Meeting with Sebastien Billes
My scientific background
From a young age, I was attracted by the idea of being a scientist – even if I didn’t realize what it meant. But, moreover, I loved maths and physics. So, when I started college, I directed myself towards those fields; and after multiple internships and experiences allowing me to define my project more precisely, I candidated for a Biophysics Master (SBCP) with a thesis in mind. Discussions with researchers, during internships or not, were what actually led me to research.
What attracts me to the Pre-Doc experience
My first motivation for learning more about iBio was funding for my PhD. But, as I delved in the presentations, I was attracted by taking a bit more time to decide where I want to go. Biophysics is a wide field, especially as I come from mathematics and physics, with no biological experience before my Master. Being able to give a chance not only to one project, but three, was very interesting to me.
Contact: sebastien.billes@universite-paris-saclay.fr
Rotations:
- Project title “Stochastic bacterial population dynamics in the gut – theory and application”
Supervisors Claude Loverdo (Laboratory Jean Perrin, IBPS) & Emma Slack (ETH Zürich, Switzerland)
- Project title “Swift Phenotypic Adjustments in Cyclic Environments (SPACE)”
Supervisors Raphaël Candelier (Laboratory Jean Perrin, IBPS) & Nicolas Bredeche (Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique, Sorbonne Université, CNRS)
- Project title “Computational and experimental exploration of the dynamics of actin populations in the early C. elegans embryo”
Supervisors François Robin (Developmental Biology Laboratory, IBPS) & Amandine Veber (MAP5, Université Paris Cité, CNRS)
Meeting with Ana Maria Daza-Zapata
My scientific background
I have always been curious about how life is generated and developed. While doing my bachelor’s degree in biology and my Master’s degree in basic biomedical sciences, I had the opportunity to discover different places to do science and amazing people who helped me to answer scientific questions. I realized how important it is to solve one question with different approaches. My decision to seek a research career was influenced by these experiences and my passion to solve scientific questions.
What attracts me to the Pre-Doc experience
I was particularly attracted by the Pre-doc experience because I will meet and work with groundbreaking scientists with an integrative vision of science, combining physics, chemistry, mathematics, and computer science to understand biological processes. The Pre-doc experience will be the occasion to enrich my knowledge in different fields and discover new work environments. It will offer me the chance to grow professionally and socially in a multidisciplinary environment. Moreover, I will have a real experience in the lab getting to know new colleagues and professors during the three different rotations.
Contact: amaria.daza@udea.edu.co
Rotations:
- Project title “Linking intermediate filaments dynamics to glial shape and functions”
Supervisor Pierre-Luc Bardet (Developmental Biology Laboratory, IBPS) & Cécile Leduc (Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS, Université Paris Cité)
- Project title “Homeostasis of mitochondrial metabolism during hippocampal development”
Supervisors Richard Belvindrah (Institut du Fer à Moulin) & Franck Sureau (Laboratory Jean Perrin, IBPS)
- Project title “Modeling anti-correlated activity from high quality ground truth dataset”
Supervisors Elim Hong (Neurosciences Paris Seine, IBPS) & Hédi Soula (Nutriomics, Sorbonne Université, Inserm) & Delphine Salort (Laboratory of Computational and Quantitative Biology, IBPS)
Meeting with Nathalie Jablonski
My scientific background
From a young age, I have wished to continue in the footsteps of my mother and grandmother by pursuing a career in medicine and research. By completing a Masters in Developmental Biology at the Sorbonne, I solidified my desire to work in this field by assisting various team leaders and PhD students to develop tissue-engineered constructs. Personally, I find this genre of research endlessly fascinating and cutting-edge but equally practical in terms of medical relevance.
What attracts me to the Pre-Doc experience
The iBio joint Pre-Doc and PhD program is particularly attractive to incoming doctoral candidates such as myself, due to its interdisciplinary nature and facilitation of international scientific collaboration. Although I am eager to begin a PhD and to establish myself as a scientific professional, I am also delighted to have the opportunity to work in several different laboratories before committing to a long-term project. During my Pre-Doc rotation, I hope to further my technical proficiency in new lab techniques, to expand my network of contacts and collaborators, and to familiarize myself with various research models.
Contact: natalie.a.jablonski@gmail.com
Rotations:
- Project title “Engineering an in vitro myotendinous junction”
Supervisors Delphine Duprez (Developmental Biology Laboratory, IBPS) & Gilbert Penney (Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
- Project title “Deciphering the effects of Cold Atmospheric Plasma on Survival and functionality of cardiomyocytes from patients suffering dilated cARdiomyopathy (CAPSTAR)”
Supervisors Onnik Agbulut (Biological Adaptation and Ageing, IBPS) & Thierry Dufour (Laboratoire de Physique des Plasmas, CNRS, École Polytechnique)
- Project title “Functional and dynamic role of dihydrouridine in transcriptome”
Supervisors Damien Brégeon (Biological Adaptation and Ageing, IBPS) & Djemel Hamdane (Laboratoire de Chimie des Processus Biologiques, Collège de France)
Meeting with Matilde Pattanaro
My scientific background
My academic journey, spanning from a Bachelor’s in Physics to a specialized MSc in Biophysics, has been driven by the possibility of applying physics and interdisciplinary methodologies to tackle biological problems. Moving from Italy to Belgium and finally to France, this path allowed me to discover the intricate world of mechanobiology, soft matter, and biophysics, where I’ve harnessed my passion for understanding life at the molecular and cellular levels.
What attracts me to the Pre-Doc experience
I am highly motivated to participate in the Pre-Doc program, as it presents a unique opportunity for me to develop a deeper understanding of interdisciplinary research contributing to cutting-edge science. I am drawn to the dynamic learning environment and the chance to collaborate with multiple scientific laboratories. I am confident that the opportunity to perform three consecutive projects, each in separate laboratories, will allow me to gain the scientific maturity, experience, and specialized knowledge, necessary to undertake a successful PhD project.
Contact: matilde.pattanaro@sorbonne-universite.fr
Rotations:
- Project title “Unlocking the molecular organization of membrane-less organelles using Single Particle Tracking”
Supervisors Dominique Weil (Developmental Biology Laboratory, IBPS) & Miné-Hattab Judith (Laboratory of Computational and Quantitative Biology, IBPS)
- Project title “Rigidity sensing in bacteria via ubiquitous type 4 pili”
Supervisors Nicolas Biais (Laboratory Jean Perrin, IBPS) & Vladimir Pelicic (Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, Aix-Marseille University)
- Project title “Mapping and engineering binding affinity and specificity in antibodies
Supervisors Clément Nizak (Laboratory Jean Perrin, IBPS) & Olivier Rivoire (CIRB, Collège de France)