CV Science

Nathalie Bernard-Marissal PhD in Neurosciences

Course and current status

Since 2022: Chargée de recherche INSERM, Research fellow INSERM, Translational Neuromyology Team, Marseille Medical Genetics, Marseille, France

2021-2022: ATER, Aix-Marseille University

2017-2021: Senior Postdoc, Translational Neuromyology Team, Marseille Medical Genetics, Marseille, France

2014-2017: Postdoc, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative diseases, The Brain Mind Institute, The Swiis Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland

2012-2014: Postdoc, Department of Medical Genetics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

2007-2011: PhD in Neurosciences, INMED, Marseille, France

Scientific summary

Our work is aimed at investigating the pathological mecanisms underlying Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) diseases as well as identifying  therapeutic targets with the ultimate goal of developing innovative therapeutic approaches.

Both CMT and ALS are rare and still incurable diseases the Peripheral and/or Central Nervous System. Thus, patients suffering from these diseases receive only heavy and expensive supportive medical care  not preventing a severe motor disability outcome for most patients with CMT and a fatal issue for ALS patients in a few years.

In particular, we have been studying the role of mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum interplay in motoneuron function and ALS and CMT pathology.

We are implementing targeted gene therapy for these diseases, aiming to repair the defective gene or mechanisms specifically in the affected cell type (i.e. motor neuron for ALS, motor neuron and sensory neurons or Schwann cell for CMT).