Esther Tremblay
Master's degree in Applied Microbiology (1992)
Director of Regulatory Affairs, Héma-Québec
“I learned perseverance and patience there. In research, you don't always get results quickly, but you have to keep moving forward.”
It was somewhat by chance that Esther Tremblay discovered INRS while completing her bachelor's degree at UQAM. “I saw on a course bulletin board that there were summer scholarships available to work at the Institut Armand-Frappier,” the predecessor of INRS's Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie. Intrigued, she decided to apply, was awarded the scholarship, and spent her first summer at our Laval campus, surrounded by other passionate students. This experience proved decisive: she returned the following summer to work with the same research team and enrolled in a master's program at INRS the following fall.
During her studies, Esther thrived in the unique INRS model. "Honestly, I had a lot of fun. There were only a few of us students, so it was very friendly.“ She has fond memories of life on campus: ”I have great memories of playing Cosom hockey at lunchtime in the parking lot. Those were really wonderful years."
Beyond these moments of camaraderie, his time at INRS taught him qualities that were essential to his scientific career: “I learned perseverance and patience there. In research, you don't always get results quickly, but you have to keep moving forward.”
It was during her master's degree that she discovered a technique that would shape her entire career: PCR (polymerase chain reaction), a process used to amplify DNA in order to detect the presence of viruses. “At the time, it was brand new, and this technique guided my entire career thereafter.” " After a few years in research, she turned her attention to developing diagnostic tests using PCR. At Bio-Signal, she designed quality assurance tests before joining Roche Diagnostics, where she worked on the first regulatory submissions related to multiplex TAN blood screening tests.
Now Director of Regulatory Affairs at Héma-Québec, Esther Tremblay continues to apply the scientific foundations she acquired at INRS. “It all started with a technique I learned during my master's degree, but above all with a rigor and a taste for development that still serve me well today.”
Grateful for the education she received, she encourages current students to make the most of their years at university: “Even though it can be difficult at times, these are wonderful years. You will have great memories of them.”
As for the future, she is optimistic and confident: “I hope we will continue to have good, well-trained scientists who are free to work on finding solutions to reduce pollution and protect our planet.”
For her, the spirit of research and curiosity instilled at INRS remains essential: it is this freedom to think and explore that drives science forward and, in its own way, changes the world.
[Interviewed in october 2025.]