Biosketch

I am an INSERM research director (DR2) working on the early molecular and cellular events driving chronic kidney disease (CKD) using microfluidic approaches. I completed my PhD degree in Cellular Microbiology from Lille University (Pasteur Institute) in 2009 in the lab of Franck Lafont where I worked on autophagy in epithelial cells upon bacterial infection. I then specialized on basic aspects of autophagy by studying (i) the role of the autophagic molecular machinery in unconventional secretion and (ii) the interplay between lipid droplet and the autophagic pathway (Postdoc #1, 2009-2013, University of New Mexico, Lab of Vojo Deretic).

In 2013, I came back to France and joined the research group of Patrice Codogno at Institut Necker Enfants Malades (INEM) to develop projects on autophagic response in kidney epithelial cells subjected to mechanical forces (Postdoc #2, 2013-2016).

After having a permanent position at Université Paris Cité in 2016, I started to lead a research group, first within Patrice Codogno and Gérard Friedlander ‘s laboratory (INEM) and then within Etienne Morel’s laboratory (INEM).

Recently, I joined the lab of Fabiola Terzi (INEM).  My current research is secured by grants from ANR (Mechanophagy 2018-2023 Coordinator, Yapophagy 2023-2027 Coordinator) and CNRS (NanoCKD-AMI 2022 Coordinator). The main goal of my research group is to understand how mechanical forces and autophagy contribute in driving CKD progression. Another aspect of my group is to study the contribution of environmental factors in accelerating the progression of CKD.