Mélissa Simard

Dr. Simard completed a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences at Université Laval, where she developed strong expertise in tissue engineering applied to the reconstruction of human tissues, particularly skin. She then pursued postdoctoral training at the Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec (IUCPQ) with Professor Nicolas Flamand, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School under the supervision of Professor Charles N. Serhan. These experiences allowed her to specialize in immunology, inflammation, and lipid metabolism, as well as in the study of lipid mediators involved in the resolution of inflammation.

Her current research program focuses on the biofabrication of a three-dimensional human bone marrow model using tissue engineering approaches. This model involves culturing hematopoietic stem cells and endothelial cells within fluidic culture chambers to recreate human hematopoietic niches in vitro. The objective is to better understand the mechanisms governing hematopoietic stem cell differentiation and maturation, as well as their interactions with the vascular microenvironment.

In the long term, this work aims to provide robust and reproducible experimental platforms for the study of human hematopoiesis, the screening of novel therapeutic approaches, and, eventually, the production of blood cells for translational applications. Dr. Simard’s research is grounded in a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach, integrating tissue engineering, cell biology, and immunology to address fundamental and clinical challenges in regenerative medicine.