Science for all: lecture by Laure-Emmanuelle Zaragosi Because every breath counts: understanding respiratory diseases

Coughing is one of the familiar sounds of winter, often associated with temporary viral infections such as influenza or coronaviruses. Although unpleasant, it fortunately tends to clear up quickly for most of us.

However, there are individuals who cough persistently throughout the year due to constant obstruction of their bronchial tubes. These people suffer from chronic respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), commonly known as ‘smoker's disease’, or cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease. Asthmatics may also experience similar symptoms.

But what causes this permanent bronchial obstruction? What dysfunctions are common to these diseases, despite their distinct origins? Laure-Emmanuelle Zaragosi will delve into the complex intricacies of these airways, explore their cellular composition and observe how these cells malfunction in the context of chronic respiratory diseases.

Laure-Emmanuelle Zaragosi is a researcher in cellular and molecular biology at the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology. Her research aims to understand the regeneration of bronchial lining tissue through cellular and genomic approaches. Her work has led to the creation of the first cellular and molecular atlas of the respiratory tract using single-cell sequencing.