Dr. Lajoie earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences in 2000 from the University of Montréal. Throughout her graduate studies, she has been working in the field of HIV research.
From 2001 to 2003, she pursued her Master’s degree in Microbiology and Immunology under the guidance of Dr. Michel Roger at the Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM). In 2005, she embarked on her PhD journey in Virology and Immunology at the Université de Montréal, looking at the mucosal innate immunity in HIV-resistant women, under the supervision of Drs. Roger and Annie-Claude Labbé. Dr. Lajoie’s PhD work aimed to understand how HLA-G polymorphisms and mucosal immunology impacted the susceptibility to HIV infection among female sex workers in Benin. She successfully completed her PhD in 2010, earning a place on the Dean’s Honours List.
From 2010 to 2012, Dr. Lajoie conducted a post-doctoral fellowship in the laboratory of Dr. Keith Fowke at the University of Manitoba. During this period, she also obtained her certification from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) International Infectious Disease and Global Health training program.
Between 2013 and July 2023, she served as a research associate in Dr. Keith Fowke’s lab, where she coordinated clinical and clinical trial studies on HIV prevention and the impact of hormonal contraception on HIV susceptibility.
Since August 2023, Dr. Lajoie has held the position of Assistant Professor at the University of Manitoba. Her research program focuses on understanding the impact of hormones and sex on the immune system and susceptibility to infectious diseases. A significant portion of her program is conducted in Nairobi, Kenya, in collaboration with the Sex Workers Outreach program.
Dr. Lajoie places a strong emphasis on knowledge translation. She is actively involved in educational activities with schools and on traditional and social media platforms to combat misinformation and promote discussions about health science.
