Premier pôle européen de recherche, de soins et d’enseignement sur les maladies génétiques créé en 2007 au cœur du campus de l’Hôpital Necker-Enfants malades. Sa mission ? Mieux comprendre les maladies génétiques pour mieux les guérir.
L’Institut Imagine est un endroit unique au monde qui rassemble chercheurs, patients, médecins et personnels de santé dans une architecture créatrice de synergies au service d’une même ambition : changer la vie des familles touchées par les maladies génétiques.
The laboratory "Molecular mechanisms of hematological disorders and therapeutic implications" (team A. Levescot) is looking for a Postdoctoral Researcher - Immunology & Functional Models of Autoimmunity and lymphoma
https://www.institutimagine.org/en/olivier-hermine-and-thiago-trovati-maciel-181
Chronic autoimmune diseases often persist within specific tissues despite systemic immunosuppression. A major unresolved question is whether this persistence results solely from sustained activation of immune cells, or from clonal evolution driven by somatic mutations that alter their behavior over time.
Our team investigates this through the lens of refractory celiac disease and related intestinal autoimmune enteropathies, focusing on how tissue‑resident T cells (TRM) evolve into autonomous pathogenic clones capable of sustaining inflammation and triggering lymphoproliferative transformation.
Using patient‑derived intestinal organoids coupled with single‑cell short and long‑read sequencing and spatial transcriptomic technologies, we aim to uncover how somatic mutations reprogram immune cells and how these altered cells drive epithelial damage, immune persistence, and therapy resistance.
The project builds on recent findings from our group demonstrating JAK/STAT‑pathway mutations in clonally expanded intestinal T cells from patients with refractory celiac disease, revealing a continuum between chronic inflammation and lymphomagenesis.
Malamut G, Guégan N, … , Levescot A. Clonal Lymphocyte Expansions and JAK-STAT Pathway Mutations Define a Pathogenic Continuum Driving Resistance to Gluten-Free Diet in Celiac Disease. Gastroenterology. 2026, doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2026.03.025 ;
Levescot A, Cerf-Bensussan N. Loss of tolerance to dietary proteins: From mouse models to human model diseases. Immunol Rev. 2024, doi: 10.1111/imr.13395 ;
Levescot A, Malamut G, Cerf-Bensussan N. Immunopathogenesis and environmental triggers in coeliac disease. Gut.2022, doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2021-326257 ;
Cording S et al., Oncogenetic landscape of lymphomagenesis in coeliac disease. Gut. 2022, doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2020-322935 ;
Ettersperger J, et al., Interleukin-15-Dependent T-Cell-like Innate Intraepithelial Lymphocytes Develop in the Intestine and Transform into Lymphomas in Celiac Disease. Immunity. 2016, doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2016.07.018.
The recruited postdoctoral fellow will play a central role in deciphering how genetic and functional remodeling of tissue‑resident immune cells contributes to local immune persistence and epithelial damage.
Isolation, phenotyping, and culture of primary T cells from human intestinal biopsies and blood ;
Establishment of immune-epithelial co‑culture and patient‑derived intestinal organoids ;
Execution of cytokine stimulation, cytotoxicity assay ;
Functional profiling of mutated vs. non‑mutated immune clones ;
Preparation of samples for single‑cell and spatial multi‑omics analyses (scRNA‑seq, CITE‑seq, Visium) ;
Coordination with bioinformatics and clinical collaborators for integration of genetic, functional, and spatial data ;
Dissemination of results via manuscripts and international meetings.
PhD in immunology, cellular biology, or related experimental field (awarded or close to completion) ;
Solid background in T‑cell biology, mucosal immunology, and/or autoimmunity ;
Expertise in primary immune cell culture and standard immunological assays (flow cytometry, ELISA, western blot, cytokine profiling) ;
Hands‑on experience with organoid or 3D culture systems is a strong asset ;
Interest in single‑cell or spatial transcriptomics approaches ;
Capacity to work independently while engaging in collaborative, interdisciplinary research ;
Excellent communication skills and fluency in English (French not required).
Institut Imagine is one of Europe’s leading biomedical research centers dedicated to genetic and immune‑mediated diseases, embedded within the Necker Hospital campus in the heart of Paris.
The successful candidate will benefit from :
Access to advanced core facilities for genomics, flow cytometry, imaging, and single‑cell multi‑omics ;
Direct interaction with clinical teams and bioinformaticians ;
A vibrant community of scientists within the Imagine research ecosystem ;
Close collaborations with national and international partners including basic science, clinical, and computational.
Fixed term contract for 12 months, possibility of extension ;
Location: Institut Imagine, Paris, France ;
Salary: based on experience (€ 3476 to € 4066)
Please send the following documents (merged into a single PDF file):
A cover letter describing your motivation and how your background fits the project (max 1 page) ;
A detailed CV including list of publications ;
Contact details of 2-3 references (referees may be contacted directly).
At Institut Imagine, we encourage a diversity of profiles and career paths. All applications meeting the criteria outlined in the job offe are welcome, in an environment where everyone can work with respect and inclusiveness.