Dr Duguez was awarded her PhD on “muscle cell biology and metabolism” at Jean Monnet University (Saint Etienne, France), during which time she was an Associate Lecturer. She was then appointed as a post-doctoral Research Fellow working on Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy type 2A, at Genethon (Evry, France), following which she took up a Research Associate position on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy at Children’s National Medical Center (Washington, US), before being appointed as a Project leader at the Institute of Myology (Paris, France).

She is a Senior Lecturer in Personalised Medicine, and leads Ulster University’s research group on Neuromuscular Health. 

RESEARCH

Career development

Dr Duguez has been committed to neuromuscular research since her PhD at Jean Monnet University on muscle cell metabolism, and Research Fellowship on Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy at Genethon (France). As a Research Associate at Children’s National Medical Center (US), she pioneered exploration of the role of muscle vesicles in neuromuscular disease. Determined to develop this theme further, upon returning to France as a Project Leader at the Institute of Myology (Paris), and learning of Prof PF Pradat’s interest in the potential role of muscle in ALS, she proposed to extract myoblasts from patient biopsies and characterize their secretory vesicles. 

Her research group at Ulster University is now composed of biologists and bioinformaticians and explores the intercellular communication between muscle tissue and surrounding cells, including motor neurons, inflammatory cells and fibroblasts. They are using human muscle stem cells and studying their secretome profiles by different OMICS approaches such as proteomic, metabolomic, and transcriptomic analyses. The aim is to decipher the role of intercellular communication in different physiological and pathological conditions such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy (SBMA), and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA-III & IV). Characterizing the muscle secretome will allow us to identify biomarkers and to unravel new therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative disorders. 

Her work on muscle vesicles is bolstered by an international network of collaborators including: clinicians (Paris, London, ‘Derry/Londonderry, Belfast), biopharma (Belfast), researchers on murine models (Marseilles, London, Strasbourg, Keele), on cellular models (Evry), on metabolomics (Tours), and on muscle transcriptomic (Washington DC, Strasbourg) and proteomics (Washington DC). 

In order to explore the muscle cellular functions in different physiological and pathological context, her group secured a biobank of primary muscle cells from healthy subjects and from different patient and age groups. In addition, and in collaboration with neurologist colleagues her group has put in place Northern Ireland Motor Neuron Disease Biobank.

Research publications and communication

Dr Duguez has a track record in neuromuscular and neurodegenerative conditions  (see scopus link). Dr Duguez has been invited or selected as a speaker or as a chair at over 21 international conferences (ARSLA, SINS, Myology 2022, MDA, WMS). 

 Honors

• 2022    Harold Millar Prize (PhD researcher presentation), INA congress, Kilkenny, RoI
• 2021    Awarded most novel poster (PhD researcher presentation), ISHG congress, Dublin, RoI
• 2019    Awarded most novel poster and best initiative, Rare Disease Day, Belfast, UK
• 2017    Awarded most novel poster (PhD researcher presentation), EAPM congress, Belfast, UK
• 2016    Awarded most novel presentation (PhD researcher presentation), ArSLA conference, Paris, France
• 2014    Awarded most novel poster, FASEB muscle stem cell, Steamboat, Colorado

ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

External Representation

• Journal of Personalized Medicine, Editor (2021– )
• Northern Ireland Rare Diseases Partnership (NIRDP) Board Member (2019– 2023 )
• NI Biobank for Motor Neuron Disease Committee (2021– )
• Irish Society of Human Genetics (ISHG) board Member (2021-2023)

 Professional Membership

• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
• Society on Sarcopenia, Cachexia and Wasting Disorders (SCWD) Member (2021- )
• World Muscle Society (WMS) Member (2018-2020)

Invited Reviewer:

• For International Journals including: EMBO Molecular Medicine; Cell Reports; eLife; Ageing Research Review; Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and Muscle; FASEB J; PlosOne; American Journal of Pathology, Differentiation; Stem Cell Journal; Journal of Neurological Sciences; Scientific Reports; JoVE; Frontiers in Neurology; Frontiers in Neuroscience; International Journal of Molecular Sciences; Cells; Antioxidants; Journal of Personalized Medicine.
• For Funding bodies including: BBSRC, MRC, ANR, Welcome Trust, European funding for ERC, Human Frontiers Science Program

PUBLIC OUTREACH & CIVIC CONTRIBUTION

Dr Duguez is dedicated to the “Rare Diseases” field. She led the formation of the Ulster-RARE alliance, creating a framework for interdisciplinary exchange, including teaching, research, and professional practice (see Ulster-RARE UU web area ). She was invited to the MND Awareness Day organized by the MNDA-NI. She regularly meets with NIRDP members, communicating on research progress as well as Rare Diseases teaching and education. With NIRDP, Dr Duguez raised awarness on Rare Disease during a Stem Programm. These efforts led to the creation of the student Rare Disease Society at the Derry~Londonderry campus. She is a board member of the Northern Ireland Rare Disease Implementation group (NIRDIG), which is composed of representatives of the DoH, HSC Trusts, HSCB, PHA, NIRDP, and both regional universities. Within NIRDIG, Dr Duguez aims to raise awareness for rare diseases via education and teaching harmonization across the island of Ireland. The effort and progresses done have been acknowledge by the DoH in Northern Ireland Rare Diseases Action Plan latest progress report. Dr Duguez recently joined the International Advisory Group for RAiN (the All-Island interdisciplinary Rare disease research Network (August 2024).

Dr Duguez has also contributed to well-received output in RTE Brainstorm, in NIRDP Rare Stories series, as well as in France Television's “Allo Docteur” program and a number of other initiatives promoting Public Engagement in Science. 

Dr. Duguez is a module coordinator for the BSc level in the Personalised Medicine course at the School of Medicine. She also contributes to various modules at the BSc, PgCert, and MSc levels. Her primary teaching areas include Physiology, Cellular and Molecular Pathophysiology, Clinical Trial Design, and Research Project Development.

Accepting PhD Students

PhD projects:

Dr Duguez is open to wide-ranging PhD applications from candidates with a cellular and molecular science or clinical background. Her fields of interest include: 

• Molecular mechanisms in neuromuscular and neurodegenerative conditions 
• Biomarkers and personalized therapeutic strategies for neuromuscular and neurodegenerative conditions
• Muscle ageing and Muscle wasting
• Multi-omic analysis and Bioinformatic

Since joining Ulster in 2016, Dr Duguez has secured over £3,200,000 in research income.

These awards have all been obtained from various charities, professional associations, public funding, and biopharma.