SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEES AND ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
Professor at College de France, Chair of Genetics and cellular physiology
Professor “Classe exceptionnelle” at Institut Pasteur, laboratory of Genetics and Physiology of Hearing
Head of Inserm UMRS1120, Pierre et Marie Curie Université (UPMC), Paris
Member of the Orientation Committee of Palais de la Découverte (COPADE) (2014-)
Board of scientific advisors of Institut Pasteur (2013- )
Member of the Orientation Committee of Musée de l’Homme (2012- )
Board of Directors of Minna-James-Heineman Foundation, Germany (2011- )
Member of the Scientific Council of Louis-Jeantet Foundation (2011- )
Member of the COP (Comité d’orientation et de prospective) of UPMC-Paris VI (2011- )
Advisory Committee Member of International Society of Translational Medicine, Beijing, China (2009- )
Member of the COSP (Conseil d’Orientation Scientifique et Pédagogique) of PRES (Pôle de Recherche et d’Enseignement Supérieur) “Sorbonne Paris Cité” (2010- )
Board of the Scientific Council of CEA (Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique) (2008- )
Board of the Scientific Council of ParisTech (2008- )
Member of the Executive Committee of CTRS/RTRS “Sensory Handicap” – Hearing and Seeing Foundation (2007- )
Board of Directors of Institut Carnot “Seeing and Hearing” (2006- )
Christine PETIT graduated in medicine (M.D. from Pierre et Marie Curie University – Paris VI) and in basic biological sciences, genetics and biochemistry, at Orsay University (Paris XI). She received her Ph.D at Institut Pasteur. During her research training, she studied microbial genetics with Gunnar Lindhal and François Jacob, cell genetics, human genetics with Jean Weissenbach and Pierre Tiollais, and immunology.
In 2002, she was appointed Professor at College de France where she holds the chair of “Genetics and Cellular Physiology”. She is currently the head of the “Genetics and Physiology of Hearing laboratory” (Inserm Unit UMRS 1120) at Institut Pasteur.
Through her work on the structure of the human genome, Christine Petit elucidated the origin of sex inversion in humans, which results in XX males and XY females. She then focused on the sensory systems and attempted to understand the hereditary defects of olfaction and subsequently hearing (and vision, to a lesser extent). After identifying the first gene responsible for a total absence of smell in humans (the X-linked gene responsible for Kallmann syndrome), she developed experimental conditions for the study of hereditary deafness. This approach led to the identification of a large number of deafness-causing genes, most of which are implicated in early forms of deafness. She then elucidated the underlying mechanisms associated with these genes, and classified them into a number of physiopathological categories. She developed an interdisciplinary approach to decipher various aspects of the cellular and molecular basis of acoustic signal processing by the auditory system.
CURRENT RESEARCH FOCUS
The overall aim of Christine Petit’s laboratory is: i) to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying sound processing in the auditory system; ii) to identify defects in these processes that lead to hearing impairment; and (iii) to prevent the occurrence of such defects and treat them. The hair bundle, which plays a central role in sound processing, is a main focus of her research. In particular, she focuses on key aspects of the hair bundle, including understanding how it is built up, how it achieves its elementary functions of mechanotransduction, frequency tuning response and analysis, waveform distortion and suppressive masking, how it ensures the interplay between these activities and how these properties are coupled to the cytoarchitecture of its structure. Her interest in sound processing has since extended to the study of the central auditory system . The neurogenetic approaches established in her laboratory are now being applied to identify genes associated with presbycusis. New insight gained from these advances will foster the development of novel therapeutic approaches.
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Professor Christine Petit is delighted to announce the creation of the Hearing Institute which will open in 2019 in the heart of Paris.
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AWARDS AND HONOURS
KAVLI Prize in Neuroscience – International (2018)
ARO (Association for Research in Otolaryngology) Award of Merit – USA (2018)
The Hugh Knowles Prize for Distinguished Achievement – USA (2015)
The Brain Prize – Grete Lundbeck Foundation – International (2012)
Pasarow Foundation Medical Research Award “Neuropsychiatry” – USA (2012)
Grand Prix INSERM de la recherche médicale – France (2007)
Louis-Jeantet for Medicine Prize – Europe (2006)
Bristol-Myers-Squibb “Freedom to Discover” Award in Neuroscience – USA (2005)
Research and Medicine Award, INSERM – France (2004)
L’Oreal-UNESCO: “For Women in Science” Award – Europe (2004)
Ernst Jung-Preis für Wissenschaft und Forschung: Medizin -Germany (2001)
Charles-Leopold Mayer Award – French Academy of Sciences (1999)
Janine Courrier Award – French Academy of Sciences (1992)
Medicine Thesis Award (1974)
Foreign member of the National Academy of Sciences – USA (2016)
Foreign member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies – USA (2011)
Member of the French Academy of Sciences (2002)
Member of the Academia Europae (1998)
Corresponding member of the French Academy of Sciences (1996)
Member of EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organisation) (1996)
Officier de l’Ordre de la Légion d’Honneur (2014)
Officier de l’Ordre National du Mérite (2011)
Chevalier de l’Ordre de la Légion d’Honneur (2002)
