Aly Bourguiba is currently a third-year PhD student in the ‘Maintaining muscle mass and function – optimising AAV-based gene therapies (MOOVE)’ team, led by France Pietri-Rouxel at the Institute’s Center of Research in Myology.
Winner of the 2026 Graine de Chercheur prize awarded by the Prolific association, he has been invited to present his research project: “An innovative strategy against Charcot’s disease” at a public conference to be held in Paris on 16 April 2026. Interview with Aly Bourguiba
What does this prize recognize?
This prize recognizes the excellence and innovation of young researchers (PhD students or post-doctoral researchers) in the field of cell biology within a competition open to all research topics.
What research does it cover?
The prize supports my PhD research at the Center of Research in Myology, under the supervision of Dr France Pietri-Rouxel. My research focuses on motor unit biology in the context of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). We are investigating how the stabilization of the neuromuscular junction can act as a lever to maintain the vital dialogue between the nerve and the muscle.
What is the topic of your talk?
My presentation is entitled ‘An innovative strategy for Charcot’s disease’. My aim is to demonstrate that, in ALS, muscle damage is not merely a consequence of the disease, but a key factor in the degenerative process. I will explain why targeting the neuromuscular junction is key to preserving motor function and how this approach offers a therapeutic potential for the vast majority of patients, particularly in sporadic forms of the disease.
What is the aim of this presentation?
The aim is to ensure wide scientific communication by addressing a diverse audience, including both researchers and non-specialists. I hope to make the complex mechanisms of the motor unit accessible and to share the current state of research on new therapeutic avenues.
What will this award fund?
This award will enable the purchase of high-performance computing equipment, which will allow me to write my thesis and conducting the complex bioinformatics analyses required for my project.
The conference will take place Thursday 16 April 2026, 7h30p à la Maison des Associations Paris Centre – 5 rue Perrée, Paris 3e
