Anne-Claude Gavin

Anne-Claude Gavin is a Professor at the University of Geneva's Faculty of Medicine within the Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism. Her research group, based at CMU office C05.1535.a, focuses on lipid metabolism with particular emphasis on APOE lipidation mechanisms and their implications in Alzheimer's disease. The laboratory actively recruits PhD candidates for high-level collaborative projects, with a recent opening targeting autumn 2025 start dates for research on APOE polymorphism and metabolic stressors.

Her research interests center on lipid-protein interactions, particularly APOE homeostasis across isoforms and cell states, ceramide transport mechanisms, and the role of lipid dysregulation in neurodegenerative diseases. Recent work integrates structural biology, cellular imaging, and systems approaches to dissect molecular mechanisms of lipid transfer proteins like CERT and STARD4. Her group has made significant contributions to understanding how APOE variants differentially modulate cellular cholesterol metabolism and inflammatory responses in astrocytes.

Analysis of recent publications (2023-2025) reveals strong thematic continuity in lipid-centric research, with increasing focus on Alzheimer's disease mechanisms through APOE studies, structural characterization of lipid transfer proteins, and cellular aging processes in hematopoietic systems. Key methodologies include molecular dynamics simulations, fluorescent biosensor development, and system-wide lipid transfer protein mapping.

While no specific awards are listed in the provided materials, her research has garnered media attention including coverage in RTS's CQFD program (March 2022) discussing protein contributions to Alzheimer's disease. Her laboratory maintains active recruitment for doctoral positions, indicating ongoing grant funding for projects like the collaborative study on APOE lipidation mechanisms.

• Active recruitment for PhD positions in lipid metabolism
• Media features on Alzheimer's research
• Collaborative projects with clinical implications

The laboratory operates within the Lipid Metabolism research group at the University of Geneva's Centre Médical Universitaire (CMU), utilizing advanced techniques including molecular dynamics, chemoproteomics, and genetically encoded fluorescent probes to investigate lipid dynamics in cellular systems. Current work emphasizes translational connections between fundamental lipid biochemistry and neurodegenerative disease pathways.