Call for projects ExposUM FELLOWSHIPS 2023

ExposUM is an initiative of the University of Montpellier and its partners¹ aimed at establishing an out-of-building, decompartmentalized reference institute for the study, training and science-society interaction of the environmental determinants of human health. Winner of the ExcellenceS call for projects (PIA4) and supported by the Occitanie Region, ExposUM is funded to the tune of 46.4 M€ over the period 2022-2030.

OBJECTIVES

The Research axis of the ExposUM Institute aims to accelerate the acquisition of fundamental knowledge in an interdisciplinary, coordinated and non-segmented manner on the fields of study of the exposome
under the four pillars:

1. Strengthen the monitoring of environmental exposures,
2. Refining the understanding of the ecology of hosts, pathogens, reservoirs, and vectors in a One Health approach,
3. Improve fundamental knowledge of biological mechanisms,
4. Study the consequences for human health.

Data science (in its broadest sense) constitutes a bridge linking all the pillars, both in terms of methodology, exploitation and highlighting of the results. Based on one or more of the pillars, research oriented towards
the study and development of new exposure control strategies also falls within the scope of this axis, in coordination with the Interfaces axis.

To this end, the ExposUM Institute is proposing two ExposUM Fellowships for the start of the 2023 academic year. They are a complement to the regular research project call, and are a continuation of the MUSE I-SITE attractiveness programme, the terms of which they follow.

The ExposUM Fellowships programme supports the consolidation and development of local skills and the scientific potential of the site on the themes of the Institute. The expected profiles are:

i ) young scientists with strong research potential, able to quickly take on scientific responsibilities and to project themselves according to the strategic interests of the ExposUM consortium partners (in particular on an international level), with a view to obtaining a permanent position, or
ii) confirmed researchers and professors who wish to join one of the research units within the ExposUM Institute's perimeter in order to develop ambitious and original research projects

These two-year contracts are renewable once for a further two years. They cover, where applicable, the salaries of the laureates, as well as an environmental budget of 200 k€/year.² including the salary cost of recruiting at least one post-doctoral fellow (individual cost charged to the employer from 46 k€/year, adjusted according to experience and expertise) and the balance corresponding to other project expenses (recruitment of engineers or ^technicians3, operating and equipment costs), contributing to the implementation of an original exposome research project.

ELIGIBILITY

The following two categories of candidates are eligible:

• Case n°1: PhD holders with a maximum of 7 years' experience, non-permanent teacher-researcher or researcher, on or off the site, proactively seeking a statutory position as a teacher-researcher or researcher,
• Case n°2: PhD holders for more than 7 years, teacher-researcher or researcher currently off-site, non-tenured or tenured (with possible modulation of teaching duties included in the cost of the project).

Nationality and country of residence are not eligibility criteria.

The affiliation laboratory (research unit of the ExposUM consortium) is left to the choice of the candidate, who must have identified it at the time of application, with the approval of the director of the laboratory concerned (see below).

The research project must fall within the field of the exposome, i.e. the study of human health determinants of environmental origin in the broad sense.

APPLICATION FORMALITIES

Applications will be evaluated on the sole basis of a French of English written material, which must include

• a letter from the director of the host laboratory, presenting the interest of the project and its inclusion in a long-term vision for the development of the research unit, the potential for the sustainability of the position and the team at the end of the project: maximum 2 pages,
• an introduction of the candidate including a full CV and a justification of her/his ability to develop a specific theme and possibly to take charge of a young team of the future (e.g. ATIP-Avenir), the potential to obtain international recognition (e.g. ERC Starting Grant), the capacity to carry
  out a structuring project and his/her career prospects: maximum 3 pages,
• a description of the research project (state of the art, progress, potential impacts), a provisional timetable and budget (while indicating other funding already available or expected): maximum 7 pages,
• for non-permanent candidates, a commitment to apply to the French
  competitive exams to become a tenured teacher-researcher or researcher.

These four elements shuld be merged in this order (no template is provided) in the form of a PDF file named: EUMF_NomPrenom.pdf to be sent by email mentioning [Application ExposUM Fellowship] in the subject of the email before April 30, 2023 14:00 (UTC+2)

EVALUATION

The evaluation and selection of applications will be carried out by the Scientific and Strategic Orientation Council (SSOC) of the ExposUM Institute, on the basis of the quality and scientific potential of the applicant and the project, the appropriateness of the project with the themes of the Institute and the coherence of the project with the strategy of the partners of the consortium, with the goal of reinforcing attractiveness and the scientific influence on an international level.

Applications with one or more of the following qualities will be valued, given equivalent scientific level:

• a highly interdisciplinary project (all the more so if it includes a human and social sciences component),
• initiation of new partnerships (academic or otherwise),
• research oriented towards One Health, Global Health and the South,

Calendar

• ExposUM Fellowships call publication: March 15, 2023
• Application deadline: April 30, 2023
• Evaluation and selection of applications: during May 2023
• Results announcement: June 14, 2023
• Start date: September to November 2023.

Commitments

Selected candidates undertake to :

• initiate their research activities in the identified research unit between September and November 2023,
• provide the Institute with an annual report on activities carried out,
• to include the France 2030, Université de Montpellier and Région Occitanie logos in all communications arising from the project, and to respect the signature charter for Université de Montpellier publications,
• for non-tenured laureates, apply for a competitive examination to become a teacher-researcher or statutory researcher.

Institut ExposUM governance

• Management Committee (CoDir): Éric Delaporte (dir.), Aurélie Binot, Charlotte Boullé, Mircea Sofonea.
• Project manager: Élodie Suttling
• Scientific and Strategic Orientation Council (COSS): Jacques Mercier (pres.), Amaria Baghdadli, Bernadette Bensaude-Vincent, Pascal Demoly, Delphine Destoumieux-Garzon, Didier Fontenille, Sylvain Gandon, Julie Pannequin, Denis Pesche, Éric Servat, Coumba Toure Kane, Muriel Vayssier-Taussat, Laurent Visier.
• Conseil d'Orientation et d'Évaluation de la Research (COER): Charlotte Boullé, Anca Mirela Chiriac, Constance Delaby, Jacques Gardon, Alexandre Hobeika, Clément Jonquet, Antonio Maraver, Mircea Sofonea, Annelise Tran.

Results

• Ania Alba Menendez
  UMR d'accueil : IHPE
  Title : Biological invasions, climate change and trematodiasis in Occitania: a vectorcentered One Health approach for assessing risks and interventions on snail-borne zoonosis (InvaSnails).
  Provenance: Local ( IHPE Perpignan).
• Thomas Otto
  UMR d'accueil : LPHI
  Title: Exploring host-pathogen interactions to propose novel drug targets.
  Provenance: University of Glasgow
  

1. UM, Occitanie Region, CNRS, IRD, INRAE, CIRAD, INSERM, CHU Montpellier, ICM, Institut Agro Montpellier, ENSCM, Ifremer, INRIA. ︎
2. From ANR and Région Occitanie funds ^{3 Recruited} within the framework of the laureate's scientific project, according to the salary scales in force at the University of Montpellier. ︎