MEMBERS OF THE TEAM
Responsible
Frederic Michon, PhD
Inserm research officer
Team leader
"If you understand how it works, then you will be able to fix". I was 10 when my dad told me this. Since then, I am applying this moto to my research, aiming at improving patients' quality of life. Outside of the lab, I enjoy showing to my sons the beauties of Nature, and capturing them in my photographs.
Scientists
Cecile Delette, PhD
Inserm Research Director
Theme manager
Curiosity and the pleasure of discovery have always been driving forces in my life, but what is most motivated is to share with others. Being a researcher is a wonderful human adventure. It is always the same emotion when we interact with patients and their families and read happiness and hope in their eyes because we work on their rare disease. These moments are a huge source of motivation.
Gaël Manes, PhDResearcher Montpellier UniversityAffiliate with the Vision team (50%)
The genetics of optic neuropathies have not yet revealed all of its secrets. Part of my work is to investigate novel genes in these disorders. I am also trying to develop models of functional studies to characterize these new genes.
Agnes Muller, PhD
University Professor
To be implemented soon...
Marie Pequignot, PhD
Inserm researcher
To be happy, let's be perpetually curious and creative together! I like to understand and discover new things (the path is exciting, the arrival exhilarating!), whether in research, travel, cooking, nature, painting, I never stop marvelling! I like to share this happiness to question and understand. I think that it is possible to make anything understood by creating the right tools and by planning it well enough!
Clinicians
Vincent Daien, PU-PH
Ophthalmologist
Head of the ophthalmology department - CHU Montpellier
To be implemented soon...
Hannah Crowdy, PhD
Clinical research associate
Originally from the UK, my love of travel and experiencing different cultures has lead me around the world, eventually ending up in the beautiful south of France. Working as a clinical research assistant within the Ophthalmology department of the CHU Montpellier I have the opportunity to combine my biomedical training with the experience I have gained working within clinical trials internationally.
Agatha Roubertie, MD, Prof.
Neuropediatrician
I am a pediatric neurologist, involved in movement disorders and inherited metabolic diseases, with specific focus on syndromic or non syndromic optic nerve dysfunction related to metabolic disorders. I try to make Translational Medicine my daily practice.
Max Villain, MD, Prof.
Ophthalmologist
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Postdocs
Reem El Monla, PhD
A curious postdoctoral scientist with a unique perspective, and a childhood-dream of finding the treatment to eradicate severe diseases. I set forth on this wild journey using my multidiscplinary knowledge to evolve into the field of tissue engineering; particularly 'Cornea Bioprinting'. My personal triple P rule to thrive in life and research: lots of Passion, a steady level of Perseverance, & a bit of Planning.
PhD students
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Kaisa Ikkala, MSc
I have taken a somewhat long and winding road from cell biology studies via R&D to the current project on zebrafish cornea.
I enjoy staring at cells at the microscope and finding ways to capture the beautiful biological forms in simplified patterns and figures.
When my eyes get too tired, I relax at the gym, or outdoors in the Finnish forests.
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Lena Meneux, MSc
As a PhD student, those are my first steps in the scientific world (quite scary isn't it?). My contribution to the team relies on the characterization of the corneal innervation which has a major role in corneal homeostasis maintenance as well as in the process of corneal healing. Besides science, I love trying new recipes (and eating them of course) and hiking in the surroundings of the gorgeous region of Montpellier."
Julian Perrin, MSc
Curious by nature, I am passionate about a wide variety of subjects. This includes my PhD project where I use zebrafish to study mitochondrial defects in retinal cell degeneration. When I'm not at the lab I love traveling, listening to music and am always up for an adventure.
Marjolaine Willems, MD, MSc
I am a clinical Geneticist who initially studied pediatric medicine and biology. I am deeply interested in endocrinology, immunology, embryology, animal physiology (especially that of penguins), and molecular biology. Eclecticism is the best choice I ever made. I truly believe in the synergism of research and clinical practice, which is why I'm delighted to perform my PhD on the lacrimal gland development.
Nadege Feret, MSc
Eloi Debourdeau, MSc
Technical help
Intern in ophthalmology at CHU of Gui de Chauliac, I completed in 2012 a Master 2 in Biostatistics and my thesis in Medicine.
My research work focuses on ocular microcirculation, a reflection of the general microcirculation.
Since 2022, I continue my research work at the Institute of Neurosciences of Montpellier within the team Dr Frederic Michon.
Biology has always aroused my curiosity and my desire to learn more. During my studies, I became passionate for regenerative medicine and innovative therapies. I have now the pleasure to work on the close link between the cornea and the tears, which are essential for the homeostasis of the cornea and its healing. My free time allows me to pursue my other passions, including horseback riding, video games, music and cooking.
Alicia Caballero, MSc
Technician
Science is like sports, trainings and competitions. It implies perseverance, improvement and effort. This is why they are my two passions. I have traveled many km to get here and help the team to develop new therapeutic approaches to cornea pathologies. Ole!
Melanie Quiles, MSc
Technician
Solange Sarkis, MSc
Project engineer
Melissa Girard,
Assistant engineer
As a lifelong science and photography enthusiast, I have learned to draw the positive from the negative. I consider photography as the literature of the eye. And besides, everything brings me back to it...
As a child, life winked at me,
As a teenager, it was science that gave me the eye,
Today, science is a poetry that I practice with my eyes closed,
and that's good because I have a compass in my eye!
“Assuming is good, but finding out is better”. Diligent by instinct and passion driven, I use my curiosity to discover the different facets of research and answers to various subjects. Parallel to science, I love cooking, dancing and listening to music.
Students
Alumni
Fanny Babeau, ophthalmologist
Vassilis Stratoulias, postdoc
Kan Saito, postdoc
Benoit Gautier, postdoc
Alison Kuony, postdoc
Ana Cathia Magalhaes, postdoc
Audrey Senechal, lab manager
Sini Raatikainen, technical assistant
Elenia Bracalanti, technician trainee (Erasmus +)
Solja Kalha, PhD student
Maria Sanz Navarro, PhD student
Emma Juuri, PhD student
Laura Salah, master student