Valérie Forest

Valérie Forest is a Professor at Mines Saint-Étienne, where she directs the Biological Activity of Inhaled Particles (BioPI) department within the Engineering and Health Center. Her research focuses on particle and nanomaterial cytotoxicity with strong societal applications, recognized globally through the Stanford/Elsevier's Top 2% Scientists ranking. She leads a dynamic laboratory adapting to urgent public health challenges like microplastic pollution and pandemic responses.

Her academic journey began with a DEA (Master's equivalent) in Biological and Medical Engineering, followed by a PhD at Jean Monnet University in Saint-Étienne. She expanded her expertise through two post-doctoral positions at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Center and Cancer Institute in Montreal.

Professor Forest's research addresses critical societal issues through three interconnected domains:

• Nanotoxicology: Developing standardized protocols for microplastic/nanoplastic toxicity testing, solving methodological flaws like particle buoyancy in culture media that underestimate health risks.
• Environmental Particle Toxicology: Investigating pulmonary inflammation and DNA damage from tire/road wear particles – a persistent pollution source even with electric vehicles.
• Aerosol Therapy: Optimizing inhalation drug delivery systems for respiratory diseases like asthma, leveraging her aerosol expertise during the Covid-19 mask efficacy studies.

Her scientific contributions were honored with inclusion in Stanford/Elsevier's Top 2% Scientists ranking, reflecting her impact on toxicology and public health research.

As an educator, she designed Mines Saint-Étienne's biomedical engineering curriculum and mentors young researchers with emphasis on scientific rigor and communication. Her BioPI laboratory maintains active collaborations with medical institutions and industrial partners, recently addressing microplastic exposure risks and tire particle health impacts. Guided by her principle of being 'useful to society,' she prioritizes applied research with tangible real-world benefits while maintaining humility about her scientific recognition.