Pioneer in cell therapy, scientist Farida Djouad focuses her research on new treatments for autoimmune diseases

Through her research themes, Farida Djouad has made an exceptional contribution to biomedical advances. Candice Bohaud

The native Bagnolaise is research director at Inserm and team leader at the Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapies in Montpellier. She will be promoted to Knight of the National Order of Merit, during a ceremony at the Montpellier Faculty of Medicine, Wednesday June 26.

She was born and raised in Bagnols then in Laudun. "Gardoise de coeur", Farida Djouad is director of research at Inserm (National Institute of Health and Medical Research) and team leader at the Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapies of Montpellier. "His pioneering work on cell therapy and tissue engineering has opened new avenues for the treatment of autoimmune and degenerative diseases and has largely contributed to the scientific influence of France internationally", summarizes Inserm. For this, the"brilliant scientist" will be promoted, this Wednesday, June 26, at 5 p.m., Knight of the National Order of Merit, by Patrick Sandevoir, National President of the National Order of Merit, at the Faculty of Medicine of Montpellier(*).   It’is "a surprise, she says. Through my work, I’ ;rsquo;have certain rewards, through the publication of articles in journals with a high impact factor."  This is a reward from the Republic!

"Generating precision therapies" for autoimmune diseases 

The research projects of the Institute and its team are full of hope: new treatments for diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, etc. Farida Djouad recalls: “In autoimmune diseases, there are inappropriate reactions from our immune system. Our body attacks immune cells and produces antibodies that destroy tissues. My research project is to develop biotherapies to regulate the immune response on the one hand, and stimulate tissue regeneration on the other.” Research that marks a break with what is done currently […],there are therapies which have very good results but which do not precisely target diseased cells. My project is to generate precision therapies to target the cells responsible for autoimmune diseases" . 

Inspiring zebrafish  

For the axis "repairing tissues",  "we are inspired by the zebrafish which regenerates many tissues, including cartilage and the heart. We have identified a cell that orchestrates the regeneration process in fish". It is now a matter of generating this cell in the laboratory "to repair tissues in humans". The government finances, as part of France 2030, the program that the researcher coordinates. Objective: launch clinical trials in four years. And these advances could also support significant progress in the treatment of other pathologies. 

(*) In the presence of numerous personalities from the scientific and academic world.

A multi-faceted profession

"It’is a job conducive to career growth. creativity", she discovered during an internship at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of Montpellier. She subsequently obtained a doctorate in cell biology under the supervision of Professor Christian Jorgensen: "During my thesis, in 2002, we wereé ; the first in the world &agrav; describe the ability to cells &agrav; regulate the immune response."She will then do a post-doctoral fellowship in the United States. In 2009, she became a research manager at the University of Montreal. l’Inserm, "I’integratedé the unité of research by Christian Jorgensen, an éevidence". She became research director in 2020. Farida Djouad is now responsible for a team of fifteen people. This profession is composed of: “many facets,” she explains. "As a business leader, you have to seek funding. We write research projects. We train students, engineers & engineers, etc., for carrying out experiments. We direct research work, we present it at conferences. We communicate with the general public, we file patents, we train people in South America…" Farida Djouad is also involved in training of young researchers and the dissemination of scientific knowledge. To young women who wish to embark on a scientific career, Farida Djouad would say: "Believe in yourself, and be die-hard!"   His path was not straight forward. a long, quiet river. "I’have overcomeé lots of obstacles and it's a lot of work."