung cancer, within the INCa PLBIO-funded project "Advancing lung cancer treatment through inhaled biohybrid technologies".

The project combines synthetic biology, biohybrid materials, pulmonary drug delivery, and cancer immunotherapy to engineer living medicines capable of sensing the tumour microenvironment and producing therapeutic biologics directly within lung tumours.

The project engineers probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 with a pH-responsive polymer coating and synthetic genetic circuits that sense the tumour microenvironment and trigger localised secretion of therapeutic single-domain antibodies directly at the tumour site, with the goal of establishing a proof-of-concept for a programmable, targeted, and tolerable lung cancer therapy.

The consortium unites three complementary teams: CBS/INSERM Montpellier (synthetic biology and biohybrid engineering), INSERM UMR1100 Tours (respiratory pharmacology and preclinical lung models, Dr. Thomas Sécher), and the University of Tokyo (polymer nanomedicine, Prof. Horacio Cabral). Role and responsibilities The postdoctoral researcher will be based at CBS Montpellier and will play an integrative scientific role across the consortium, bridging bacterial engineering and preclinical validation.

The successful candidate will have significant scientific autonomy and the opportunity to shape the direction of an emerging research programme in programmable living therapeutics. Synthetic biology and bacterial engineering Engineering tumour-responsive genetic circuits and biosensors in E.

coli Nissle 1917 Development of strains secreting therapeutic single-domain antibodies, individually and in combination Biohybrid delivery and validation Contribution to the optimisation of polymer-coated bacterial formulations for lung delivery, immune evasion, and tumour targeting, in collaboration with polymer chemistry partners Validation in 2D and 3D lung cancer models, including assessment of synergy with chemotherapy Contribution to in vivo preclinical studies in orthotopic lung cancer mouse models Consortium integration and translation Scientific coordination across partner laboratories, including regular visits to the INSERM Tours facility and University of Tokyo Co-supervision of students and contribution to technology transfer and IP valorisation activities Active contribution to scientific publications and international conference presentations Required qualifications PhD in synthetic biology, microbiology, molecular biology, bioengineering, immuno-oncology, or a closely related field, obtained within the past 5 years Demonstrated experience in bacterial genetic engineering and recombinant protein expression in E.

coli Genuine interest in oncology and cancer immunotherapy as a research context Interest in translational and preclinical research approaches involving in vivo models Hands-on experience with flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy Familiarity with in vitro mammalian cell culture Excellent scientific writing and communication skills in English Ability to work independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary, international environment Desirable qualifications Experience with synthetic genetic circuits, biosensors, or recombinase logic Experience with 3D tumour spheroid models or in vivo mouse models Knowledge of polymer chemistry or nanomedicine Experience with single-domain antibodies or protein secretion systems What we offer A stimulating interdisciplinary research environment at the interface of synthetic biology, cancer immunotherapy, and translational medicine Access to state-of-the-art facilities at CBS (super-resolution microscopy, cryo-electron microscopy, AFM, robotic automation, high-throughput flow cytometry) Active collaboration with leading teams in respiratory pharmacology (Tours) and polymer nanomedicine (University of Tokyo) Integration into a well-funded group with active national and international programmes (HORIZON MSCA, INCa, INSERM, ANR) Strong potential for high-impact publications, international visibility, and participation in the development of first-in-class living therapeutic technologies Support for career development, conference attendance, and open-access publication Montpellier, a dynamic scientific hub in southern France hosting one of Europe's strongest ecosystems in microbiology, structural biology, and health biotechnology, with an exceptional quality of life Candidates with an interest in transitioning toward bio-entrepreneurship, technology transfer, or future spin-off initiatives are strongly encouraged to apply.

Application Applications should be submitted as a single PDF to diego. cattoni@inserm. fr with the subject line "PLBIO25-162 Postdoc Application — [Your Name]" and should include: A cover letter (maximum 1 page) describing your motivation and fit for the position A full curriculum vitae including publication list Two letters of recommendation (included in the PDF, or sent directly by referees with the subject line "Letter – PLBIO25-162 – [Candidate Name]") Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Contact Dr.

Diego Cattoni Chargé de Recherche (CRCN), INSERM Intelligent Biohybrids Group, Centre de Biologie Structurale (CBS) INSERM U1054 / CNRS UMR5048 / Université de Montpellier 29 rue de Navacelles, 34090 Montpellier, France diego. cattoni@inserm. fr https://orcid. org/0000-0002-0048-8531