The lab: Chikhi group
Lab's research themes:
Genetic and genomic data are influenced by the demographic history of populations. This history is the result of events that include population collapses, expansions, or admixture processes. It also involves the connection and disconnection of populations (i.e. varying population structure). Such changes in population structure and connectivity can be caused by many factors, including climate change over short or long periods of human activities in both the most recent and ancient past.
Our group is interested in the genetic consequences of such events. We are thus interested in the methods used to improve our understanding of the recent evolutionary history of species and in the development of new methods or approaches to that aim. The species we are interested in are either endangered species, or the human species. In the case of humans, we try to understand whether genomic data can be used to reconstruct the major events such as expansions and admixture events in the last hundreds of thousands of years.
Merits of the lab:
The group mixes approaches that go from field work (in Madagascar), lab work (DNA extraction, sequencing) to data analysis and computer simulations. It therefore provides a "multi-cultural environment" in which people with very different backgrounds meet and discuss.
The position
What’s the main purpose of our research?
Our group develops research projects in which we aim at interpreting patterns of genomic diversity in terms of spatial patterns, and temporal and spatial processes. For instance, we ask whether genomic data obtained from humans are better explained by models assuming changes in population size (expansions, bottlenecks) or by models assuming changes in connectivity between populations. The long-term objective is to integrate the two types of changes but much work is still required to reach that objective.
How we will do it?
Thus projects currently developed in the group require the identification of adequate genomic data, their analysis and interpretation and the validation of the inferences. For endangered species, we use published data and generate new data whereas for humans we mainly work on published data. Thus projects currently developed in the group require the identification of adequate genomic data, their analysis and interpretation and the validation of the inferences. For endangered species, we use published data and generate new data whereas for humans we mainly work on published data.
Why is this important?
In a period where climate change and habitat loss and fragmentation are among the greatest threats to wild species and humans, understanding whether and how our genomes have been influenced by ancient environmental changes may be more important than the academic exercise may suggest. Are the polymorphisms we observe today the result of selective processes or the simple random results of a complex history where changes in connectivity were important. The interpretation of polymorphisms observed in humans and endangered species depends on the demographic history inferred. Under some history, some polymorphism suggests past selective pressures, whereas in others they are nothing but the result of that complex demography.
Who is a good fit for the project?
The person interested in joining the groups should be:
- Interested in working in an interdisciplinary environment
- interested in population and quantitative thinking
- Interested in learning, applying and developing quantitative skills
- Willing to work on science projects that are not directly related to applied medicine
Medical doctors interested in human polymorphism and genetic diseases might potentially feel more comfortable with the research we do, but any background could be interested if they are interested in the points mentioned above.
Other positions
IDIBAPS#4 – Mechanisms involved in strenuous exercise-induced atrial myocardial fibrosis
IC#4 – The role polyglutamylation in tauopathic neurodegeneration
IC#3 – Evaluation of the efficiency of immunotherapy by tracing ctDNA in metastatic NSCLC and triple-negative breast cancer patients
IC#2 – New targetable vulnerabilities for the treatment of chemoresistant breast and ovarian BRCA1/2-mutated tumors
IDIBAPS#3 – Mechanisms involved in vascular inflammation/remodeling in systemic vasculitis
IDIBAPS#2 – Mechanisms and therapies for Myeloma, amyloidosis, macroglobulinemia and other gammapathies
IDIBAPS#1 – Developing and investigating computing, machine learning and physiological modelling for understanding each individual heart towards personalised medicine
BRIC#6 – Tumour evolution, heterogeneity, and understanding of the mutational processes leading to aggressive disease
IC#1 – The role of RNASE1 in lung metastatic niche establishment by breast cancer cells
MDC#3 – Neuromuscular and Cardiovascular Cell Biology
MDC#2 – Molecular and cellular basis of behavior
MDC#1 – Host-microbiome factors in cardiovascular disease
NKI#1 – Epigenetic regulation in hormone-driven cancers and therapy resistance
VIB#8 – Mechanisms of inflammation and associated tissue damage in musculoskeletal diseases
VIB#7 – Endothelial immunosuppressive mystery genes for alternative immunotherapy: artificial intelligence-driven target discovery and validation
VIB#6 – Cellular metabolism and metabolic regulation in cancer metastasis
VIB#5 – Unraveling the molecular mechanisms of neuronal degeneration in motor neuron diseases
VIB#4 – Identification of universal biomarkers of metastatic melanoma in CTCs
VIB#3 – Basic mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease and neurodegeneration
VIB#2 – Integrative genomics to underpinning somatic evolution, tumour heterogeneity, and treatment resistance
VIB#1 – Medical biotechnology to improve hepatocellular carcinoma diagnostics
BRIC#5 – The impact of severe maternal respiratory tract infections on fetal brain development and offspring behavior
