We are a group of mouse neuroscientific researchers who work together to characterize gene function using an integrative approach from mouse genetics and systems biology to brain phenotyping, neuronal biology, animal behaviour and bioinformatics. We work in collaboration with clinicians in Dijon and worldwide to enable direct comparisons between mice and patients harbouring similar variants, offering unique insights into conserved neurodevelopmental processes.
We are recruiting !
Join us in Dijon if you are interested in genes, anatomy and behavior!
Technician Job
PhD Position
Members of the YALCIN Team in January 2024
Dr Binnaz YALCIN Research Director
Dr Binnaz YALCIN (CV_Binnaz_YALCIN_Longversion_Sept2023)
Email: Binnaz.Yalcin@inserm.fr Phone: +33 3 80 39 66 60
Dr Yalcin have contributed to important aspects of disease genetics using high-throughput genetic, genomic methodologies and mice as genetic models of cognitive disorders. Her ambition has always been to pursue her career in functional and translational disease genetics at the highest level. Dr Yalcin received her D.Phil in November 2007 from the University of Oxford under the supervision of Profs Flint and Mott. During her postdoctoral training (2007-2011), she became interested in outbred mice for genetic studies. She discovered the complexity of genomic structure in mice and how it relates to phenotypic variation. In 2011, she secured an EMBO Fellowship allowing her to move to Switzerland. For her own independent career, she obtained an Ambizione Fellowship in 2013 to work on the neurobiology of intellectual disability. She set up her own laboratory in 2016 at the IGBMC (Strasbourg, France) through an international call. One year later, the High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education scored her team as “excellent to outstanding with great future prospects”. She presented her work at 49 International Conferences of which 11 were under a formal invitation. She has received 17 awards/prizes, the most recent being the International Mary Lyon Award in recognition for an early-stage independent female researcher. To fund her research, she raised and managed a cumulative sum of 3.0 million EUR and employed four PhD students, two postdoctoral fellows, one engineer and six research assistants (since 2016). She hosted in her laboratory more than 60 students worldwide at all levels (MSc, BSc, Intern, Assistants and ERASMUS). In 2019, she secured a tenured INSERM position (Assistant Professor equivalent) after being ranked Major in a national competition. She has 15 years of experience in mouse neurobiology and joined the Governance Board of the International Research Consortium for the Corpus Callosum and the International Mammalian Genome Society.
Dr Stephan COLLINS Senior Lecturer
Dr Stephan Christopher COLLINS (Full CV)
Email: Stephan.Collins@u-bourgogne.fr Phone: +33 3 80 39 66 68
Stephan holds a D.Phil from Oxford University in genetics of diabetes and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics working on metabolic syndrome and morbid obesity. After several years as an electrophysiologist in Prof Rorsman’s lab, he became interested in neurogenetics and joined Dr Yalcin’s team in 2016 to study mechanisms underlying comorbidities between cognition and obesity. Dr Collins has been a lecturer at the University of Burgundy-Franche-Comté since 2012. He provides a 196-hour service teaching in cell biology and animal biology for BSc students with additional teachings in genetics and neurosciences for MSc students. He has extensive experience in high-speed neuroanatomical data analysis, statistical analysis, project and database management and 3D imaging technology development.
Dr Siwar BEN AYACHE Postdoctoral Fellow
Siwar BEN AYACHE
Email: Siwar.Ben-Ayache@u-bourgogne.fr Phone: +33 3 80 39 66 11
Siwar holds a doctorate from the Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Monastir, University of Monastir, Tunisia. Her doctoral thesis focused on biological sciences and biotechnology. Currently, she holds a postdoctoral position in the H2020 project supported by the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Region (PRIMA). Based on her academic background and her passion for neuroscience, she joined Dr. Yalcin’s team on October 1, 2023 to deepen her research in neurogenetics of mouse models and discover more in this field. Siwar has participated in the supervision of around fifteen master’s students and has good experience in data analysis, statistical analysis and animal experimentation.
Emilia SKUTUNOVA PhD student
Emilia SKUTUNOVA
Email: emilia.skutunova@inserm.fr Phone: +33 3 80 39 66 11
Emilia joined the Yalcin lab in July 2022, undertaking a two-month internship focused on 3D segmentation of the mouse brain. Rejoining the team in October 2023, she began her doctoral research, centered on deciphering the roles of CHD1L in the mammalian brain. Emilia holds a Bachelor’s degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology, as well as a Master’s degree in Cancer Biology from the University of Montpellier.
