Education

PhD in life sciences • 2016 - 2019
with honors

Role of odorant binding proteins in the chemoperception of Drosophila melanogatser
With the supervision of PhD. L. Briand and PhD. JF. Ferveur.
@ Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l’Alimentation (CSGA)

Master Degree (2nd part) in Biodiversity-Ecology-Environment • 2015 - 2016
with honors

@ Université Grenoble Alpes

Internship
Studies of the molecular interactions between Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis toxins and their putative receptors in the mosquito gut.
@ The Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS) in collaboration with Laboratoire d’Écologie Alpine (LECA)

Master Degree (1st part) in Molecular Genetics • 2014 - 2015
with honors

@ Saint Joseph University

Internship
Molecular characterization of Lebanese isolates Bacillus thuringiensis strains in order to study the parasporin genes.
@ Saint Joseph University
Research trainings
  • Laboratory assistant of the geology course. • Jan. - Jun. 2015
  • Laboratory assistant of the animal world organization course (dissection) • Nov. - Jan. 2014

Bachelor Degree in Bio-chemistry • 2012 - 2014
with honors

@ Saint Joseph University

Internships
  • Quantitative and qualitative study of the grape phenolic compounds “Chateau KSARA” • Aug. - Sep. 2013
  • Bacillus thuringiensis strains isolation from Lebanese soil in order to identify the different types of crystals • Jan. - Jun. 2013

Publications

A conserved odorant binding protein is required for essential amino acids detection in Drosophila

Rihani K, Fraichard S, Chauvel I, Poirier N, Delompré T, Neiers F, Tanimura T, Ferveur J.F and Briand L.
Communications Biology • November 22 th 2019 doi: 10.1038/s42003-019-0673-2.

The Drosophila odorant binding protein 28a is involved in the detection of the floral odour ß-ionone

Gonzalez D, Rihani K, Neiers F, Poirier N, Fraichard S, Gotthard G, Chertemps T, Maïbèche M, Ferveur J.F and Briand L.
Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences • September 28 th 2019 doi: 10.1007/s00018-019-03300-4.

Desiccation resistance: effect of cuticular hydrocarbons and water content in Drosophila melanogaster adults

Ferveur J.F, Cortot J, Rihani K, Cobb M, Everaerts C.
PeerJ • February 12th 2018 doi: 10.7717/peerj.4318.

Oral Communication

Europeen Symposium for Insect Taste and Olfaction (ESITO) • September 2019

A conserved odorant binding protein is required for amino acid detection in Drosophila melanogaster.

Visit to the Professor's Bernard Moussian laboratory • June 2019

A conserved odorant binding protein is required for amino acid detection in Drosophila melanogaster.

Forum des jeunes chercheurs • June 2018

The implication of OBP19b in the taste perception of amino acid in Drosophila melanogaster.

ARET Meeting • May 2018

The implication of OBP19b in the taste perception of amino acid in Drosophila melanogaster.

PhD students day @ Centre for Taste and Feeding Behavior • December 2017

Des drosophiles qui ne sentent pas la violette...

31st French Drosophila meeting • November 2017

The implication of OBP28a in Drosophila melanogaster chemosensory perception.

Groupement de recherche odorant-odeur-olfaction • October 2017

Role of Odorant Binding Protein 28a in Drosophila melanogaster chemosensory perception.

Poster Presentation

Neurofly • September 2018

Poster entitled: OBP19b is involved in the taste perception of amino acid in Drosophila melanogaster.

18th meeting of the “Club de Neurobiologie des Invertébrés” • June 2017

Title: Function of odorant-binding proteins in the Drosophila melanogaster chemoreception.

Forum des jeunes chercheurs • June 2017

Title: Function of odorant-binding proteins in the Drosophila melanogaster chemoreception.

Congress Organization

PhD students day @ Centre for Taste and Feeding Behavior • December 2018

PhD students day @ Centre for Taste and Feeding Behavior • June 2018

Forum des jeunes chercheurs • June 2017

Popularization of science

One important aspect of research is to make it accessible to everybody. Therefore I got involved in the Expérimentarium Network and participated in the French competition: My thesis in 180 seconds 2018 (MT180). Both aim at popularising my thesis’s subject so it can reach the most of the general public in an understandable version.

Honors

Prize of the Jury MT180 • 2018

During the regional finals of the competition "My thesis in 180 seconds", the jury selected my presentation to represent my region (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté) in the semi-finals.

Prize of the Public MT180 • 2018

During the regional finals of the competition "My thesis in 180 seconds", my presentation was voted as the most loved by the public.

Prize of the Young Public MT180 • 2018

During the regional finals of the competition "My thesis in 180 seconds", the high school students voted for my presentation.

Excellence Scholarship • 2015 - 2016

from Grenoble Alliance for Integrated Structural & Cell Biology.

Languages

  • English
  • French
  • Arabic

Skills

  • Behavioural assays: CAFE assay, Y-maze assay
  • Expression localisation: Immunochemical labeling
  • Taste electrophysiology
  • Biomolecular: Protein expression & Protein purification
  • Biophisical analysis of proteins: Circular dichroism (CD)
  • Binding properties of proteins: Fluorescence-based binding assay
  • Bioinformatic analysis

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