Dr Lou Fourriere-Chea

Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology

Lou Fourriere completed her PhD in the Cell Biology and Cancer Department at the Institut Curie in Paris. After her PhD, Lou joined the research group of Professor Paul Gleeson based in the Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute at the University of Melbourne.

Her research is investigating the intracellular trafficking of the ß-secretase (BACE1) and amyloid precursor protein (APP) - two proteins involved in the production of amyloid ß (Aß) which is thought to play a crucial role in the development of the Alzheimer’s disease. By combining cell biological techniques, including super-resolution microscopy and live cell imaging, Lou's research team have revealed an early segregation in molecules within cells membranes which limits APP processing and Aß production. Recently, they described the secretory network in human neurons derived from iPSC, a type of stem cell. This knowledge is the keystone to further compare APP and BACE1 trafficking in human neurons from control and Alzheimer’s patient iPSC cells.