Catherine Laprise

Education

Postdoctoral fellowship (Massachussets Institute of Technology (MIT) of Harvard university, Boston, United states, and McGill University and Génome Québec Innovation Centre, Montréal, Canada; 1997-2000)
Ph. D. in asthma genetics (Université Laval, Québec, Canada; 1993-1997)
M. Sc. in respiratory health (Université Laval, Québec, Canada; 1992-1994)
B. Sc. in biology (UQAC, Saguenay, Canada; 1989-1992)

Field of expertise

Genetics of complex traits;
Molecular biology;
Epigenetics;
Biobanking;
Asthma;
Allergy;
Rare diseases.

Research themes

Identification of genetic determinants in asthma and allergy;
Study of the inflammatory processes underlying asthma and allergy pathogenesis;
Development of gene-gene and gene-environment interactions analysis models;
Study of the oral desensitization to food allergies process in allergic children;
Study of the expression pattern (transcriptome) in complex traits and rare diseases;
Identification of genetic determinants in rare monogenic diseases;
Identification of modulatory genes in rare monogenic diseases;
Genetic correction of causative mutations in monogenic diseases by CRISPR-Cas9 technology;
Application of findings from genetic studies to the development of informative tools, leading ultimately to new preventive programs and novel accurate therapies.

Research networks

Director, Centre intersectioriel en santé durable (CISD);
Co-director of the Genomic platform and member of the scientific committee, Center of Excellence in Orphan Disease Research – Courtois Foundation (CERMO-FC);
Director of the biobank, Lactic Acidosis LSFC Consortium;
Leader, Consortium REsolving Systems Epigenomes of T-cells in Autoimmune and Inflammatory Diseases (RESET-AID);
Co-director and member of the scientific committee of the Environment/Genetics/Cancer axis, Quebec Respiratory Health research Network (QRHN);
Member, International Food Allergy Consortium (InFAC);
Member, Creativity and intersectoriality working group;
Member, Sample and Data Access Committee (SDAC) of CARTaGENE;
Member, Committee for protection and access to BALSAC population data;
Member, ThéCell: Réseau de thérapie cellulaire, tissulaire et génique du Québec;
Member of Programm A, The Allergy, Genes and Environment Network (AllerGen);
Member, GABRIEL research consortium aiming for the identification of genetics and environmental determinants of asthma;
Member, Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development (CHILD) study;
Member, Cardiometabolic Health Diabetes and Obesity Research Network (CMDO);
Member, American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG).

Prizes and distinctions

Co-honorary president and invited speaker, Fondation Asselin of Cégep de Jonquière (2016);
Canada research chair on Environment and genetics of respiratory diseases and allergy, Tier 1 chair (2015);
Representative of professors, graduation ceremonie of UQAC (2014);
Personnalité Radio-Canada – Le Quotidien of march 2014 (2014);
Scientific co-president, Super-Expo-Sciences Hydro-Québec, Quebec finale (2013);
Canada research chair on genetic determinants of asthma, Tier 2 chair, renewal January 1st 2010 (2010-15);
Scientific president, Expo-Sciences Hydro-Québec (2011);
Ambassador of public schools of the commission scolaire des Rives-du-Saguenay Chacun réussi à sa façon! Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean (2009-2011);
Excellence award in research and creation (realisation category) (2008);
Mille femmes Montréal- 1000 portraits from Pierre Maraval (2007);
Mention for the tutoring quality of the Medecine faculty of Sherbrooke university awarded by students (2007);
Louis-Élie-Beauchamp award for contributing to the basic and applied sciences, regional scientific merit of Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean (2006).