Rania FARSI Master student
Rania FARSI
Email: Fadela-Rania_Bendounan@etu.u-bourgogne.fr Phone: +33 3 80 39 66 11
My name is Rania FARSI, I obtained a bachelor’s degree (2020) and a master’s degree (2022) in applied biochemistry at the University of Mostaganem, Algeria. As a student at the University of Burgundy, I completed a Master 1 in Cell Biology and Animal Physiology (2023) and am currently studying for a Master 2 in Cell Signaling and Molecular Biology (2024). I joined the NeuroGeMM team to carry out a 6-month internship for my final year project.
Hanzala DAUD Master student
Hanzala DAUD
Email: Hanzala_Daud@etu.u-bourgogne.fr Phone: +33 3 80 39 66 11
Hanzala Daud is a licensed pharmacist from Pakistan pursuing a Master’s in Innovative Drugs at UBFC, France. With practical experience garnered from a renowned hospital and a commendable track record of voluntary service in the health sector for a globally recognised NGO, he brings a wealth of diversity and dedication to our team. During his internship, Hanzala Daud will delve into cutting-edge research projects to uncover the genetic mechanisms underlying neurological disorders.
Salma Zarfaoui BSc student
Salma ZARFAOUI
Email: salmazarfaoui@gmail.com Phone: +33 3 80 39 66 60
I am Salma Zarfaoui, and I am currently in my last year of my bachelor’s degree in Biology and Health at the University of Paris-Est Créteil. For my first internship, I had the opportunity to join the Yalcin Laboratory team for two months. I am really enthusiastic about learning more about the development of the brain and how to analyse and comprehend the different aspects of genetic disorders. Interested by neuroscience since the beginning of my bachelor’s degree, I would like to pursue my studies, next year, in a master’s degree in neurosciences
Nida Yardim Intern student
Nida YARDIM
Email: nida.yardim@etu.uca.fr Phone: +33 3 80 39 66 60
I am Nida Yardim, a second-year student in Biology Engineering at IUT Clermont-Ferrand. I have the opportunity to join the NeuroGeMM laboratory for a two-month internship to explore the work in a research laboratory setting. During this time, I aim to gain a deeper understanding of the brain and enhance my skills in analytical techniques, allowing me to delve into the beautiful complexities of our brain.
Charline PARISIS Research Assistant
Charline PARISIS
Email: Charline.Parisis@u-bourgogne.fr Phone: +33 3 80 39 66 11
I am Charline Parisis. Driven by a passion for research and a deep curiosity about understanding complex mechanisms, I joined the Yalcin lab in October 2023. This opportunity paves the way for my professionnal license but also broadens my horizon in the field of neuronal biology. With an Advanced Technician’s Certificate in Biotechnology earned in 2022, my expertise was further solidified through a 6-month position in 2023, where I worked on Pulmonary Pathologies, focusing on human lungs, in my role as a lab technician.
Taiabur RAHMAN Master student
Taiabur RAHMAN
Email: taiabur.rahman@etu.u-bourgogne.fr Phone: +33 3 80 39 66 60
This is Taiabur Rahman is an Erasmus+ Joint Master Program student in Medical Imaging and Applications (MAIA), with academic experiences across Computer vision, Medical Imaging classification, Segmentation and registration. I am completed my master’s from first semester the Centre Universitaire Condorcet in Le Creusot, a subdivision of the Department of Sciences and Technology at the University of Burgundy, France. the second semester at the Università degli studi di Cassino e del Lazio Meridionale, in Cassino, Italy. third semester at the University of Girona, Spain. I am focused on Neuroimaging in artificial intelligence. I am is dedicated to advancing medical imaging technology to improve healthcare outcomes.
