Dr. Vaihere Delaune | Health Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Fellow at Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland

Dr. Vaihere Aurore Delaune, born on April 30, 1985, in Lautoka, Fiji Islands, is a French national and an accomplished surgeon. She serves as a Research Fellow and Registrar in the Department of Digestive Surgery at Geneva University Hospitals. Dr. Delaune specializes in general and digestive surgery with a focus on colorectal conditions. She holds an MD-PhD from the University of Geneva, where her research centered on immune modulation in pancreatic islet transplantation. Fluent in French and English, Dr. Delaune has contributed significantly to surgical innovation and clinical research, earning recognition through several prestigious grants and awards. With a dual passion for clinical work and academic research, she has co-authored multiple publications and continues to play an active role in the Swiss surgical community.

Profile:

• Scopus Profile

Strengths for the award:

1. Extensive Academic Background: Dr. Delaune holds an MD-PhD with a focus on immune monitoring and hypoxia-mediated injury in pancreatic islet transplantation, demonstrating a solid foundation in both clinical and scientific research. Her specialized training in general and digestive surgery, as well as her continuous professional development in advanced topics such as robotic surgery and colorectal procedures, reflects her commitment to ongoing education.
2. Clinical and Research Expertise: With over 10 years of experience in various surgical domains, particularly in digestive and transplant surgery, Dr. Delaune has made significant strides in both clinical practice and research. She currently balances her role as a 50% Research Fellow and 50% Registrar in Digestive Surgery at Geneva University Hospitals, showcasing her ability to integrate clinical experience with high-impact research.
3. Research Contributions: Dr. Delaune’s research portfolio is impressive, spanning a variety of topics including immune modulation, pancreatic islet transplantation, and healing mechanisms in obesity-related complications. She has been the recipient of significant research grants, including CHF 30,000 and CHF 40,000 for her work on colon anastomosis in murine obesity models, which highlights her ability to secure funding for impactful projects.
4. Publication Record: Dr. Delaune has contributed to high-quality research publications, including cover articles in journals such as Transplant International and Heliyon. She has also reviewed manuscripts for prestigious journals such as the British Journal of Surgery and Pharmaceutics, which demonstrates her recognition in the academic community.
5. Leadership and Recognition: She has received multiple awards, such as the Encouragement Prize of the Swiss Visceral Surgery Society and the EPITA Best Poster award. Dr. Delaune has also been a key member of several professional organizations, including the Swiss Minimal Invasive Surgery (Swiss-MIS) board and the European Association of Endoscopic Surgery (EAES).
6. Mentorship and Teaching: Dr. Delaune has actively contributed to the academic community through teaching medical students, post-graduate residents, and nursing staff. Her leadership roles, such as being in charge of the digestive semiology branch for bachelor’s students and organizing grand rounds, indicate her ability to mentor future generations of medical professionals.

Areas for Improvement:

1. Broader Collaboration: While Dr. Delaune has a strong record of working within the Geneva University Hospitals and with Swiss-based research groups, expanding her international collaboration efforts could enhance her profile. Working with global research institutions could provide a broader perspective and introduce more diverse methodologies into her research.
2. Research Impact and Citation: While her publications are noteworthy, increasing the citation impact of her work may be an area to focus on. Emphasizing publications in journals with broader international readership could help increase the visibility and influence of her research.
3. Innovation in Research: Dr. Delaune’s work in pancreatic islet transplantation and colon anastomosis is cutting-edge, but diversifying into emerging areas such as AI in surgery or precision medicine might further solidify her standing as a leading researcher. She has demonstrated interest in AI applications for organ transplantation, which could be expanded into a larger body of work.

Education:

Dr. Vaihere Aurore Delaune has an impressive educational background, beginning with her International Baccalaureate (IBO) from Colombo, Sri Lanka in 2002. She pursued medical education at Université Victor Segalen Bordeaux II, France, earning her Medical School Diploma in 2010. She later specialized in surgery and achieved her Basic Surgery Exam in 2011 from Geneva, Switzerland. In 2018, Dr. Delaune completed her MD-PhD at the Geneva Faculty of Medicine, focusing her thesis on “Immune monitoring and modulating hypoxia-mediated injury in pancreatic islet transplantation” under the supervision of Prof. Christian Toso. In 2020, she earned the title of FMH Specialist in General Surgery, Bern, Switzerland. Dr. Delaune has further enhanced her expertise through several courses, including supervisory and coaching skills, clinical research, proctology, pelvic floor disease, and ultrasound, underscoring her commitment to both clinical practice and academia.

