Scientific topics
Keywords
ITMO
Tasnime Akbaraly Research scientist at the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research (Inserm)
Course and current status
CURRENT POSITION
Research Fellow (CRCN, permanent position) at the Institut Desbrest d’épidémiologie et de Santé Publique (IDESP)/ UMR 1318, Montpellier University, Inserm, France, since October 2024
RESEARCH IDENTIFIERS
ORCID : Tasnime Akbaraly (0000-0002-2150-4190)
Researcher ID :Web of Science ResearcherID H-1389-2018
PREVIOUS POSITION
- Oct 2010-Sep 2024 Research Fellow at Inserm
Centre de recherche en épidémiologie et santé des populations, Paris (2020-2024)
Mécanismes Moléculaires des démences neurodégénératives, Montpellier (2014-2019)
Neuropsychiatry, epidemiological and clinical research Unit, Montpellier (2010-2014)
- Jan 2009-Nov 2015 Research Consultant (cumulative activity)
Dpt of Epidemiology and Public Health (Whitehall II Study), University College London
- Jan 2009-Sep 2010 Postdoctoral position (fixed-term contract)
Neuropsychiatry, epidemiological and clinical research Inserm Unit, Montpellier
- Jul 2007-Dec 2009 Postdoctoral position (fixed-term contract)
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London
- Oct 2006-Jun 2007 Postdoctoral position (grant)
Medical Research Council, Human Nutrition Research, Cambridge, UK
EDUCATION
2013 French Habilitation for PhD supervision (HDR), Montpellier University
2010 University Diploma in Neuropsychology, Montpellier University, France
2006 PhD in Epidemiology and Public Health, University Paris XI, Inserm, Dpt Epidemiological and clinical research, Montpellier, France
2003 Master’s degree in Epidemiology, University Paris XI, France
2001 Master’s degree in Biochemistry, University Paris VI Pierre et Marie Curie, France
FELLOWSHIPS
2008-2020 Honorary Researcher position – Dpt of Epidemiology and Public Health, UCL, London, UK
2019 Research Awards – Center of Excellence for Neurodegenerative diseases (CoEN), Montpellier, France
2014-2018 Bonus for scientific excellence (PES) – Inserm, Paris, France
2011 Research Grant « Aide à la Recherche en Partenariat avec les Entreprise (ARPE) » Languedoc Roussillon Region, France
2010 Prize "Chercheur d'Avenir" – Languedoc Roussillon, France
2008 Award for a Travel fellowship – International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease (ICAD), Chicago, United States
2007 Young scientist award for oral communication – Federation of the European Nutrition Societies, Paris, France
2006 Post-doctoral grant – French Nutrition Society, Paris, France
2003-2006 PhD grants – France Alzheimer association, Paris, France
2000-2003 Recipient of a CROUS scholarship (need-based grant awarded by the French government)
SUMMARY OF RESEARCH PRODUCTION
I have co-authored more than 110 peer-reviewed publications, including first/second - and senior in JAMA, The Lancet, Molecular Psychiatry, American Journal of Cliinical Nutrition, British Journal of Psychiatry. Full list of publications: https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/H-1389-2018
I carried pioneer work on nutritional psychiatry, my work has been cited over 8000 times (h-index 48, i10-index 97).
