Martin Simard

Professor Martin Simard obtained his doctorate in microbiology (with a specialty in molecular biology) from the Université de Sherbrooke and pursued postdoctoral studies in molecular genetics with Dr. Craig Mello at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. During this pivotal period in understanding the regulatory role of small non-coding RNAs, his work, in particular, helped develop new strategies to use siRNAs better and determine the function of microRNAs in collaboration with Dr. Philip Zamore’s group.

In 2005, at CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, he established the first research group in Canada interested in this new gene regulation. His research focuses on better understanding how microRNAs contribute to effectively maintaining the proper functioning of our cells and improving our knowledge of RNA interference to use this approach as a therapeutic tool. His group has notably highlighted the presence of different cellular complexes involving microRNAs in animals. His laboratory already has more than fifty research publications to his credit. Over twenty students/trainees have graduated from his laboratory, including some who are currently continuing their scientific training in the largest research institutions and started their own groups.

He was the recipient of the CIHR New Investigator grant and a FRQ-S Research Chair. In 2014, he received the André-Dupont prize from the Club de Recherches Cliniques du Québec, a prize awarded annually to a young researcher for the quality of their achievements in biomedical research. His work benefited from the support of different governmental and private funding agencies.