{"id":209157,"date":"2026-02-04T09:55:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T14:55:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inrs.ca\/?p=209157"},"modified":"2026-02-04T09:56:38","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T14:56:38","slug":"my-serial-research-madeleine-lepines-phd-on-pollutants-and-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inrs.ca\/en\/news\/my-serial-research-madeleine-lepines-phd-on-pollutants-and-health\/","title":{"rendered":"My serial research: Madeleine L\u00e9pine&#8217;s PhD on pollutants and health\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>As&nbsp;the old saying&nbsp;goes, &#8220;all roads lead to Rome.&#8221; For me, they all led to research!&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n    \n<div class=\"wp-block full-width-image \">\n    <div class=\"image-ctn\">\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/inrs.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/PXL_20250513_151110270-web-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/>\n    <\/div>\n    <p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap wp-block-paragraph\">I have always loved solving problems,&nbsp;both&nbsp;at school&nbsp;and&nbsp;in my daily life.&nbsp;To satisfy my natural curiosity about the vast world,&nbsp;I have studied&nbsp;a broad spectrum of&nbsp;subjects, from dietetics to environmental biology, health&nbsp;sciences&nbsp;and biochemistry.&nbsp;Why limit&nbsp;myself&nbsp;to just one field?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-problems-are-my-passion\">Problems are my passion\u00a0\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, although I didn&#8217;t follow a classic (more <em>linear<\/em>) academic path, all the stages of my studies all led me to one conclusion: I have a real passion for research, which was confirmed by the internships I did before my graduate studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a97c714005e6&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a97c714005e6\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"607\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/inrs.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/AFSB_pre_Isabelle-Plante_credit-Christian-Tremblay-web-1024x607.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-209105\" srcset=\"https:\/\/inrs.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/AFSB_pre_Isabelle-Plante_credit-Christian-Tremblay-web-1024x607.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/inrs.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/AFSB_pre_Isabelle-Plante_credit-Christian-Tremblay-web-300x178.jpg 300w, https:\/\/inrs.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/AFSB_pre_Isabelle-Plante_credit-Christian-Tremblay-web-768x455.jpg 768w, https:\/\/inrs.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/AFSB_pre_Isabelle-Plante_credit-Christian-Tremblay-web.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cr\u00e9dit : Christian Tremblay<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After earning a master&#8217;s degree in ecotoxicology, where my work focused on the effects of pollutants on the thyroid hormones of wild birds, and having obtained a grant from the Foncer PURE Create program (offered by the Advanced Technology Training network on the risk and remediation of Pollution in URban Environments), I was privileged to do an internship with Professor Isabelle Plante at INRS. In her laboratory, I combined my interests in the study of environmental pollutants and human health. More specifically, I studied a disease that still affects 1 in 8 women in Canada today: breast cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I could now&nbsp;channel&nbsp;my&nbsp;penchant for&nbsp;problem&nbsp;solving into tackling a major challenge.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-phd-based-on-biotechnology\">A PhD\u00a0based on\u00a0biotechnology&#8230;\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most breast cancer studies&nbsp;are conducted&nbsp;using&nbsp;models that require live animals. The latest studies in our laboratory involved female rats exposed to mixtures of pollutants representative of human exposure.&nbsp;In fact, this approach&nbsp;requires&nbsp;a tremendous amount of time and resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But there are other ways, and I am fortunate&nbsp;to&nbsp;be able to&nbsp;explore them&nbsp;as part of my PhD.&nbsp;I am studying different&nbsp;<em>in vitro&nbsp;<\/em>models based on cell lines to&nbsp;test&nbsp;the toxicity of&nbsp;pollutants&nbsp;and&nbsp;other&nbsp;compounds&nbsp;known&nbsp;or suspected to be endocrine disruptors.&nbsp;This work&nbsp;is made&nbsp;possible by&nbsp;the technological resources&nbsp;that&nbsp;INRS&nbsp;offers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;galleryId&quot;:&quot;6a97c7140097c&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/gallery\" class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure 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sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a97c714011d1&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a97c714011d1\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"819\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-id=\"209109\" src=\"https:\/\/inrs.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/MLPosterGRC2024-web-1024x819.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-209109\" srcset=\"https:\/\/inrs.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/MLPosterGRC2024-web-1024x819.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/inrs.