SUPERVISION OF STUDENTS AND POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS
2 PhD Students
6 Master 2 Students, 4 Master 1 Students, 1 License Pro Student
3 Research Engineers and 1 Research Assistant
3 Post-Doc Researchers Supervision and Co-Supervision
REVIEWING ACTIVITIES
- Grant Evaluation
2015-2018 Scientific evaluation committee for INCa's call
2014 Idex Sorbonne Paris Cités -programme d’Initiative d’Excellence
- Scientific article
Reviewer for JAMA, Nature Communication, BMJ, NEJM, Thorax, Scientific Report, Diabetes Care, Circulation, Nutrition Metabolism & Cardiovascular diseases, Journal of Clinical endocrinology and Metabolism, American Journal of Medicine, Archive of Internal Medicine, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, European Journal of Nutrition, Nutrients, British Journal of Nutrition, Public Health Nutrition, Journal of Nutrition, Clinical Chemistry, Ageing, BMC Geriatric, BMC Public Health, European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Annals of general Psychiatry
OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Teaching activities: few hours per year (Introduction to Epidemiology, Nutritional Epidemiology, Epidemiology of Dementia, Nutritional Psychiatry Research) in several Master 2 (Montpellier University) and University Diploma (Montpellier University, Paul Valéry Montpellier University, Aix Marseille University), Université du Tiers Temps.
Institutional Responsibilities
Master Update Committee (2024), PhD tutoring (2022-2025), PhD upgrade committee (2014 & 2021)
PhD committee Board (2016), PhD grant committee (2020), HDR upgrade committee (2022)
MEMBERSHIPS OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES
2017-2025 International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry (executive committee), Deakin University, Australia
Since 2017 French Nutritional Society (Member), France
DISSIMINATION OF SCIENTIFC CULTURE
Oral presentation
I regularly present my work at national and international conferences including those of the International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research. I have also delivered several invited talks in scientific congresses (i.e Neurofrance), research seminars (Canadian Nutrition and cognitive health) but also internally at IDESP.
I am regularly invited in debates, meetings with civil society (Bar des sciences Semaine du Cerveau, Caisse Alimentaire Commune), patients’ organisation (Chemin Psy) and local administrative instances (Conseil local de santé mentale, Ville de Montpellier)
Promotion of scientific culture through media (international, national and local)
CNN, Newsweek, Huffington Post, Europe 1, Le Figaro, France Inter, RFI, Divergence FM, Radio Aviva, Climat Libé-Tour, 20 Minutes, Ouest France, Labo des savoirs, Sciences et Vie, Top Santé, Santé Magazine, Sciences et Avenir, Femina, Midi-Libre, Egora le panorama du Médecin…
CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT
Deputy Mayor of Montpellier (7th largest city in France) 2020-2026
Metropolitan councillor Montpellier Mediterranée Métropole 2020-2026
Scientific summary
CURRENT RESEARCH TOPIC
Epidemiologist, my research focuses on lifestyle factors associated with mental and cognitive health (i) by assessing synergy exposures of lifestyle, social gradient, traumatic experiences and (ii) by applying a holistic approach leveraging internal exposome to identify the biological underlying mechanisms.
EVIDENCE OF INTERNATIONAL STANDING
- I have co-authored more than 110 peer-reviewed publications, including first/second - and senior in JAMA, The Lancet, Molecular Psychiatry, American Journal of Cliinical Nutrition, British Journal of Psychiatry. Full list of publications: https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/H-1389-2018
- I am regularly invited to speak at conferences, symposiums and research seminars.
- I am also recognised member of the International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research (ISNPR), since 2015 (scientific committee); I am also belonging to the French Nutritional Society (since 2017)
PREVIOUS RESEARCH TOPIC / EXPERTISE
Health Behaviour, Metabolic factors and ageing: We examined the association of diet on cognitive,physical functioning and mental health using expertise in nutritional epidemiology and neuropsychology. In parallel, we studied association between type II diabetes biomarkers, cholesterol metabolism and cognitive decline and mental health.
Cognitive Reserve and neuroimaging: Co-Investigator of the CRESCENDO (Cognitive REServe and clinical ENDOphenotype) project.Based on the hypothesis that cognitive reserve can attenuate the effects of age-related neural changes via differential expression of functional MRI (fMRI) identified brain networks. An appraoch combining brain imaging biomarkers, neuropsychological assessments, measurements of cognitive reserve proxies, plasmatic biomarkers of amyloid charge and metabolic disorders in observational cohort.
