Sandra Mounicou

Sandra Mounicou is a CNRS Researcher affiliated with the Institute of Analytical Sciences and Physico-Chemistry for Environment and Materials (IPREM) at the Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour. Her roles include advancing analytical methodologies for trace element studies and coordinating interdisciplinary environmental and health-related projects.

Education:

• 2016: Habilitation à Diriger les Recherches in Chemistry, Université de Pau
• 2002: PhD in Chemistry and Microbiology of Water (collaboration with Nestlé Research Centre)
• 1999: Master in Chemistry and Microbiology of Water
• 1998: Bachelor in Physico-Chemistry

Research Interests:

• Development of analytical techniques for studying essentiality/toxicity mechanisms of elements like uranium, cadmium, mercury, and selenium.
• Interaction of trace elements with proteins and their spatial distribution in biological tissues at micrometer scales.
• Elemental bioimaging using mass spectrometry (ICP-MS, LA-ICP-MS) and hyphenated techniques.

Supervision & Projects:

• Supervised 5 PhD students, 2 post-doctoral researchers, and coordinated projects such as Cadmigrain (cadmium in durum wheat) and (Targets (uranium speciation in zebrafish).
• Leads collaborative studies on environmental contaminants, including selenium in fish organs and uranium exposure markers in fish otoliths.

Technical Expertise:

• Mass spectrometry (ICP-MS, ESI-MS/MS)
• Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS)
• Development of hyphenated analytical techniques.

No scientific awards are explicitly listed in the provided text.