Research
Project: « SAFER » (Sperm And FERtility Protection)/miRNA-Based Protection for Male Fertility Preservation
Each year, many children, adolescents, and young adults survive cancer thanks to advances in chemotherapy. However, some anticancer treatments can permanently damage the cells responsible for sperm production, compromising future fertility. Current fertility preservation options remain limited, especially for prepubertal boys, for whom no fully effective solution is currently available.
The « SAFER » project aims to develop an innovative strategy to protect male reproductive cells during cancer treatment. The project focuses on microRNAs (miRNAs), small molecules that regulate gene activity and play essential roles in cell survival and development. By identifying the miRNAs involved in chemotherapy-induced damage, SAFER seeks to develop new approaches to prevent the loss of germ cells and preserve the capacity to produce sperm later in life.
To translate this strategy into a potential therapeutic application, SAFER combines reproductive biology with nanotechnology. Specialized nanoparticles will be designed to deliver protective miRNAs directly to the cells that need to be preserved. Ultimately, this approach could reduce the long-term reproductive side effects of cancer treatments, improve survivors' quality of life, and help safeguard their future opportunities for parenthood. The project addresses major societal challenges at the intersection of oncology, fertility preservation, and biomedical innovation.
Biography
Coline Charnay is a PhD graduate in Life and Health Sciences and an early-career researcher specializing in reproductive biology and fertility preservation. Her research focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying reproductive health and on developing innovative strategies to protect fertility from environmental exposures and medical treatments. At the interface between fundamental research and clinical applications, she is particularly interested in translating scientific discoveries into solutions that improve patients' quality of life and preserve their reproductive potential.
Publications
- Antoine A.‡, Charnay C.‡, Gallot D., Minet-Quinard R., Richardson L., Blanchon L., Menon R., Sapin V. Phthalates, Alternative Plasticizers and Female Reproductive Health: Pathophysiological Hypothesis of Nuclear Receptors. Under review in Chemico-Biological Interactions (2026). (‡Equal contribution)
- Delessard M., Moutard L., Charnay C. et al. In Vivo and In Vitro Spermatogenesis in Prepubertal Mouse Testes Exposed to Low Gonadotoxic Doses of Cytarabine or Daunorubicin. Scientific Reports, 2025.
- Charnay C. et al. The Anti-Inflammatory Effect of the Amniotic PPARγ Pathway Is Not Deregulated by the Alternative Plasticizer DINCH and Its Metabolite MINCH in Human Fetal Membranes. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2025.
Outreach activities
- Teaching biochemistry and molecular biology to medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, Université Clermont Auvergne (France).
- Presentation of research findings at international and national scientific meetings, including the International Society for Reproductive Investigation (SRI, Vancouver, 2024) and the French-speaking Andrology Society Congress (SALF, Paris, 2022).
- Co-founder of the GAMET'S Association, dedicated to raising awareness of reproductive health issues and organizing scientific outreach events and public lectures.