{"id":3030,"date":"2025-02-20T15:52:07","date_gmt":"2025-02-20T14:52:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vbhi-institute.org\/?p=3030"},"modified":"2025-02-20T15:52:07","modified_gmt":"2025-02-20T14:52:07","slug":"2024-young-researcher-prize-therese-and-rene-planiol-foundation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vbhi-institute.org\/en\/2024-young-researcher-prize-therese-and-rene-planiol-foundation\/","title":{"rendered":"2024 Young Researcher Prize Th\u00e9r\u00e8se and Ren\u00e9 Planiol Foundation"},"content":{"rendered":"
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”” el_class=”intro”]As a young researcher in the ELEANOR team<\/a> at the Bordeaux Population Health Inserm U1219 led by Dr David-Alexandre Tregou\u00ebt<\/a>, member of the VBHI board of directors, and working closely with Prof St\u00e9phanie Debette<\/a>, scientific director of the VBHI institute in charge of the VBHI – Translational Omics Centre programme<\/a>, Quentin Le Grand has been awarded the Young Researcher’s Prize by the Th\u00e9r\u00e8se and Ren\u00e9 Planiol Foundation. Interview.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]\n

Tell us about yourself, what is your background?<\/h2>\n

I hold a PhD in Public Health – Epidemiology from the University of Bordeaux<\/strong> (2022). During my PhD with Prof. St\u00e9phanie Debette at the Bordeaux Population Health Inserm U1219, I used genomic analyses to better understand the biological mechanisms involved in brain function in young adults and how they might evolve across the lifespan<\/strong>, in particular towards pathological processes related to stroke and dementia.<\/p>\n

During my post-doctorate at the Deutsches Zentrum f\u00fcr Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE, Bonn, Germany)<\/strong>, with Prof. Monique Breteler, I studied the molecular determinants of emerging, and potentially early, imaging markers of cerebral small vessel disease<\/a> (cSVD). In June 2024, I returned at the Bordeaux Population Health Inserm U1219 where I am continuing my research on this topic.<\/p>\n

What is your research topic and why are you interested in it?<\/h2>\n

My work focuses on the genomic determinants of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) markers of cSVD<\/strong>, and more specifically on emerging and potentially early MRI markers of this disease.<\/p>\n

With increasing life expectancy and population ageing, stroke<\/strong>, cognitive impairment and dementia have become the most common sources of disability and dependency<\/strong>, representing a huge burden for the society.<\/p>\n

cSVD<\/strong> is a syndrome affecting the small penetrating vessels of the brain<\/strong>, which are essential for maintaining optimal brain function, leading to changes in brain tissue<\/strong> that can be measured on MRI.<\/p>\n

This disease is very common in the older general population<\/strong> and occurs covertly, i.e. detectable by brain imaging markers before the onset of clinical symptoms. A high burden of these markers is associated with a major risk of stroke, cognitive decline and dementia<\/strong>. Thus, it represents an important target for the prevention<\/strong> of these conditions in the general population.<\/p>\n

The aim of my work is to contribute to a better understanding of the biological mechanisms involved in cSVD and how they evolve across the lifetime<\/strong>. Ultimately, this work could help to develop new preventive and therapeutic strategies for stroke and dementia.<\/p>\n

We recently published an article<\/a> on this topic<\/strong>, about novel neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) markers, in which we explored the genomic determinants of these markers in young adults (i-Share cohort<\/a> in Bordeaux), and extended our results to older adults (Rhineland Study cohort<\/a> in Bonn, Germany, and UK Biobank<\/a> in the UK).<\/p>\n

In particular, we have shown that the genetic determinants of traditional MRI markers of cSVD<\/strong> (measured in older adults) were associated with an alteration in NODDI markers in young adults aged 22 on average<\/strong> (i.e. very early in life), specifically in brain regions known to harbor traditional MRI markers of cSVD in older adults.<\/p>\n

What does the Th\u00e9r\u00e8se and Ren\u00e9 Planiol Foundation Young Researcher’s Prize mean to you?<\/h2>\n

The Th\u00e9r\u00e8se and Ren\u00e9 Planiol Foundation’s Young Researcher’s Prize is a great recognition and spotlight for my research work<\/strong>, which is particularly important for a young researcher.<\/p>\n

At the award ceremony, I will be giving a public lecture in Tours (France) on 14 March 2025<\/strong> as part of the Brain Awareness Week<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

What are your aspirations for the future?<\/h2>\n

In 2026, at the end of my post-doctorate at the Bordeaux Population Health Inserm U1219, I will join the Inserm U1078 in Brest<\/strong> to work with Dr Emmanuelle G\u00e9nin<\/strong> and Prof Serge Timsit<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

I will continue my research by focusing more on the genomics of clinical stroke. I will also seek to establish close collaborations with the VBHI<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In the long term, I hope to establish myself as a researcher in genomic epidemiology of neurovascular diseases<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Find out more:<\/strong><\/p>\n