Ingrid Vallee

Ingrid is a PhD student at Scripps Research studying enzyme biochemistry in the context of rare diseases. Before moving to the US for her PhD, Ingrid obtained her PharmD from Paris University in France, where she is originally from. Through interactions with patients, she became passionate about working toward more targeted therapeutic solutions to reduce toxic side effects by gaining a better understanding of disease mechanisms. This passion led her to pursue a PhD focusing on aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, a family of enzymes that play a central role in protein synthesis and, when mutated, are associated with a wide range of diseases. Her research specifically focuses on understanding the toxic mechanisms by which mutations in the NARS1 gene cause neurodevelopmental disorders. After completing her PhD, Ingrid aims to advance rare disease research by bringing together key players in the field.