Her Academic Background
A graduate of ENS Paris-Saclay in physics (class of 2010), Lucile Alexandre is pursuing the Phytem track in fundamental physics.
She holds two master’s degrees, one in the history and philosophy of science from Paris Diderot University and one in microfluidics from the School of Industrial Physics and Chemistry (EPCI). She then went to the United States as part of a one-year pre-doctoral research program abroad (ARPE program) to work at the French Consulate in Houston and later at a renowned laboratory at Princeton University.
As soon as she returned to France, she began working on her dissertation at the Curie Institute under the supervision of Stéphanie Descroix at the Curie Physico-Chemistry Unit (Institut Curie/CNRS/Sorbonne University) and at the CNRS Laboratory for Systems Analysis and Architecture (LAAS-CNRS). There, she developed an extraction system using a suspension of tiny magnetic beads to correct the ratio between two proteins in the blood implicated in preeclampsia.
“It’s an exciting and empowering project,” says Lucile Alexandre, “that allowed me to give meaning to what I was searching for. Research is a way to help.”
What led you to the sciences, and more specifically to physics and microfluidics?
A lot of chance! I went into science mainly because I was lucky enough to grow up in a family that always encouraged my intellectual development and curiosity. I then turned to microfluidics to get closer to biomedical applications. That’s exactly what I sought out at the Institut Curie for my dissertation.
How does your research in microfluidics contribute to the treatment of preeclampsia?
Our system offers an innovative approach that allows us to study both molecules present in excess in patients’ blood and those that are deficient.
What excites you most about your work as a young researcher?
I think it’s the freedom we have and the importance of imagination. I particularly like how research is conducted in France, where we have enough time to ask questions that aren’t just about the trending topics in science, but also those that interest us personally—the ones that intrigue us.
What are your plans for the future?
I’m applying for a postdoc, preferably in an English-speaking country so I can improve my English before returning to France. I’d like to stay in research, even though I’m well aware of the challenges this presents in terms of competition and the number of positions available each year.
Awards and Honors
Lucile Alexandre is one of the 30 winners of the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science program, recognized for her research aimed at reducing maternal and infant mortality. In her third year of her Ph.D. at the Institut Curie, she is studying preeclampsia, a condition that can lead to serious complications in pregnant women if left untreated.