I have a strong interest in the evolution and maintenance of individual variations within populations, and especially in the role of consistent phenotypic correlations, defining behavioural or physiological syndromes, in maintaining individual variations.
I first addressed that question during my Master years, by studying physiological traits and alternative life history strategies correlated with plumage coloration in feral pigeon Columbia livia.
Currently, I am investigating the role of oxidative stress and senescence in shaping the relationship between dispersal behaviour and life histories. My project is based on correlative and experimental approaches on a fragmented population of collared flycatchers Ficedula albicollis. A first part of the project will be to investigate potential correlations between dispersal, metabolic rate and oxidative stress through physiological measures combined with experimental manipulation of reproductive or locomotive effort. The second part will address the consequences of such physiological syndrome on senescence and life history strategies, using the 30-year demographic database available for that population.
The project implies two to three months fieldwork in our study site on Gotland island, Sweden, from mid-April to mid-July. Students and technicians interested in taking part should write to Blandine Doligez who is responsible for the French part of the program. The project also offers opportunities for Master projects focusing on lab analyses (telomere length, metabolic rate through doubly labelled water, ROS production, antioxidant capacity…) or data analyses. Internships would then take place in Lausanne (Switzerland), Lyon (France) or Strasbourg (France).
2007-2011
M.Sc. in Ecology, Biodiversity, and Evolution.
Ecole Normale Supérieure and Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France.
2008-2009
Agrégation (Certificate in Secondary and College teaching) in Biology and Geology.
Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, and Université Paris Sud, Orsay, France.
2004-2007
B.Sc. in Life Sciences.
Ecole Normale Supérieure and Université Denis Diderot, Paris, France.
Professional experience
2011-
PhD student.
Université Claude Bernard, Lyon, France, and Université de Lausanne, Suisse.
Supervisors: Blandine Doligez (UCBL), Pierre Bize (UNIL) and Alexandre Roulin (UNIL).
Project: Dispersing physiological syndrome and its consequences on life-history strategies: empirical approaches in a fragmented population of migratory passerines.
2011-
Teaching assistant.
Université Claude Bernard, Lyon, France.
Genetics: Supervised lab classes for app. 15 students (18 hours).
Plant anatomy: Supervised lab classes for app. 30 students (12 hours).
Scientific English: Prepared and supervised classes for app. 20 students (20 hours).
2011
Field and lab assistant (2 months).
Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France.
Supervisors: Jean-Louis Chapuis and Benoît Pisanu
Studied ecto- and endoparasites of European red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris). Helped in capture-mark-recapture protocols for native red squirrels and introduced Siberian chipmunk (Tamia sibiricus).
2010-2011
Research assistant (5 and 6 months).
Université Pierre et Marie Curie and Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
Supervisors: Julien Gasparini (UPMC), Anne-Caroline Prévot-Julliard (MNHN) and Lisa Jacquin (UPMC).
Projects: Melanin-based coloration as a signal of alternative life-history strategies in feral pigeon Columba livia. Importance of urbanization in the maintenance of genetic diversity in feral pigeon Columba livia.
2009
Volunteer caretaker (2 months).
Regional LPO Wildlife Centre, Buoux, France.
Supervisor: Katy Morel.
Responsible for basic care of wild birds and mammals hosted in the centre. Helped in animals transport, enclosures and facilities maintenance, as well as reception of the public.
2008
Research assistant (5 months).
University of Aberdeen, Scotland.
Supervisor: Xavier Lambin.
Project: Modelling for control of invasive alien species with spatially structured populations: The case of the American mink (Mustela vison) in Scotland.
2007
Research and field assistant (2 months).
University of California, Los Angeles, United-States.
Supervisor: Daniel Blumstein.
Project: Yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) response to alarm calls that include synthetic noise.
Helped with captures and behavioural observations as part of the monitoring of the study population, in the Colorado Rockies (Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Crested Butte, United-States).
