Shella Gilbert-Girard has completed a Masters of Science degree in Microbiology-Immunology at Laval University, Canada. During this project, she studied the chromosomal integration of the human herpesvirus 6 and its impact on damage recognition and on the expression of the Shelterin complex at cellular telomeres. This work gave her experience in molecular research, particularly with genomic and proteomic techniques. She is now working on the PRINT-AID project and doing her doctoral degree in Helsinki University, Finland. The main objective of her project is to identify repurposed anti-biofilm compounds from libraries of investigational and approved drugs. The physico-chemical properties of promising molecules will be analysed and they will be structurally optimized in order to improve their activity and prepare their integration into a 3D-printed formulation. The mode of action of selected compounds will also be investigated to uncover potential biofilm-specific therapeutic targets and pathways. She will work in collaboration with the other ESRs to integrate the new anti-biofilms in the 3D-printed medical devices.
Read the articles by Shella:
Gilbert-Girard et al., Optimization of a High-Throughput 384-Well Plate-Based Screening Platform with Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442 Biofilms, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2020
Gilbert-Girard et al., Screening of FDA-Approved Drugs Using a 384-Well-Plate-Based Platform: The Case of Fingolimod, Microorganisms, 2020
doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8111834
See Shella explain her project
Contact information:
Email: shella.gilbert-girard at helsinki.fi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shella-gilbert-girard-34a42215b
University of Helsinki employee profile: https://tuhat.helsinki.fi/portal/en/person/gilbertg
Anti-infective research group website: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/researchgroups/exploration-of-anti-infectives