Marion Boyer’s Early Career Blog
Unravel the molecular mechanisms of neuromuscular junction denervation in Amyotrophic Lateral
Sclerosis (ALS)
By Marion Boyer
PhD Candidate at CERVO, Laval University, Quebec
As a fourth-year PhD candidate at CERVO, Laval University, I spend my days trying to understand what happens at the neuromuscular junction during amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and more specifically, why and how connections between nerves and muscles are progressively lost.
Thanks to the 2025 NMD4C Collaborative Research Training Award that we obtained in July 2025, I had the opportunity to visit Dr. Thomas Durcan’s lab at The Neuro, McGill University.
This two-week visit, from March 2 to March 18 2026, provided hands-on training in the generation of motoneurons from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). During this period, I performed cell expansion, differentiation, and early maturation steps to obtain iPSC-derived motoneurons, a key component for developing advanced neuromuscular models.
This training is part of a broader collaborative project investigating the molecular and cellular pathways implicated in neuromuscular junction denervation in ALS. Establishing robust motoneuron cultures from iPSCs represents an essential step toward building physiologically relevant in vitro systems to study communication between motoneurons and muscle cells and to better understand mechanisms driving neuromuscular junction degeneration.
Beyond the technical expertise gained, this visit strengthened the collaboration between Dr. Silvia Pozzi’s lab at CERVO and Dr. Thomas Durcan’s team at McGill. The knowledge acquired during this exchange will support the implementation of complementary 3D neuromuscular co-culture approaches in our laboratory and contribute to ongoing efforts to identify novel therapeutic targets aimed at preserving neuromuscular junction stability in ALS.
Moreover, this visit provided a valuable opportunity to interact with new colleagues and integrate into a different research environment. Engaging with members of Dr. Durcan’s lab fostered meaningful scientific discussions and knowledge exchange. Furthermore, spending time in Montréal contributed positively to the overall experience, offering a stimulating and dynamic setting that complemented the research activities.
Looking ahead, my goal is to further develop integrated neuromuscular models that better recapitulate disease progression in ALS and to contribute to the identification of novel therapeutic targets aimed at preserving neuromuscular junction stability. More broadly, I aspire to pursue a career in academic research where I can continue exploring neurodegenerative diseases while fostering collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches.
