Viroday
On December 6, 2024, ViroDay took place on the ENS Lyon site, organized by CIRI and bringing together IVPC, LBTI and Institut NeuroMyoGène. Some 175 virologists from Lyon took part in the day's scientific and social events. It was marked by the high quality of the oral and poster presentations, and encouraged interaction between participants and sponsors alike.
Congratulations to all the winners of the various prizes awarded during the day:
Poster prizes
Scientific prize - jury: Sarah Maesen (LP2L, CIRI)
Scientific prize - audience: Xhuan-Nhi Nguyen (LP2L, CIRI)
Communication prize - jury: Hiba Hassoun (VCITC, LBTI)
Grand Jury Prize: Marie Verneret (PR2T, IVPC)
Oral prizes
Scientific prize: Amélie Bourgeais (NITROVIRE, CIRI)
Scientific prize: Nicolas Ellinger (VCITC, LBTI)
The ViroDay organizing committee would particularly like to thank all those who took part in the day's events, the CIRI management department for its support, and the sponsors, not forgetting the ENS de Lyon's General Resources and Logistics Department, who all made it possible to host the event and provide a convivial setting for exchanges. This initiative will undoubtedly be repeated in the future, in order to strengthen ties within the Lyon virology community and continue these fruitful exchanges.
Portrait of CIRI prizewinners
Amélie Bourgeais (NITROVIRE, CIRI)
I'm currently a research engineer in the NeuroInvasion TROpisme and VIRal Encephalitis team (NITROVIRE). I just finished my university studies in June this year! I started off with a technical training course, completing a Bachelor's degree in biology, biochemistry and biotechnology at ESTBB, as well as a double bachelor's degree in science, technology and health, with a specialization in biology and biotechnology, in partnership with the CNAM. It was during this training that I discovered my interest in fundamental virology research, which has continued to grow ever since. I've been working with various people at CIRI for several years now. Indeed, I had the opportunity to work as an intern with Viktor Volchkov and Olivier Diaz.
Following this, I completed a master's degree in molecular and cellular biology (specializing in fundamental infectiology) at the Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1. I did my master's internships in Cyrille Mathieu's team, where I developed a strong interest in neurovirology and microscopy. My next objective is to write a thesis on the infection of neural cells and the central nervous system by class 2 to 4 neurotropic viruses. At present, I'm working on the study of the early phases of neural cell infection by Paramyxoviruses. We're focusing on the mechanisms of virus entry into neural cells, and of intra- and inter-neuronal dissemination.
Sarah Maesen (LP2L, CIRI)
As a first-year PhD student, I am working under the supervision of Lucie ETIENNE (LP2L team) on comparative immunity in bats, combining functional, evolutionary and transcriptomic approaches for a better understanding of host-pathogen interaction. I have a Master's degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology, specializing in Infectiology, from Lyon 1 University, and an engineering degree in Biological Engineering from Polytech Clermont-Ferrand.
Xhuan-Nhi Nguyen (LP2L, CIRI)
A tenured INSERM study engineer since 2016 in Andrea CIMARELLI's team, I work on the study of the broad-spectrum antiviral restriction factor TRIM69. In the laboratory, we have already described its ability to modulate host cell microtubules to prevent viral infection. We are now focusing on the mechanism of action of TRIM69, with particular reference to the HIV-1 virus.