Laure Verret

UBC Preservice Science Teacher Education

35 Laure Verret

Laure Verret

Time period:

1977-today

Subject:

Neuroscience & cell homeostasis

Biography:

Laure verret is a french scientist that is always taking time to popularized science and fight for woman in science.

Holder of a Master’s degree in cellular biology and physiology with a major in neuroscience, Laure Verret continued her studies with a doctorate, in the design of determining the neuronal network responsible for the onset and maintenance of REM sleep in rats, by combining electrophysiological and neuroanatomical approaches. Her thesis allowed her to establish a new model of the neuronal network controlling sleep and to open a new path in the field (Verret et al., 2003, 2005, 2006, Lilly foundation award 2004).

During her first postdoctoral training, she focused on research on the conservation of plasticity in neuropathological conditions. It was during her second postdoctoral training at the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Diseases in San Francisco, and by combining her experience on neuronal networks and her knowledge on the mechanisms of memory deficits in Alzheimer’s disease mice, that she was able to demonstrate that the depletion of a sodium channel in parvalbumin cells causes abnormal oscillations and cognitive deficits in Alzheimer’s disease.

A lecturer in Toulouse since 2013, Laure develops research projects on the effects of inhibitory interneurons induced by Alzheimer’s disease on local and global brain activity and on cognitive deficits in mouse models of the disease.

Summary of their contributions:

She is now working on the mechanisms underlying the progressive loss of cognitive abilities associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remain largely unknown. Her recent work has shown a dysfunction of parvalbumin (PV) inhibitory interneurons in transgenic mice models of the pathology, as in AD patients. These PV interneurons coordinate neuronal activity at the local level and throughout the brain, making them major players in the proper functioning of cognitive functions. Thus, the aim of my research project is to identify the functional modifications of PV interneurons causing memory disorders in AD model mice, and to establish new strategies for restoring memory functions in AD.

Integration with the BC Secondary Science Curriculum:

Verret’s contribution to science help to uncover homeostasis issue in brain cell of Alzheimer’s disease mice looking at different level: from behaviour to brain activity to cell to canal. Her articles can be exploited for all anatomy and physiology 12 grade: all three big idea “Homeostasis is maintained through physiological processes”, “Gene expression, through protein synthesis, is an interaction between genes and the environment” and “Organ systems have complex interrelationships to maintain homeostasis” for the nervous system in particular.
She also did a tedx talk that help to popularized her complex subject (in french).

Example of integration:

– A case study: The sodium channel Nav1.1 in inhibitory interneurons (Verret et al., 2012, Cell). The sodium channel Nav1.1 control sodium influx from the extracellular space. How its deficiency in the mouse model of Alzheimer is responsible of abnormal brain activity and low cognitive function?

– A case study: Transient enriched housing before amyloidosis onset sustains cognitive improvement in Tg2576 mice (Verret et al., 2013, Neurobiology of Aging). How enriched environment can protect against cognitive impairment during AD pathology?