The HEAL group is recruiting a PhD position to the project “DinoPlast”, under codirection with Thomas Lacour (Phytox, IFREMER Nantes).

In a warming world ocean, identifying the molecular effectors of algal primary production is increasingly important for understanding global carbon cycle processes. Dinoflagellates are by far the least understood group of algae from a molecular point of view. They play complex and important roles as phototrophs, mixotrophs, coral symbionts and agents responsible for harmful algal blooms (HABs), but for which there are historically no feasible experimental models. DinoPlast seeks to build metabolic networks for four dinoflagellate species (Amphidinium, Lepidodinium, Karlodinium and Lingualax) as molecular models of the processes that support the dinoflagellate chloroplast, bridging complementary views of translational profiling and physiology with global ocean ecosystems. Key objectives include establishing RiboSeq as a quantification of gene expression for all four species; assessing changes in the expression of plastid-associated metabolism in each species across its thermal niche; and physiologically assessing trophic position (phototrophy, mixotrophy) and toxicity in each strain to infer their likely contributions to the ecosystem in a future warmer ocean.