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/MLPosterGRC2024-web-300x240.jpg 300w, https:\/\/inrs.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/MLPosterGRC2024-web-768x615.jpg 768w, https:\/\/inrs.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/MLPosterGRC2024-web.jpg 1397w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During&nbsp;my first year, I&nbsp;learned about&nbsp;a device that can measure the effects of pollutants on the ability of cells&nbsp;to multiply,&nbsp;a behaviour associated with the development of cancer.&nbsp;We used this&nbsp;device&nbsp;to&nbsp;test&nbsp;a large number of&nbsp;pollutant concentrations&nbsp;in the lab,&nbsp;which&nbsp;made assessing&nbsp;the toxicity of these compounds&nbsp;a much quicker process.&nbsp;The idea is,&nbsp;by&nbsp;better understanding&nbsp;how toxic certain substances or environments are, we can&nbsp;seek&nbsp;to limit or&nbsp;avoid exposure&nbsp;in order to&nbsp;reduce the risk&nbsp;of cancer&nbsp;developing, worsening,&nbsp;being misdiagnosed, or&nbsp;not responding adequately to treatment.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-rooted-in-reality\">&#8230; rooted in reality&#8230;\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition,&nbsp;thanks to&nbsp;partnerships and relationships&nbsp;forged by&nbsp;INRS and my director, I&nbsp;was able&nbsp;to&nbsp;spend&nbsp;time collaborating in the laboratory of&nbsp;Professor&nbsp;Mahchid&nbsp;Bamdad&nbsp;at Clermont Auvergne University in&nbsp;France.&nbsp;There,&nbsp;I learned how to use&nbsp;a new 3D cell model&nbsp;to&nbsp;more&nbsp;accurately&nbsp;reflect&nbsp;the cellular mechanisms&nbsp;found&nbsp;in the body. In&nbsp;short, through a series of rotation&nbsp;steps&nbsp;and the use&nbsp;of a hydrogel,&nbsp;we&nbsp;are able to&nbsp;recreate artificial tumors based on&nbsp;cancer&nbsp;cells,&nbsp;called&nbsp;<em>tumorspheres<\/em>. These spheres&nbsp;provide&nbsp;a 3D environment that is more representative&nbsp;of real tumors. I am using these&nbsp;more realistic&nbsp;models&nbsp;to the fullest, to better understand how&nbsp;pollutants&nbsp;affect&nbsp;the risk of&nbsp;developing&nbsp;breast cancer.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-and-human-centred\">&#8230;and\u00a0human-centred\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With my research,&nbsp;I hope&nbsp;to open the door&nbsp;to&nbsp;the study of endocrine disruptors&nbsp;by using the&nbsp;3D model to accelerate the assessment of their toxicity.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In doing so, I hope to enable more researchers&nbsp;to contribute to the&nbsp;publication of data on these toxic effects, leading to better government regulations in Quebec and internationally.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ultimately, I&nbsp;hope to help&nbsp;protect more women from the risk of&nbsp;developing&nbsp;breast cancer.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;galleryId&quot;:&quot;6a97c71402271&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/gallery\" class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a97c71402551&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a97c71402551\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" 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wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"819\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-id=\"209106\" src=\"https:\/\/inrs.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/PXL_20250513_145514728-web-1024x819.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-209106\" srcset=\"https:\/\/inrs.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/PXL_20250513_145514728-web-1024x819.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/inrs.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/PXL_20250513_145514728-web-300x240.jpg 300w, https:\/\/inrs.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/PXL_20250513_145514728-web-768x614.jpg 768w, https:\/\/inrs.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/PXL_20250513_145514728-web-1536x1229.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/inrs.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/PXL_20250513_145514728-web-2048x1638.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At&nbsp;the tender&nbsp;age&nbsp;of&nbsp;14,&nbsp;Madeleine was already&nbsp;advocating against pollution and environmental injustices at&nbsp;her high school.&nbsp;Having preserved&nbsp;her&nbsp;passion&nbsp;for&nbsp;awareness raising, she&nbsp;can&nbsp;be&nbsp;rightfully&nbsp;proud&nbsp;of the&nbsp;doctoral&nbsp;researcher she is today.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Listen to Madeleine&nbsp;talk about her research&nbsp;in the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PL6DZCvaKLOIOx_EU8epSWjV5fVhHAgNaJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">PerturbAction podcast<\/a>, a student initiative aimed at&nbsp;popularizing&nbsp;the topic of endocrine disruptors.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As the old saying goes, &#8220;all roads lead to Rome.&#8221; For me, they all led to research.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":209158,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1646],"tags":[],"sectors":[],"class_list":["post-209157","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-my-serial-research"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.1 (Yoast SEO v28.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>My serial research: Madeleine L\u00e9pine&#039;s PhD on pollutants and health\u00a0 | INRS<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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