DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP

The doctoral project is part of the interdisciplinary program LIFE TRAVEL (Life Trajectories, Multimorbidity, Functional Ability, Quality of Life and Longevity), developed within the framework of the Initiative d'Excellence Lorraine (I-SITE Lorraine - France 2030) and involving the medical, biomedical, digital, and social sciences communities of the University of Lorraine.

DESCRIPTION

Title: Characterization of Factors Associated with Pregnancy-Related Recurrence in Low-Grade Gliomas, for Individual Risk Assessment and Decision Support

Context

Diffuse low-grade gliomas are adult brain tumors characterized by the presence of a mutation in the gene encoding isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH). Although rare (approximately 1 per 100,000 individuals), these tumors primarily affect young adults (median age at diagnosis: 35 years), inevitably progress toward more aggressive forms, and ultimately lead to death in almost all cases.

Thanks to an active therapeutic strategy based on early, maximal, and safe awake surgery combined with medical treatments (chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and radiotherapy), life expectancy has significantly improved, with overall survival now exceeding 16 years in recent cohorts. Quality of life is generally preserved for a prolonged period, allowing patients to maintain family, social, and professional activities following surgery.

As a result of prolonged disease control and the more favorable prognosis observed in younger patients, an increasing number of women diagnosed with diffuse low-grade glioma are considering pregnancy. However, several studies have reported that pregnancy accelerates tumor growth and promotes progression from low-grade to high-grade glioma in at least 40% of cases. These findings are particularly paradoxical given that estrogens and progesterone, which are produced in large quantities during pregnancy, have been described as protective against gliomagenesis in non-pregnant women.

Objectives

Within this PhD project, the doctoral candidate will join an established international and multidisciplinary consortium bringing together biologists, computational imaging scientists, and clinicians. The objectives are to:

• Identify key molecular signatures underlying tumor profiles by comparing (i) non-pregnant women versus pregnant women and (ii) patients with a tumor progression versus those without progression following a recent pregnancy;

• Evaluate candidate therapeutic compounds using in vitro approaches, select the most promising candidate(s), and assess its (their) efficacy in an original preclinical model of female and pregnant female mice bearing IDH-mutant brain tumors.

Methods

The project is organized into four research axes:

Axis 1: Identification of prognostic signatures associated with tumor progression in patients according to recent pregnancy status using single-cell RNAseq and/or MRI-based analyses.

Axis 2: Development of a questionnaire assessing patients’ hormonal trajectories in order to improve predictive models of tumor progression.

Axis 3: Identification and in vitro evaluation of candidate drugs capable of reversing the molecular signature associated with tumor progression in pregnant patients with a molecular profile predictive of progression.

Axis 4: Development of an original preclinical model based on immunocompetent female and pregnant female mice grafted with murine IDH-mutant glioma cells, enabling the evaluation of therapeutic candidates capable of reversing the tumor progression signature.

Ultimately, this PhD project will contribute to (i) improving the clinical management and long-term outcomes of patients with diffuse low-grade glioma by enabling a more accurate assessment of pregnancy-associated progression risk and the implementation of preventive counseling strategies, and (ii) supporting neuro-oncologists in therapeutic decision-making.

TERMS AND TENURE

Applicants must hold a Master’s degree in Life Sciences and have a strong background in molecular and cellular biology, including hands-on experience with relevant experimental approaches. They should also demonstrate a strong motivation to perform in vivo studies.

This three-year position will be based at the CRAN UMR7039, BioSiS department, team Syranno.  The duration can not exceed 36 months. Gross monthly salary: €2,300.

The target start date for the position is 1st November 2026, with some flexibility on the exact start date.

Doctoral enrollment: Doctoral School of Biology and Health (BioSE), University of Lorraine.

HOW TO APPLY 

Applicants are requested to submit the following materials:

• A cover letter applying for the position
• Full CV 
• Academic transcripts (unofficial versions are fine)
• Letter(s) of recommendation if available

Deadline for application is 6 July 2026. Applicants will be interviewed by an Ad Hoc Commission by 16 July 2026.

Applications are only accepted through email. All documents must be sent to [email protected]

JOB LOCATION

Nancy, Lorraine, France