Cécile Charrier facts for kids

Cécile Charrier (born in 1983) is a French scientist who studies the brain. She is a neuroscientist, which means she learns how our brains work and develop. She works at a special research center in France called Inserm, which is the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research. In 2021, she won an important award called the Irène Joliot-Curie "Young Female Scientist of the Year" award for her amazing research.

Cécile Charrier's Life and Work

Cécile Charrier knew from high school that she wanted to study the brain. She earned her master's degree in neuroscience. Then, she completed her PhD in neuroscience in 2009 at the Pierre and Marie Curie University. This university later became part of Sorbonne University.

Her Research Journey

After her PhD, Cécile did three "post-docs." A post-doc is like advanced training for scientists. She worked at Inserm, then at the University of North Carolina, and finally at Scripps Research in California.

Discovering a Special Gene

At Scripps Research, she studied a gene called SRGAP2C. This gene appeared around 2.4 million years ago, when early humans (like Australopithecus) started to become different from other ape-like creatures. Cécile's research showed that this gene was very important. It helped human brains develop special connections called synapses. Synapses are tiny gaps where brain cells communicate. This discovery was a big step in her career.

Returning to France

In 2013, Cécile Charrier returned to Inserm as a full-time researcher. Since 2014, she has been working at the Biology Institute of the Ecole Normale Supérieure. There, she leads her own team of researchers. They continue to explore how the brain works.

Winning an Important Award

In 2021, the French Academy of Sciences gave her the Irène Joliot-Curie Young Female Scientist of the Year award. This award recognized her important work. The Academy praised her for trying to understand how brain connections (synapses) develop. They also noted her work on special connections that only exist in humans.

Cécile also helped develop new ways to study the brain. She created a special 3D microscopy technique. This technique helps scientists see and measure brain connections in great detail. Cécile Charrier also actively encourages more women to work in biology and research.

Awards and Recognition

• 2021: Irène Joliot-Curie "Young Female Scientist of the Year" award