Women making digital #1

Can you tell us about your background?

I started by taking a preparatory course before joining ENSAI, an engineering school renowned for its data science courses combining applied mathematics, computer science and economics. I specialised in biostatistics, an interdisciplinary field that applies statistical processing to biological data, particularly in the public health sector. I really appreciate this very practical aspect, which enables me to have a real impact on society. I then joined the Bordeaux Population Health centre, one of the largest in France dedicated to research into epidemiology and population health, where I did my thesis on the use of dynamic models to optimise the treatment of HIV-infected patients. I then spent three years as a post-doctoral fellow in Boston, at the Harvard School of Public Health, in the biostatistics department. There, I continued my work on HIV, but more on the epidemic side than on immune system modelling, with the aim of finding solutions to reduce the scale of a regional epidemic.

When I returned to France, I became a research fellow in the SISTM project team at the Inria Centre at the University of Bordeaux, under joint supervision with Inserm. I continued to work on issues related to infectious diseases, extending my work to other viruses and vaccine development.
 

Why did you choose to do your post-doctorate in the United States?

As part of my post-doctoral studies, my supervisor initially suggested that I do a post-doctorate in England, at the MRC in Cambridge, an internationally renowned research centre. However, as I wanted to gain experience in a more geographically distant context, I explored other opportunities in laboratories of equivalent level, notably in the United States and Norway.

I submitted several applications. Finally, I received two simultaneous offers: one in Boston and the other in Oslo. After some thought, I decided to go to Boston to the Harvard School of Public Health in the Department of Biostatistics for my post-doctorate. However, before I left, I had the opportunity to spend a month in Oslo as a visiting researcher, which enabled me to discover another research environment. Seeing research in several countries is really enriching. 
 

Has joining the world of research always been an obvious choice for you?

Yes and no. I have several academics in my family and that gave me a good knowledge of what research jobs could be like. After that, I'm the kind of person who makes choices out of conviction, because I believe in them, not because I'm told to. Research has a slightly more ‘passionate’ side, which gives you a lot of flexibility - you can work on subjects of your own choosing.  

Is research a passion for you?

It's certainly a fascinating profession. My work gives me the opportunity to have a real impact on epidemic response policies, clinical trials and vaccine development.  It's a chance to have a real impact on public health and society. As such, it's undeniably exciting. Take Covid, for example: it was a particularly stimulating and exciting time! I had a real need to understand. Thanks to our modelling tools, we were not only able to grasp what was going on, but also to help

Can you tell us more about SISTM's research work and your current position?

At SISTM, we work in the field of statistics applied to immunology, the science that studies the immune system. Our aim is to gain a better understanding of infectious diseases and their treatments, and to contribute to the development of vaccines. To achieve this, we work closely with the Vaccine Research Institute.

We analyse longitudinal data, i.e. data collected over a long period. These data come from both preclinical studies on mice and monkeys, and clinical trials on humans. The data collected includes viral parameters (viral load, elimination kinetics), immunological parameters (antibody titration, humoral response), cellular parameters (phenotyping of immune subpopulations, activation) and transcriptomic parameters (gene expression profile). SISTM is organised around three main areas for optimal treatment.

The first, led by Boris Hejblum, focuses on high-dimensional statistical learning. We are observing thousands of markers (viral and immune data) on a small number of individuals. The aim is to sort the information, to separate the noise from the truth. To do this, we apply advanced statistical methods as part of a methodological research approach.

The second area, which I manage, concerns mechanistic modelling. We use differential equations to understand biological processes, in particular the prey-predator dynamics between viruses and the immune system. We model selected markers in large dimensions to create a ‘digital twin’ of a clinical trial, in order to simulate what happens in the body when a treatment is administered. This makes it possible to develop optimal treatment or vaccination strategies.

The third area, led by Laura Richert, is translational vaccinology. This area involves MCUPHs (maîtres de conférences des universités praticiens-hospitaliers) and PUPHs (professeurs des universités praticiens), who have in-depth medical training. They help us to interpret the results of clinical trial analyses and develop their own research into innovative clinical trial design. Their work enables us to put into production the methods developed to generate the results used by our partner to design new trials in collaboration with the Vaccine Research Institute. 


Was it a logical step for you to head up a research team? Was it something you wanted to do, or an opportunity that came your way?

Rodolphe Thiébaut, the former head of SISTM, took over the management of the Inserm Bordeaux Population Health Centre. His new responsibilities meant that he could no longer manage a research team at the same time, which led him to think about his succession. For my part, I welcomed the idea of taking over this role, not as a personal ambition, but rather as an opportunity that presented itself to me. I like to think collectively about scientific objectives. So I'm very happy to have taken on this coordination role.

