Élodie BoisselierPh.D.

Dr. Élodie Boisselier obtained her PhD from the University of Bordeaux (France) in 2009, during which she synthesized and functionalized gold nanoparticles and dendrimers for biomedical applications. She then completed a postdoctoral training at Laval University (Quebec, Canada) where she studied the biophysical behavior of membrane proteins involved in ocular diseases. She has received several awards and scholarships, including the prestigious Banting Fellowship, for her postdoctoral training. She joined the Ophthalmology Department as an Assistant Professor in 2014. Dr. Boisselier holds three patents and has over 20 publications to her credit, which have been cited more than 2,600 times. Her team pursues several research topics related to the field of ophthalmology.

One of their projects aims to study the membrane interaction of proteins found in the eye to better understand their physiological and pathological roles. For example, a project on S100 proteins and annexins is currently underway and aims to determine their mode of action in membrane repair, which is essential to cell survival.

In parallel, a membrane study of a pigment that accumulates in the eye, the A2E, is conducted to understand its involvement in the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Her team also aims to understand the interaction between proteins on the surface of the cornea, mucins, and gold nanoparticles, to optimize ophthalmic medication. Indeed, gold nanoparticles can be used as drug vectors to modulate their properties, and thus improve their retention on the ocular surface, and therefore their effectiveness.

Finally, another collaborative project uses gold nanoparticles to design probes that detect neurotransmitters, particularly those that are unbalanced in ocular pathologies.