Community Spotlight | April 2025
Dr. Ariane Bertogg
University Konstanz
Ariane is an alumna of the Department of Sociology at University of Zurich and currently an Assistant Professor at the Sociology Group at the University of Konstanz. She is conducting impactful research on older Europeans' participation in employment and family caregiving.
Her current project, titled “Social Inequalities in Ageing Societies (SocIAS)”, funded by the German Research Foundation with the Emmy Noether-program, explores the gender and socioeconomic inequalities in work-care reconciliation across the life course and their consequences for participation – e.g., as volunteers, in political or religious groups, or in social and educational activities – and health in later life. Thereby, she puts a particular emphasis on cognitive health.
Ariane’s research is theoretically guided by the life course perspective, but takes a comparative approach, investigating how contextual dimensions (such as welfare policies and cultural norms) influence the participation of in family and economic activities, and their broader consequences. Combining these two perspectives, her project aims to uncover how different factors at the macro- and micro-levels interact and shape patterns of participation and health in later life.
Trained as a sociologist, Ariane is passionate about understanding how life courses and societal contexts shape inequalities in health and well-being in later life. Her work bridges disciplines, translating key insights between academia and everyday life to uncover deeper connections in aging research.
In her free time she finds balance through bouldering, skiing, hiking and biking. At home, she and her family provide care for older foster and ex-laboratory animals, turning their space into a loving sanctuary. “Sometimes it feel like I am running a little nursing home”, she says.
Camille Bouhour
University of Geneva
Camille became a member of the Swiss Network for Dementia Research in February 2025.
Currently, Camille is a PhD student working with Dr. Lucie Bréchet on the MemStim project, investigating the therapeutic potential of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) in patients with mild cognitive impairment using high-density EEG. Her work aligns with research in neurostimulation and its applications in cognitive neuroscience. Her research interests focus on using innovative, non-invasive brain imaging techniques to better understand and treat mechanisms underlying neuropsychiatric disorders.
With Camille, we have welcomed a member who has already been actively involved in bridging the gap between research and clinical practice. In the past, she worked as a clinical research coordinator at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, where she coordinated validation studies for various digital health devices – always with the goal of translating scientific findings into practical applications.
Describing her “secret superpower” as openness to innovation, Camille thrives on exploring new scientific ideas and approaches. Whether testing unconventional methods in the lab or seeking fresh perspectives, she embraces creative thinking as a driving force in her research.
She draws inspiration from Jennifer Doudna, Nobel laureate and pioneer of CRISPR gene-editing. As a woman in science, Camille looks up to leading female researchers who break barriers and redefine what’s possible in their fields.
Outside of science, Camille finds grounding in nature. Whether she’s hiking mountain trails, swimming in open water, skiing in the winter, or discovering new places, she values the clarity and calm that outdoor experiences bring—balancing the intensity of research with the restorative power of the natural world.
Dr. Lucie Bréchet
University of Geneva
Lucies work combines scientific, technological, and clinical approaches to study the role of brain oscillations in memory and cognition. Autobiographical memory (ABM) is a fundamental cognitive function that allows us to store and retrieve life experiences, shaping our identity. In Alzheimer’s disease (AD), memory loss is a devastating symptom and a key indicator of disease progression. Using high-density electroencephalography (hdEEG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), her research provides novel insights into the causal role of brain oscillations in ABM. Going further, she explores the potential of personalized non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS), particularly transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), to restore brain oscillations and reduce memory deficits in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Ultimately, her translational research aims to pave the way for individualized therapy and clinical applications in dementia and age-related memory disorders.
She finds deep inspiration in Hannah Arendt’s philosophical work on memory, identity, and human thought. Arendt’s reflections on how memory shapes both personal and collective identity provide a perspective that extends beyond neuroscience, influencing Lucies’s research into the broader implications of remembering and forgetting.
Lucie is an inspiring power woman! As a dedicated researcher and mother of two young children, she brings both expertise and energy to our association. We’re thrilled to have her on board as a member of the Scientific Committee for the Swiss Dementia Forum 2025.