Alumni members and their positions after leaving the lab
Visiting Professor
2016-2017 Christel Depienne
Postdoctoral fellow
2017-2018 Efil Bayam, IGBMC, Strasbourg, France (in collaboration with Dr J. Godin)
Graduated PhD students
2016-2021 Charlotte Montillot, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France (01/09/2023)
2016-2021 Perrine Kretz, University of Strasbourg, France (10/03/2021)
2013-2017 Anna Mikhaleva, University of Lausanne, Switzerland (02/10/2017)
2012-2016 Meghna Kannan, University of Strasbourg, France (23/11/2016)
Engineer
2021-2022 Clémence Alibert, Inserm U1231 Dijon (currently PhD NeuroMyoGène)
Research Assistants
2022-2023 Lucile Tonneau, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
2020-2022 Sylvie Nguyen, CHU Dijon, France (collaboration with Pr C. Thauvin)
2017-2018 Emeline Aguilar, University of Strasbourg, France
2016-2019 Marie-Christine Fischer, IGBMC, Strasbourg, France
2016-2018 Christel Wagner, IGBMC, Strasbourg, France
2016-2017 Léo Gagliardi, University of Strasbourg, France (Syngenta)
2015-2016 Anais Duret
2015-2016 Helen Whitley (Medical student)
2014-2016 Rebecca Balz
Graduated MSc students (since 2016)
2024 Falilatou Saka, University of Burgundy
2023 Juan Cisneros Jacome, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France (collaboration with Pr A. Lalande)
2022 Emilia Skutunova, University of Montpellier
2021 Benazir Peerally, University of Sorbonne, France
2021 Zineddine Allaoua, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (Novolyze)
2021 Adam Lahmar, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
2021 Axel Brocard, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France (Provepharm)
2020 Maxence Milhau, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (Leyton, Canada)
2020 Bryan Capi, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
2020 Jules Roussey, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
2019 Charlotte Montillot, University of Nice Sophia Antipolis (currently PhD)
2019 Axel Da Costa Sousa, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
2018 Marion Gaborit, University of Strasbourg (currently PhD INCI Strasbourg)
2017 Mathilde Kobler (Medical student), University of Strasbourg, France
2017 Maxime Meylan, University of Strasbourg (PhD 2022 Sorbonne University)
2017 Sebastian Ciscares-Velazquez, University of Strasbourg, France
2017 David Gualberto, University of Strasbourg, France (Merck)
2017 Gilles Leininger, University of Strasbourg, France
2016 Perrine Kretz, University of Strasbourg, France (PhD 2021)
2016 Nestor Demeure, University of Strasbourg (PhD 2021 ENS Paris-Scalay)
2016 Jonathan Delevoye, University of Strasbourg, France
2016 Laura Durieux, University of Strasbourg (PhD 2021 LNCA Strasbourg)
2016 Somasekhar Jayaram (currently PhD Geneva)
Graduated BSc students (*Awarded the UNIL Summer Undergraduate Research Programme)
2023 Ismail Salah, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France (Medicine)
2023 Manon Lescutier, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
2022 Rim Elmahjri, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
2022 Marion Bouiller, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
2022 Lola Tanneur, Magistère Européen de Génétique, Paris Diderot
2021 Juliette Delmas, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
2021 Juliette Henna, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
2021 Salama Bou, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
2021 Flavie Theveny, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
2021 Suzie Lebee, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
2021 Marie Thirion, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
2021 Marity Dessolain, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
2020 Gael Fleury, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
2020 Gaspard Boursier, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
2019 Nawal Yahiaoui, University of Strasbourg, France (MSc Institut Pasteur)
2018 Clara Bonnet, University of Poitiers, France (currently PhD Institut Curie)
2018 Paula Hahn, University of Strasbourg (currently PhD Karolinska Institutet)
2018 Maria Ossipenko, University of Strasbourg, France (MSc 2021)
2017 Sophie Lottiaux, University of Strasbourg, France (Clinical Manager Lyon)
2016 Dylan Huynh, University of Strasbourg, France (MSc 2019)
2016 Clara Casana Rico, University of Strasbourg, France (AbbVie Medical Affairs)
2016 Elizabeth Ramos-Morales, University of Strasbourg, France (PhD 2021)
2015 Luc Reymond (EPFL Lausanne)
2015 Sarah Arthur* (PhD 2021 Canada)
2015 Amicie De Pierrefeu (PhD 2018 CEA Paris, now at Ipsen)
Graduated Intern students
2024 Eloise Domet, University of Burgundy, France
2024 Maelle Tbatou, University of Burgundy, France
2023 Océane Musset, University of Troyes, France
2023 Emeline Richter, University of Troyes, France
2023 Elisa Mischler, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
2022 Khadija Bayou, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
2021 Maylis Joly, University of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
2020 Narjisse Kenani, University of Paris 18th, France
2019 Elisia Isturiz, Supbiotech, Paris, France (Veracyte IO)
2019 Nina Pigeonneau, University of Strasbourg, France
2017 Emeline Aguilar, University of Strasbourg, France
2016 Mariane Litt, University of Strasbourg, France (Transgene)
2016 Saranya Ott, University of Strasbourg, France
2016 Léo Gagliardi, University of Strasbourg, France (Syngenta)
2015 Kevin Navarro (Manager Account, Lausanne)
Student Assistants
2015 Mélina Gailly
2015 Isabelle Herr
2015 Amandine Delay
2015 Livia Chrast (Medical student)
2015 Lisa Haerri
Visiting International ERASMUS students (*Awarded the IGBMC Summer Research Internship Programme)
2018 Gulsah Evyapan, PhD student, Turkey
2018 Emina Makedona*, BSc student, Greece
2017 Ananya Pathak*, BSc student, India (Engineer New Delhi and Dublin)
2017 Ezgi Mehmetoglu, BSc student, Turkey
2016 Durna Kumruoglu, BSc student, Turkey
