Decoding Eye Movement Control: From Genes to Behavior
Master Research Internship (M1 or M2*)| NeuroPSI, Saclay

The Challenge
Your eye muscles are the most specialized in your body—capable of explosive 40-degree saccades in 100 milliseconds while also holding perfectly still for sustained fixation. How do they do it? Recent genomic studies reveal that extraocular muscles use unique gene regulatory networks (GRNs) found nowhere else. But we don’t know how these genetic programs actually control the diverse eye movements we rely on every moment.

Your Mission
Test whether disrupting specific eye muscle GRNs impairs distinct eye movements. Using transgenic mice and high-speed video oculography, you’ll measure:

Vestibulo-ocular reflex (head movement compensation)
Optokinetic reflex (visual tracking)
Natural eye-head coordination in freely moving mice

What You’ll Gain
Hands-on training in behavioral neuroscience, systems-level thinking, and quantitative video analysis. You’ll bridge molecular genetics and behavior while contributing first evidence linking eye muscle gene networks to motor control—with potential implications for understanding movement disorders.
Perfect for students seeking rigorous technical training at the intersection of genetics, neuroscience, and behavior.
*Project scope adaptable: M1 students will focus on core reflex measurements and method validation; M2 students will additionally conduct freely-moving experiments.