Research topics:

In vitro cell barrier models

Air-liquid interface cell culture and exposure to aerosols

Characterisation and toxicity of aerosols generated from electronic cigarettes

Absorption of therapeutic molecules in healthy and inflammatory states

Characterisation of aerosol-generating device in terms of emitted dose and particle size

My PhD was carried out in the Pharmacology and Barrier Engineering laboratory (INSERM U1059) under the supervision of Pr Xavier Delavenne in Saint-Etienne, France. The initial was defined as “Development of an in vitro model of the nasal barrier to assess drug absorption”. The project focused on the development and validation of an air-liquid nasal barrier model to assess the absorption of therapeutic molecules. I then carried out a two-year postdoctoral internship at the University of Sherbrooke (Canada) in the laboratory of Pr Geraldes, an international leader in the field of vascular complications of diabetes. The aim was to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in the alteration of angiogenic pathways in a diabetic context. I am currently a research engineer in BIOlogical Activity of Inhaled Particles laboratory. I am working with immortalised cells of bronchial, alveolar and pharyngeal origin grown at the air-liquid interface. The development of each model focuses on determining the optimum culture conditions (seeding density, culture time, air-liquid transition…). Once validated, the model is exposed to electronic cigarette aerosols of varying chemical composition and toxicity is assessed using a panel of tests covering a wide range of cellular responses: viability, membrane integrity, inflammation and oxidative stress.

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