CV Science

Nabila Bouatia-Naji PhD Genetic Epidemiology

Course and current status

Since Oct 2011. Research associate. Using genome-wide association and full exome sequencing approaches to look at the genetic determinants of common and rare forms of blood pressure and cardiovascular related traits, PARCC: Paris Cardiovascular research Centre, Paris, France. 

Oct 2009-August 2011. Research associate. Genetic determinants of quantitative traits related to type 2 diabetes, obesity and metabolism locally and within international consortia, (e.g MAGIC, GIANT), Lille, France.

Feb 2007 - Sept 2009. Postdoc using genome-wide association approaches to look at the genetic determinants of fasting glucose, Lille, France  and candidate genes for the genetic study of birth weight, Paris, France.

Feb 2006 – January 2007. Postdoc as a Career Development Fellow at the MRC Epidemiology Unit (Cambridge, United Kingdom) to study genetic epidemiology of diabetes related traits.

2002-2006. PhD -“Genetics of Common Forms of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in French Caucasians”. Using physiological and positional candidate gene strategy to identify susceptibility variants for childhood and adult obesity and type 2 diabetes.Droit et Santé Lille 2 University, France.

2004. University Diploma for post-graduates in “Biostatistics Applied to Clinical Research and Epidemiology". Droit et Santé Lille 2 University, France. 

Scientific summary

My research has been focused on the genetic compound of common diseases, especially type 2 diabetes, and more recently, hypertension and cardiovascular disease traits. Using genetic epidemiology tools, mainly GWAS, which I applied to the study of quantitative traits in healthy populations, I participated to the discovery of a long list of new genetic risk factors for diabetes, obesity and blood pressure.

I am also interested in the use of genomic tools, such as exome sequencing to discover causal mutations of rare diseases and syndromes related to cardiovascular risk. I have a special interest in the genetic susceptibility of North African populations living on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea to metabolic syndrome related diseases, a way to study gene environment interactions.