Contact: Eugenio Cinquemani, eugenio.cinquemani@inria.fr, https://team.inria.fr/microcosme/eugenio-cinquemani/
In nature, microorganisms mostly occur in communities of different competing and/or cooperating species. These interactions can in principle be leveraged for a variety of biotechnological applications. At present, full exploitation of microbial consortia presents great challenges ranging from appropriate modelling methods to design and deployment of real-time control systems.
This funded Ph.D. proposal concerns the analysis, development and application of feedback control approaches for microbial communities. The PhD is in the context of project Ctrl-AB funded by the ANR (French national research agency), whose objective is the design, realization and automated control of an algal-bacterial consortium for the optimized synthesis of target proteins in lab-scale bioreactors. With reference to mathematical (ODE-type, nonlinear) models describing the biosynthesis process resulting from this algal-bacterial consortium, the Ph.D. will explore state-of-the-art feedback control approaches as well as novel (data-driven) directions in the control of microbial communities by a combination of theoretical analysis and computer simulation.
The interested candidate should have a solid preparation in mathematical analysis (dynamical systems) and control theory, as well as familiarity with or strong interest in biology/biotechnological applications. Some knowledge of machine learning is a plus.
Please see full details on the official application website:
https://jobs.inria.fr/public/classic/fr/offres/2021-03625
