Lab life

February 2026

✨We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Dr. Marcy Belloy, as a postdoctoral researcher in the Brain Aging and Blood Factors lab !
Marcy completed her PhD in Neuroimmunology at Infinity - Toulouse, where she investigated how infection-driven neuroinflammation contributes to cognitive decline and neurodegeneration in preclinical models of Alzheimer’s disease.
In our lab, Marcy will focus on unraveling the biological pathways connecting brain aging and mood disorders—an area that sits at the intersection of neuroimmunology, neurodegeneration, and psychiatric research, funded by the ANR.
Welcome aboard, Marcy!

February 2026

✨Team picture✨

February 2026

✨ We’re excited to have Esther Fabbrizio join the Brain Aging & Blood Factors Lab!

Esther holds a Diplôme d’État de Sage-Femme from the Faculty of Medicine of Montpellier and is currently completing a Master’s degree in Experimental and Regenerative Medicine. In our lab, she’ll be working together with Sofia Dede on understanding how natural plant extracts may help prevent and/or treat brain aging, a project funded by Moleac. 🧠🌱

Beyond her background, Esther is already bringing great positive energy and enthusiasm to the team, and we’re excited to share this journey together. Welcome aboard Esther!

✨January 2026✨

Happy New Year lab lunch — starting the year together and preparing to welcome our new lab members!!

✨December 2025✨

🎓✨ Congratulations, Dr. Léa Hamon! ✨🎓

I am incredibly proud to congratulate Léa on her outstanding PhD defense! This achievement crowns three and a half years of rigorous, creative, and impactful work, marked by curiosity, perseverance, and a truly wonderful spirit of collaboration. Together with Pierre-Marie Lledo, I had the pleasure of co-directing Léa’s PhD, and it has been a real privilege to accompany her throughout this journey and to witness her impressive scientific maturity and growing independence. During these years, Léa studied the effects of aging on the blood-brain-barrier and developed the organ-on-chip technology to model these changes and examine circulating blood factors.

I would also like to thank the PhD jury: Luc Buee, Nora Abrous, Nathalie Spassky, Carole Crozet and Nicolas Renier for their supportive and insightful comments, and whose questions and feedback led to stimulating discussions and highlighted the quality of the work accomplished.

Congratulations again, Léa, and all the very best for the exciting next steps ahead. Very proud of you! 👏🎉 Lida

✨December 2025✨

Lab life moments: Lida participated in the Biology of Ageing course at the University of Oslo. A great opportunity to exchange ideas, learn new concepts, and connect with researchers in the field — many thanks to @Evandro Fang for the invitation.

✨November 2025✨

Presentation of the team's work at the 1st Longevity Forum in Athens, Greece

October 2025

🎉 We’re very happy to welcome Sofia Dede to our lab!
Sofia will be exploring how plant extracts might help protect the brain and slow down aging.
Big thanks to Moleac for supporting this exciting project.

We are confident that Sofia's artistic energy will bring inspiration and momentum to her work. 🌱 🧠

Welcome, Sofia - great to have you with us! 🚀

September 2025

Soumia gave a great talk at the 2025 Hellenic and Paris Pasteur Institute Young Scientists joint Conference and was awarded the Best Oral Presentation award! 🌟 Congrats Soumia!! (click to slide the pics)

September 2025

✨Lida was interviewed on the "Big Bang" radio show and science program hosted by astrophysicist Christophe Galfard together with Camille Chamoux and Isabelle Ader to discuss the passing of time and its effects, from a cultural to a research point of view.
It was a fantastic opportunity to talk about the challenges, breakthroughs, and hopes that drive aging research, and to make these ideas accessible to a broader audience.✨ The episode aired Saturday 27/9/2025 at 11am.

🎧 You can listen to the episode here:

https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceinter/podcasts/big-bang/big-bang-du-samedi-27-septembre-2025-7375212

September 2025

✨ Excited to welcome Sylia Christou to our team! ✨
She’ll be working on brain aging mechanisms, and she will explore how blood and CSF factors from patients can accelerate this process.
Big thanks to the Fondation Pierre Deniker grant for supporting this exciting project
Looking forward to the fresh ideas and energy she’ll bring. Welcome aboard, Sylia!

August 2025

Lida was invited to the 2025 ARDD congress on Aging, the largest aging and drug discovery conference!

June 2025

As the summer begins, we say goodbye to Alexandros Tsiouris, our Erasmus+ intern, who is wrapping up his research internship with us!
Over the past few months, Alexandros has participated in our ongoing projects on neural stem cell aging funded by Fondation Pierre Deniker, combining both experimental research and bioinformatics approaches with great curiosity and determination.
It’s been a pleasure having him in the lab — we’re proud of all he’s learned and accomplished.
Wishing you all the best for the future, Alexandros!

The Mediterranean Neuroscience Society 2025 was an amazing combination of great science, fun, music, beauty, meeting old friends, making new ones and the beginning of exciting collaborations. A true celebration not only of neuroscience but also of the vibrant spirit of the Mediterranean. :)

Biology of Ageing class, University of Oslo, Norway

December 2024

Lida was invited to teach a class on Parabiosis during a week-long class