1. Jessica Arama
E-mail: Jessica.arama.55@gmail.com
Tel: 0044 7432 52 6143
Nationality: French
Date of Birth: 24/09/1986
Education
Oct 2010-Dec 2014: PhD at UCL-School of Pharmacy: Investigating the role of
GABAA Receptor α1 and α2 subunits in synapse formation
2009-2010: Ecole Normale Supérieure / Paris VI UPMC: Second year Master in
System Biology and Neurosciences
2008-2009: University Paris V: First year Master in Cellular Biology, Physiology and
Pathology
2005- 2008: University Paris V: Bachelor in Life Sciences
Laboratory Work
Jan 2015-Feb 2015: University of Zurich, Institute of Pharmacology and
Toxicology
Project was in collaboration with Pr. JM. Fritschy
Thematic: Studying the role of GABAAR in the formation and maintenance of
GABAergic synapses in the striatum of mutant mice lacking α1 or α2 GABAAR
subunits.
ACSF Transcardiac perfusion of mice, Immunohistochemistry of brain slices
(microtome) and confocal microscopy
Oct 2010- Dec 2014: UCL-School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology department
PhD in the laboratory of Dr J. Jovanovic, Second supervisor: Pr A. Thomson
Thematic: Investigating the role of GABAA Receptor α1 and α2 subunits in
synapse formation, paper published (Arama et al., 2015)
Cloning and expression of Bacmid DNA encoding for extracellular domains of
α1 and α2 GABAA receptor subunits using Bac-to-Bac expression system (including
PCR, cloning, transformations, DNA extraction and purification, baculoviral infections
of Sf9 insect cells)
Cellular biology: Insect cell cultures (Sf9 cells), rat embryonic striatal cultures
(medium spiny neurones)
Biochemistry: western blot, binding assay, co-Immunoprecipitation and affinity
chromatography
Staining and analysis: Immunohistochemistry, Immunocytochemistry, Confocal
microscopy
High throughput data: Proteomics and mass spectrometry data analysis

2. Jan-Jul 2010: INSERM, U840, College de France
Master 2 in the laboratory of junctional communication and interactions between
neuronal and glial Networks (director: Pr. C. Giaume) Supervisor: Dr. M. Cohen-
Salmon
Thematic: Molecular Basis of an astrocytic connexin 30 in the control of the
synaptic transmission in vitro, paper published (Arama et al., 2012)
GST-pull down assay, PCR, western-blot, ICC, transient transfection in Hela Cells
(Knock Out for the connexin 30), transcriptomic and proteomic analysis
Confocal microscopy
Master 2 Thesis
Apr-Jun 2009: CNRS, L.N.R.S, UMR 7060, University Paris V
Master 1 in the laboratory of neurobiology of sensori-motor networks (director: Pr.
PP. Vidal) Supervisors: Dr. M. Beraneck, Dr. F. Lambert, Pr. H. Straka
Thematic: Behaviour Analysis in vivo of head motion during locomotion:
vestibular strategies for gaze stabilisation during Xenopus ontogeny
High speed Camera, computational and cinematic analysis
Master 1 thesis
Jun-Sept 2008: CNRS, UMR 7102 University Paris VI-UPMC
Licence 3 in the laboratory of neurobiology of adaptive process: Development and
ageing of Nervous System (director: Pr. J. Mariani) Supervisor: Pr R. Sherrard
Thematic: Mechanisms of re-innervation in the cerebellum on in vitro and in
vivo models
ACSF transcardiac perfusion, immunohistochemistry on organotypic cultures
(vibratome) and confocal microscopy
Sept-Oct 2007: INSERM, U 686 University Paris V
Licence 2 in the laboratory of normal and pathologic neuro-muscular junction
(director: Pr C. Legay) Supervisor: Pr C. Legay
Thematic: Research on a congenital Myasthenia and the role played by ColQ in
synapse formation
List of Publications
ARAMA, J., ABITBOL, K., GOFFIN, D., FUCHS, C., SIHRA, T. S., THOMSON, A. M. &
JOVANOVIC, J. N. 2015. GABAA receptor activity shapes the formation of
inhibitory synapses between developing medium spiny neurons. Front Cell Neurosci,
9, 290.
ARAMA, J., BOULAY, A. C., BOSC, C., DELPHIN, C., LOEW, D., ROSTAING, P.,
AMIGOU, E., EZAN, P., WINGERTSMANN, L., GUILLAUD, L., ANDRIEUX, A.,
GIAUME, C. & COHEN-SALMON, M. 2012. Bmcc1s, a novel brain-isoform of
Bmcc1, affects cell morphology by regulating MAP6/STOP functions. PLoS One, 7,
e35488.