Postdoctoral fellows

Research project abstract:

While preparation for parenthood often focuses on women, the health of the future father before conception is just as important —shaping half of a child’s future well-being. Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) —like packaged snacks, fast food, canned goods, and ready-to-eat meals—are loaded with chemical pollutants from industrial ingredients and packaging. These substances can enter the body, damaging sperm quality and even the DNA they carry. Yet, we still do not fully understand how this happens.

The SNACS project, led by Marie-Charlotte Dumargne, is uncovering how UPF consumption may harm sperm health and male fertility. By combining human studies with mouse experiments, the project seeks to:

1. Reveal how food-related pollutants affect sperm production.
2. Determine whether a man’s diet before conception can influence not only fertility, but also the health of future generations.

This research will shed light on the hidden costs of our modern diet—and help shape new nutritional guidelines to protect male reproductive health.

Scientific direction: Romain Barrès – IPMC, CNRS

Research project abstract:

Chronic histiocytic intervillitis (CHI) is a rare and severe placental disease that causes dramatic obstetric consequences. In 23% of cases, this disease leads to miscarriage and, in 25% of cases, to fetal death in utero. In cases of live births, intrauterine growth retardation is observed in 45% of cases and/or prematurity in 43% of cases. The risk of recurrence in a subsequent pregnancy is estimated at 50%.

Given the rarity of this disease, the data available in the literature on factors associated with live birth and risk factors for recurrence in subsequent pregnancies are limited. Several studies suggest that immunomodulatory treatment could improve the obstetric prognosis of CHI, although this treatment is not currently codified.

The research project led by Anastasia Dupré aims to describe the largest French multicenter prospective cohort, using the national registry of the GR2 (Research Group on Pregnancy during Rare Diseases), to identify prognostic factors and the impact of immunomodulatory treatments on obstetric outcomes.

Scientific direction: Estibaliz Lazaro – ImmunoConcEpT, CNRS, Université de Bordeaux

Research project abstract:

Ovulation is a highly coordinated biological process that prepares the ovarian follicle[1] for the release of the egg cell, the maternal contribution to new life. Shortly before ovulation, the egg cell undergoes critical developmental changes to be ready for fertilization. Although the study of isolated oocytes has yielded a wealth of knowledge, some key aspects of oocyte development within the follicle remain poorly understood.

Noemi Monferini’s research project explores how the ovarian follicle environment promotes oocyte maturation. This research aims to provide new insights into female fertility and inform future therapeutic strategies.

[1] Ovarian follicle: a small sac filled with fluid in the ovary that contains an immature egg cell.

Scientific direction: Christopher Thomas – CNRS

Research project abstract:

The quality of oocytes is essential for proper embryonic development. Recent work by Elvira Nikalayevich shows that the oocyte cortex¹, a layer rich in actin, influences cytoplasmic organelles². She hypothesizes that changes in cortical composition alter the physical properties of the cortex, which define its functionality and downstream effects on the cytoplasm.

The first objective of Elvira Nikalayevich’s project is to identify the key components of the oocyte cortex that regulate cortical architecture and biophysical properties, and to understand how they shape the oocyte cytoplasm and influence its development.

The second objective is to develop a label-free machine learning tool for characterizing organelles in control and mutant mouse oocytes with cortical abnormalities. This AI-derived tool will be refined to characterize human oocytes used in fertility clinics.

This project will elucidate how cytoplasmic abnormalities in human and mouse oocytes can serve as new markers of infertility.

¹ Region of the oocyte comprising the oolemma, the plasma membrane of the oocyte, and the cytoplasm located directly beneath it.

² Specialized structures (endoplasmic reticulum, vacuoles, mitochondria) contained in the cytoplasm of a cell.

Scientific direction: Marie-Hélène Verlhac – Collège de France, and Marie-Émilie Terret – Collège de France

Research project abstract:

The proper functioning of the female reproductive system depends on maintaining the identity of ovarian cells. If this control is lost, these cells can adopt male characteristics, which disrupts fertility.

Previous work has shown that epigenetics, a set of mechanisms that regulate gene activity without altering DNA structure, plays a key role in preventing the activation of the male differentiation program in the ovaries.

This research project, led by Isabelle Stévant, is studying the role of a protein called SETDB1. This protein modifies the organization of DNA in the cell to control which genes are active or inactive. Using advanced sequencing techniques, the project will explore how SETDB1 maintains the female identity of ovarian cells and prevents their transformation into testicular cells.

As the SETDB1 protein is a potential target for certain cancer treatments, the results of this study could help anticipate the effects of these treatments on women’s fertility.

Scientific direction: Francis Poulat – IGH, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Genopolis

Research project abstract:

In France, endometriosis affects approximately 1 in 10 women. Immigrant women from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) living in France remain underrepresented in clinical and epidemiological research. Their life experiences, often marked by multiple forms of precariousness and systemic discrimination, can shape their access to diagnosis and medical care for endometriosis.

The research project led by Tony Zitti, called EndoMigr, aims to understand the specificities of these women’s life experiences and care trajectories. A qualitative study based on biographical interviews with approximately 40 immigrant women from SSA suffering from endometriosis and living in the Île-de-France region will be conducted.

The results of this study will provide a better understanding of the specificities of the healthcare pathways of immigrant women from SSA suffering from endometriosis, with the aim of improving awareness and care for endometriosis among these women in France.

Scientific direction: Annabel Desgrées du Loû – IRD, Inserm, Université Paris Cité, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord