ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
2012: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine – National Higher Veterinary School (ENSV), Algiers, Algeria
2013-2015: Magister Degree in Veterinary Sciences, Infectious diseases – Institute of Veterinary Sciences (ISV), Tiaret, Algeria
2015-2016: Master Degree in Biomedical Sciences, Human Pathology, Infectious Diseases – Faculty of Medicine, Aix-Marseille University, France
2016-2019: PhD in Infectious Diseases & Fundamental Virology – Aix-Marseille University, France
2020: University Certificate in Animal Experimentation Study Design – European Center for Research in Medical Imaging (CERIMED), Marseille, France
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Deputy Director and Virologist at the National Reference Center for Rabies | July 2024 – Present. Unit Lyssavirus epidemiology and neuropathology (Pr. Hervé Bourhy), Institut Pasteur, Paris, France. Missions: Coordination of rabies diagnosis, surveillance, epidemiology, and research.
Associate Professor in Veterinary Immunology | September 2023 – Janvier 2024. UniLassalle Veterinary School, Rouen, France.
Postdoctoral Fellow in Virology | January 2022 – July 2024. Unit Evolutionary genomics of RNA viruses (Dr. Etienne Simon-Lorière), Institut Pasteur, Paris, France. Project: Development of a high-throughput mutagenesis technique (Deep Mutational Scanning), and its application to the study of RNA virus evolution (SARS-CoV-2).
Postdoctoral Fellow in Virology & Immunology | March 2020 – October 2021. Unit Immunobiology of viral infections (Dr. Branka Horvat), International Center for Research in Infectiology (CIRI), École Normale Supérieure (ENS) of Lyon, Lyon, France. Project: Study of immune tolerance mechanisms to highly pathogenic henipaviruses in bats. Development of new antiviral approaches against SARS-CoV-2 and preclinical trial.
PhD student in Infectious Diseases & Fundamental Virology | September 2016 – November 2019. Unit Microbes, Evolution, Phylogeny, and Infection MEPHI, group Human, Animal, and Environmental Megaviromes (Pr. Bernard La Scola group), University Hospital Institute (IHU) Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France. Project: Study of satellite viruses (virophages) of giant viruses: discovery and isolation of new viruses, evolution, host range, and interaction mechanisms within the tripartite system of virophages, giant viruses, and host cells.
Master’s Research Internship in Immunobiology of Visceral Leishmaniasis | January 2016 – July 2016. Research Unit on Emerging Infectious and Tropical Diseases (URMITE), Cellular Biology and Immunology of Visceral Leishmaniasis, Faculty of Medicine of Aix-Marseille, Marseille, France. Project: Study of the role of the ARL-3 protein involved in the biogenesis of the flagellum in Leishmania donovani parasites, in in vitro infectivity and in vivo virulence of visceral leishmaniasis.
Veterinarian in Zoonotic Disease Prevention services | May 2015 – September 2015. Zoonotic disease prevention services (Rouiba), Algiers, Algeria
Veterinary Epidemiology Research Internship | December 2014 – May 2015. Unit Parasite biology (Pr. Fatma Bachi lab. Supervisors: Dr. Djamel BAROUDI, Dr. Fayçal ABIDAT, Pr. Abdelhamid HAMOUDI), Institut Pasteur d’Alger, Algiers, Algeria. Project: Epidemiological survey on Blastocystis spp. and its clinical impact on the bovine population in two regions of Algeria (Algiers and Boumerdes).
Clinical veterinarian | September 2012 – August 2013 (12 months). Animal care: medical consultations, vaccination and general surgery. Private Veterinary Clinic, Boumerdes, Algeria.
Veterinary Epidemiology Research Project | Juin 2011 – June 2012 (2 months). Parasitology and mycology lab, National Veterinary School of Algiers, Algeria. Project: First epidemiological report on camel Cryptosporidium infection in the south of Algeria.
AWARDS
Aix-Marseille University Thesis Prize | Aix-Marseille University, 2020.
Silver Medal for Best Research Work | Mediterranean Infection Foundation – Infectiopôle Sud Foundation, Marseille, 2019.
Second Major Promotion Award | National Veterinary School (ENSV) of Algiers, Algeria, 2012.