PhD: Shedding light on myopia by studying inherited retinal disorders
Context
We are seeking a motivated and intellectually curious PhD student to work on a project addressing the role of differentially regulated genes (DEGs) appearing in mouse models with inherited retinal disease showing also myopia. The project aim is to improve the diagnostic methods and treatment options for myopia.
The PhD candidate will benefit from networking with other project partners in order to gain understanding and access knowledge from others. Indeed, this project is included in the limits2vision program, a collaborative research group implying the Vision Institute (IDV) in Paris, France, and the Institute of Ophthalmology Research (IOR) in Tuebingen, Germany.
Myopia, or nearsightedness, is the most common ocular disorder worldwide. It is caused by mislocalization of the focal point in front of the retina, causing a blurry far vision. Myopia can be isolated or integrated in a syndrome such as found in inherited retinal diseases, including complete congenital stationary night blindness (cCSNB). cCSNB represents signal transmission defect between photoreceptors and ON-bipolar cells (ON-BCs) leading to a complete loss of the ON pathway activity, but also high myopia.
By performing RNA-sequencing on isolated retinas from mouse models of cCSNB, our group unveiled differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in retina and associated with myopia through genome-wide association studies (GWAS) from cases with myopia. Meta-analysis of our DEGs proposed new pathways implicated in myopia, including mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways, eye development and synapse function. Our previous projects have focused on the study of some of those DEGs. Still, the precise roles of many of those DEGs in eye growth and myopia onset and progression remain to be elucidated.
In addition, several therapeutic solutions exist to treat and slow myopia (lenses, atropine eye drops). But these therapies harbor several side effects and show variable efficacy, especially in highly myopic patients and syndromic myopia. Thus, proposing new therapeutic pathways is of great interest to overcome the myopia epidemic.
The research team
The Identifying the molecular pathways involved in eye diseases, from gene to therapy team, led by Isabelle Audo and Christina Zeitz, study large patient cohorts to identify gene defects underlying different forms of inherited retinal diseases and develop gene-based innovative therapies.
Missions
- Validation/invalidation of the studied DEG as a gene implicated in eye growth and myopia.
- Deciphering its role in retinal signaling and populations.
- Integration of those knowledge to human population data
- Proposal of proof of concept for a therapy project aiming at slowing/treating myopia.
Skills required
- You hold a completed Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences, Biology, Pharmacology, or a related field.
- You have a demonstrated interest in ophthalmology, neurology and genetics.
- You have experience in the management, handling and experimenting of mouse strains (highly recommended), certification in animal experimentation at the experimenter level (or equivalent under French regulations, EU Category B), preferred but not mandatory.
- You have affinity with hands-on laboratory research, data processing, and writing scientific publications.
- You work carefully and independently and have strong analytical skills
- You communicate clearly in English; proficiency in German and/or French is considered an advantage.
Education and experience
- Phenotyping of visual function and ocular architecture on mouse model: electroretinography, optomotor response, spectral domain coherence tomography (SD-OCT), eye fundi.
- Characterization of the molecular role of one of the DEGs in tissues harvested from the mouse eyes using molecular biology techniques such as western blots, immunohistochemistry, RNA sequencing, reverse transcription PCR, in situ hybridization studies.
- Measurement of the spontaneous eye growth of the mouse model using infrared refractometry and axial length measurement through SD-OCT
- Measurement of the sensitivity to myopic stimuli using the surgical implantation of negative lenses (lens-induced myopia, LIM), infrared refractometry and SD-OCT.
- Analysis of whole genome sequencing data of patients with myopia using bioinformatic tools.
Specific working conditions
Vacancy opened until May, 31st 2026 23:59
- Home university: Sorbonne Université SIS (Sciences, Ingénierie, Santé)
- Doctoral school : Physiologie, physiopathologie et thérapeutique
- Field: Molecular and Cell Biology
- Subject area: Biology, Medicine and Health
- Research unit : Institut de la Vision
- Thesis supervisor: Christina Zeitz
- Co-supervisor: Baptiste Wilmet
How to apply
To apply for this vacancy, please complete this form and attach your cover letter and curriculum vitae in .pdf format. We will get back to you as soon as possible.