Currently a full Professor of Neurosciences at the University of Lille (U-Lille), I serve as a member of the board for the Faculty of Sciences & Technologies (U-Lille) and work at the Institute for Electronics, Microelectronics, and Nanotechnologies (IEMN - CNRS UMR 8520). https://www.iemn.fr
Coming from a pure neurosciences background, I recently joined a multidisciplinary team with neuroengineering interests at IEMN. I first studied molecular alterations of microtubule-associated Tau protein and earned a Ph.D. on neurodegenerative disorders in 2000, I later developed molecular in vitro and transgenic models of neurodegeneration during a post-doctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania (USA), then studied the deleterious impact of gestational stress on the further development of neurodegenerative conditions in rodent models, and over the past 10 years, I investigated molecular mechanisms of vulnerability towards chronic exposure to low-doses of pesticides in Parkinson-like conditions in mice and rats.
My current research focuses on the development of a new class of neural implants aimed at restoring/replacing disabled neural function in the context of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease or age-related macular degeneration. In this context, and within the interdisciplinary team in which I work gathering people from Nanoelectronics, BioMEMS and Neurosciences, I develop setups with living neurons of various origins to interconnect them with artificial neurons, with the aim of establishing a bidirectional loop (AKA closed loop) between electronic devices and living cells/tissues/organs.
I am the author or co-author of ~20 scientific publications in peer-reviewed international journals, 3 book chapters, more than 40 communications in international conferences with proceedings and several other communications (educational communications with proceedings, communications in French for different audiences...)
Since 2006, I am a registered external expert at the European Commission and thus regularly participate in the evaluation of proposals as well as in the monitoring of awarded EU grants. I am also a registered expert for the French ITRF Committees (overseing committees for engineers and technical research and training staff). From 2011-2019, I have served as an elected member of the French National Council for Universities (CNU) within the Neurosciences Section (section 69). I am currently a member of the board of the Faculty of Sciences and Technologies in U-Lille.
Due to my former and current research interests, I have been involved in Ethics from the beginning of my career and have served in several ethical committees, including the Regional Ethical Committee for Animal Research (CEEA75). I am currently the President of the Internal Ethical Committee of the private company OCRvet (Oncovet Clinical Research, the OneHealth Company) based in Eurasanté Parc in Lille.