What are you most proud of in your work?

As head of the team, what I'm most proud of is the collaborative dynamic that makes it possible to work effectively across the different strands of the team. One outstanding example is our contribution to the PREVAC/PREVAC-UP trials, which are evaluating the safety and efficacy of different vaccine strategies against the Ebola virus in West Africa. 

Among the strategies tested, we participated, via the European EBOVAC projects, in the marketing of the Ad26.ZEBOV, MVA-BN-Filo vaccine developed by Janssen.

We have combined mechanistic modelling and integrative analysis of large-scale data, with a translational approach aimed at better interpretation of the results. All the axes are working together on this European project, and the impact on society is very real.

On a more personal note, my aim is to make the mechanistic models sufficiently accurate to anticipate the long-term evolution of vaccine responses - a real forward-looking challenge!In this respect, I can mention Marie Alexandre, a former PhD student, whose work published in Nature Vaccine confirmed the robustness of our predictions.It's always gratifying to see, after several years, that the projections derived from our models remain relevant and faithfully reflect the empirical data collected.

Is there an inspiration that has fuelled your career? A motivating figure, a trigger?

I could, for example, mention Daniel Commenges, my thesis supervisor. He was one of the popes of biostatistics and built up a real school in Bordeaux. He had a very methodical vision of science.When some people publish four articles on the same subject, he wanted to limit scientific noise in favour of information and knowledge. So he was keen to validate the results so as to publish less but better. I've always found him very inspiring. He gave me a sense of rigour that I still try to apply today. 
 

So you're evolving in the world of research, health and digital technology, all rather male-dominated environments. Have you found it difficult to break into these fields?

The answer is mixed: it depends on the context. For example, at Inria, around 19% of research managers are women.

At Bordeaux Population Health, on the other hand, the proportion of women is around 60%, because of the health focus of the field. However, the most senior positions are still held by men. As a female research fellow, I am involved in a number of expert activities (almost annual participation in recruitment panels, vice-president of the ANR, ANRS committee, etc.), all with the aim of guaranteeing 50% female representation, even though women make up only a few percent of the pool of applicants. These commitments often become an implicit responsibility, or even a necessity. However, they reduce the time available for other essential tasks, such as writing scientific articles. Current policies, although aimed at greater equality, generate constraints that can prove counter-productive, and it remains difficult to identify truly effective solutions.
 

What do you think could be done to reduce the gender gap in research?

We need to start by changing attitudes from an early age. A lot of people say ‘men have to stop behaving this way’. That's true, yes! But women also need to gain confidence, assert themselves and dare to take a stand. But I know it's not easy, there's a gender stereotype that's very deeply rooted from the outset.

In the course of your career, we've seen that you've had to travel (Boston, Oslo...). Did you notice any cultural differences when it came to gender issues?

I didn't stay there long enough to really see it in action, but in Norway the issues of parity and maternity leave seem to me to be much more deeply rooted and therefore better dealt with in their culture and, indeed, in society. In the United States, on the other hand, it's hell for women. They work right up until the day they give birth, and there are very few facilities for pursuing a career at the same time.

Apart from research, do you have any hobbies or passions?

Figure skating. It's a passion that I started at a very young age and have always pursued. After skating competitively for years, I moved over to the other side of the fence and continued to get involved in the sport as a judge. It's been over 20 years now. This year, I passed the final exam, which means I can now judge all competitions, including the Olympic Games! There are only 7 of us in France with this qualification. At the end of February, I'll be judging the Junior World Championships and last December, I was at the Grand Prix Final. I'm also very involved in the federation.

So your life is divided between research and skating and your family life. On top of that, you also manage a family life.
Do these 3 very different things help you to find a balance?

Sometimes I wonder whether I'd have been more successful in one area if I'd left out another. But at the end of the day, you only have one life, so I give my best in every aspect and let myself be guided. It's like a pretty string of pearls.


Do you have a mantra in life?

My grandmother always used to say to me ‘You'll sleep when you're dead’, an expression that makes me laugh.  I think about it when I'm tired.
 

To conclude, is there any advice you'd like to share with the next generation, particularly with secondary school or university students who are in the midst of questioning their educational direction?

You have to dare and persevere. Jacques Brel used to say that there is no natural talent, only hard work, and I sincerely believe the same thing. You have to give yourself the means to achieve your ambitions.