ApconiX Welcomes Magali-Anne Maizieres

Magali-Anne Maizieres | ApconiX

ApconiX is delighted to welcome Magali-Anne Maizieres who joins the team in our ion channel laboratory and will be working on manual patch clamp projects for our clients.

Magali is an electrophysiologist with both industrial and academic experience in manual and automated patch-clamp, genome editing and cell engineering.

After completing a BSc in Life Sciences from the University Pierre and Marie Curie in Paris and BSc in Biotechnologies from the University Paris Descartes, Magali gained a Master’s degree in Health Technologies from the University of Bordeaux. As both degrees were sandwich courses, Magali spent 3 placement years at Sanofi characterising cardiomyocytes deriveds from iPS cells from both healthy volunteers and patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, using manual patch-clamp. Magali also validated recombinant cell-lines expressing GABAa receptors and implemented a cardiac safety screening assay on the Nav1.5late current in the context of the CiPA initiative.

Having completed her Master’s Magali decided to take a break from electrophysiology and patch-clamp, to consider a comparative field before choosing a career with ion channels. Magali joined Horizon Discovery, as a member of the Cell Biology Team, in charge of characterising new cell-lines from clients design reagents and target cell-lines using CRISPR/Cas 9.

Magali then joined the Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge with Dr Emmanouil Metzakopian where she set up a CRISPR KO Screen in Neural Progenitor Cells (NPC) derived from iPSC. Magali was also in charge of screening chromatin-related drugs in both NPC and iPSC.

Magali commented, “I learned a lot during the past two years and it has really confirmed my interest in ion channels and electrophysiology. I love manual patch-clamp because it feels like a game, it can be frustrating, but it also has a very addictive aspect. I was really keen to join ApconiX because the team seemed lovely, and their activity being always expanding, I am hoping to get involved in more activities in the future and I am sure I can learn lots!”.

Dr Michael Morton, Director and Co-founder of ApconiX added, “We are growing rapidly, and manual patch clamp projects are a highlight of that growth. We are delighted to have Magali join the team, someone who shares the passion and love of all things ion channel!”.

Magali reads, mostly fantasy novels, in her spare time. “I also really like outdoors, I enjoy long walks and hikes, and rollerblading when the weather is nice. I picked-up karate last summer and I am looking forward to find a club here to start again!”.