Mohamed Sylla, Research Associate
As an immigrant, Mohamed Sylla has certainly had an atypical career. After obtaining a degree in biochemistry in Côte d’Ivoire, his native country, he chose Université de Montréal and the CRCHUM to pursue his master's degree in microbiology and immunology, in the laboratory of Cécile Tremblay.
A stimulating journey
In 2005, he started working barely three days after his arrival in Quebec! “It's been quite an adjustment, not least because the biosafety methods are totally different. In my country, we always had to wait for instructions, and here, it was the first time I’d been asked for my opinion,” he recalls.
After his master's degree, the realization of new projects in the lab and the birth of his daughter in 2008 made him decide to settle in our beautiful province for good, leading him to obtain his Canadian citizenship the same year.
Mohamed was initially hired as a lab technician and rose through the ranks to become a research associate. His days usually start with team meetings with the master's students he supervises to help them progress in their development.
“It's very satisfying to see what the students I've supervised have become today,” says Mohamed.
Giant steps in the fight against HIV
In addition, he performs all the tasks of a laboratory technician for projects in his unit, which are mainly about HIV. For example, in partnership with the pharmaceutical industry, he tests in vitro medication in the biosafety level 3 laboratory and enters the results into a database.
As part of another major project, he is trying to identify cardiac markers in people aged 50 and over living with HIV. He has also worked on characterizing antiretroviral resistance in African patients, allowing doctors on this continent to review medication and improve the situation of people living with HIV—a source of great pride for Mohamed.
What’s more, he manages the CRCHUM's largest biobank, which enables him to collaborate with researchers from several departments. While the world was on pause during the COVID-19 pandemic, he and his team were analyzing blood samples from infected patients to build a biobank and identify neutralizing antibodies to determine when a person is at risk of being reinfected.
He also took part in the work to validate a method for identifying the nature of a bacterium infecting a patient in less than two hours, in order to prescribe the right antibiotic treatment.
A great work environment
Now fully integrated into Quebec society, Mohamed loves the collaborative spirit that reigns at the CRCHUM, the sense of inclusion, the cutting-edge facilities and the flexibility that allows him to balance his work and family life.
He is passionate about transmitting his knowledge and plans one day to become a lecturer at a CEGEP or university connected to his field while continuing his work at the CRCHUM.
When he's not in the lab, he enjoys spending time with his children. Otherwise, he can be found on the ski slopes, at the movies or in the audience at a comedy show.
A key role in immunology research
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