Dr. Stéphanie Baulac is a renowned neurogeneticist and co-leader of the “Genetics and Pathophysiology of Epilepsy” team at the Paris Brain Institute. Her research centers on understanding the genetic and molecular basis of focal epilepsies, particularly those associated with malformations of cortical development and somatic mosaicism in the brain. She earned her Ph.D. in Neurogenetics from Université Paris V René Descartes in 2001 and has since become a leader in epilepsy research, integrating genetics, developmental neurobiology, and translational models.

Dr. Baulac's lab investigates how mutations—especially in genes involved in the mTOR signaling pathway—disrupt brain development and lead to epilepsy. Using a unique translational pipeline, her team combines high-throughput genomic analysis of resected epileptic brain tissues with in vitro patient-derived brain organoids and in vivo mouse models (via in utero electroporation and genetic knockouts). Her goals include discovering novel epilepsy genes, clarifying the mechanisms of epileptogenesis, and identifying cell-type-specific therapeutic targets.

She directs the iGenSeq platform at the Brain Institute and has received numerous accolades, including the 2019 Michael Prize in Epileptology, the Prix Valérie Chamaillard, and a prestigious ERC Consolidator Grant. Her impactful work continues to shape the understanding of neurodevelopmental epilepsies and drive targeted therapy development.