Lucie’s story

The ERA long-term fellowship programme is an outstanding initiative that offers early-career researchers the chance to gain international experience, broaden their scientific horizons, and build a strong professional network. Beyond young nephrologists, this fellowship is also an excellent opportunity for early-career researchers from basic sciences to undertake a postdoctoral mobility. I strongly encourage these researchers to seize this chance, as I did, to work closely with renowned experts of the ERA consortium, fostering the vital connection between basic and clinical research that drives progress in patient care. I consider the ERA Fellowship a highly valuable programme for anyone aiming to advance in the field of renal research.

Absolutely, the ERA Long-Term Fellowship is without any doubt a relevant experience that I am proud to highlight in my CV. The ERA is a leading consortium in nephrology, renowned for its excellence, and the fellowship offers the chance to work closely with distinguished researchers and nephrologists. Being selected for such a prestigious programme reflects a young researcher’s quality, scientific competence, and potential. I was truly honored to receive it. Beyond strengthening technical and scientific skills, it also helps early-career researchers to join an outstanding professional network that can support and enrich their career development.

During my PhD in the laboratory of Prof. Z. Massy (UPJV, Amiens, France), I developed solid foundations in the preclinical study of CKD-related cardiovascular calcification. Thanks to the ERA long-term fellowship, I had the opportunity to expand this research topic by joining the laboratory of Prof. A. Ortiz (Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain), where I benefited from the team’s expertise in the mechanisms of CKD-related inflammation. This experience allowed me to refine my research and specialize in studying the connection between inflammation and cardiovascular calcification. Upon returning to France, I made this topic the focus of my work and have since developed it extensively, supervising several PhD projects in the field. Since 2021, I have been part of the French Cardiac Research Network on Aortic Valve and Heart Failure (FHU CARNAVAL), led by Prof. H. Eltchaninoff, where I lead the task focused on investigating the link between inflammation and aortic stenosis in CKD. Twelve years later, I can say that this postdoctoral fellowship profoundly shaped my research trajectory, and I remain deeply grateful to the ERA Scientific Committee for giving me this opportunity.

During the fellowship, I acquired in-depth knowledge in inflammation and explored new ways of approaching research. Beyond technical expertise, the programme introduced me to international scientific culture and helped me build a network of colleagues that continues to support my research and collaborative projects. Throughout my stay, I had the opportunity to work closely with young nephrologists, from whom I gained valuable clinical perspectives on renal disease. This experience made me realize how crucial collaboration between clinicians and basic scientists is for conducting high-quality research that aligns with real clinical needs. Upon returning to France, I have worked to foster such interactions in my own research team. Since this fellowship, I feel part of a larger ‘ERA family’ and am deeply grateful for all the opportunities that have followed. These opportunities are rooted in the excellent training I received during my PhD at Université de Picardie Jules Verne (France) and my postdoctoral experience at Fundación Jiménez Díaz (Spain), as well as the continuous support and guidance from ERA members, which has helped shape my career.