Experience:

Dr. Vaihere Aurore Delaune brings over a decade of experience in general and digestive surgery. She currently works as a 50% Research Fellow and 50% Registrar at Geneva University Hospitals, a position she has held since November 2021. Prior to this, she worked as a Registrar at the same institution, focusing on digestive surgery (2020-2021) and general surgery at Etablissements Hospitaliers du Nord Vaudois (2019-2020). Between 2015 and 2018, Dr. Delaune balanced clinical work with research, spending 80% of her time as a basic science research resident under Prof. Christian Toso’s group. Her early career involved residency positions in digestive surgery, intensive care, urology, emergency care, and orthopaedic surgery. Dr. Delaune is known for her hands-on involvement in colorectal surgery and pancreatic islet transplantation, making her a well-rounded surgeon and researcher with expertise in trauma care, proctology, and transplantation.

Awards and Honors:

Dr. Vaihere Aurore Delaune has received numerous awards and honors throughout her career. In 2021, she won the Encouragement Prize of the Swiss Visceral Surgery Society, a testament to her surgical and research contributions. She also co-authored the EPITA Best Poster in basic research in Igls, Austria (2018). Notably, in 2017, she was a co-author for the ARS Best Presentation award at the Swiss Surgical Society. Dr. Delaune’s research has been continuously supported by prestigious grants such as the Fonds Ernst et Lucie Schmidheiny (2023), the Fonds Projet Recherche et Développement HUG (2021-2024), and the Ligue genevoise contre le cancer (2016-2019). These grants have fueled her research on colon anastomosis healing and immune modulation, particularly in pancreatic islet transplantation. Her academic and clinical achievements highlight her pivotal role in advancing digestive surgery and translational research.

Research Focus:

Dr. Vaihere Aurore Delaune’s research primarily focuses on colorectal surgery, pancreatic islet transplantation, and immune modulation. Her work investigates the healing mechanisms in colon anastomosis, especially in the context of obesity, aiming to improve surgical outcomes for obese patients. She has spearheaded research on modulating hypoxia-mediated injuries in pancreatic islet transplantation, exploring immune responses to improve transplant survival rates. Her interest in translational medicine is evident through her studies on colorectal cancer surgery, aiming to personalize treatment strategies based on patients’ gut microbiomes. In recent years, Dr. Delaune has shifted some focus toward robotic surgery and artificial intelligence, examining their potential to enhance the precision and success of complex digestive procedures. Her research has not only contributed to scientific advancements but also led to practical applications in digestive and transplant surgery, making her a recognized leader in the field.

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Publications Top Notes:

• Artificial Intelligence: Present and Future Potential for Solid Organ Transplantation (2022) 🤖
• Intraportal islet transplantation: The impact of the liver microenvironment (2017) 🩺
• PROphylactic MESH (PROMESH) for stoma closure: A randomized controlled trial (2023) 🧠
• NKG2D blockade in a syngeneic rat model of intraportal islet transplantation (2019) 🐀
• Hemorrhoidal disease in 2022: How to select the most appropriate treatment? (2022) 💊
• Maternal obesity increases the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (2024) 🧬
• Robotic mesh rectopexy for rectal prolapse: The Geneva technique (2023) 🤖
• Impact of maternal obesity on liver disease in offspring: Transcriptomic analysis (2022) 🧬

Conclusion:

Dr. Vaihere Aurore Delaune is an outstanding candidate for the Best Researcher Award. Her balanced expertise in clinical and basic science research, strong publication record, and leadership in both research and teaching are exemplary. While enhancing international collaboration and increasing the global impact of her research could add to her profile, her current contributions to digestive surgery and transplant immunology already position her as a top contender for this award.