Team presentation

The scientific project of the Research Unit is fully centered on a post-genomic approach of the interactions between cells and extracellular matrix, applied to the decryption of the mechanisms that contribute to (i) modulation of tumor progression and (ii) aging of the extracellular matrix, a "niche" for the development of degenerative diseases, especially in the arterial wall.

In the development of these studies, we focus on cross-cutting approaches at the Biophysics-Biology-Bioinformatics interface by combining biological methods (biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, ...), biophotonics (confocal microscopy, 3D and 4D imaging, spectroscopies...) and molecular modeling (homology modeling, molecular dynamics, molecular docking and molecular interactions studies). The support of several high level technological platforms (Romeo supercomputer, multiscale molecular modeling, small animals imaging, cell and tissue imaging), that where initiated in our group, proves a valuable asset to the approaches we develop. We identify new drug targets and new molecules with high potential for therapeutic applications (anti-tumor matrikines, anti-aging molecules) for a pharmacology targeted to the extracellular matrix, and develop new tools for the diagnosis and prognosis.

Members

52 permanent staff and more or less 20 PhD and post-doctoral positions

Key words

Extracellular matrix, aging, cancer, vascular diseases, molecular modelling, multiscale imaging ,

Research topics

- Extracellular matrix, cancer and targets,
- Matrix aging and vascular remodelling
- Molecular modelling and multiscale imaging

Know-how

Study of cell-matrix interactions in physiological or pathological conditions in silico, in vitro and in vivo.

- Cell cultures
- Molecular biology
- Biochemistry
- Molecular modelling
- Non destructive quantitative microanalysis in biological systems
- Biomolecules conformations (polymers, proteins)
- Molecular interactions charactérisation
- Physico-chemistry on isolated living cell
- Instrumental and cellular engineery
- Fonctional and molecular imaging (cellular, tissular, intra-vital)

Equipments

Basic equipment for biochemical and molecular biology experiments (centrifuges, ultracentrifuges, electrophoresis, PCR, protein purification systems, HPLC, -80°C freezers …)

Cell culture laboratory (L2)

Platforms :

- Conventional and transgenic pethouse
- Flow cytometry (URCACyt) : BD FACS Calibur analyzer, BD LSR Fortessa analyzer, BD FACS Aria Ilu analyzer.
- Cellular and tissular imaging platform(PICT),: électronic microscopy, biphoton Zeiss confocal microscope, microimager RMN Brucker, Vidéomicroscopy, Raman spectrometers….
- Biomolecules analysis platform: atomic force microscope à force atomique, mass spectrometry ,Q-TOF with électrospray source, MALDI-TOF, spectromètre GC-TOF spectrometer, centrifugal partition chromatography, RMN 500 MHz, etc…
- Multiscale molecular modelling platform
- Small animal imaging platform : RX Tomography, fluorescence Tomography, echo-doppler, MRI 3 T

Patents

- Cyclopeptide with antitumoral activity.
- Polyclonal antibody targeting EBP protein.
- Synthesis of C-glycosidiques d'x-galactosyl-ceramides analogs.
- Conception of an antagonist peptide targeting CD47-thrombospondin binding site
- Method for oligosaccharides mixtures production from flaxseed
- High molecular weight oligosaccharides for reparation and cutaneous aging prevention.

Partnerships

Companies :

- 21 industrial contracts
- Partnerships with the competitiveness cluster with global ambitions "Industry and Agro-Resources" (Draft TECHFLAX; Project VSOP)
- Long-term partnerships with BASF BCS and with the Laboratoires Boiron
- Dévelopement and preclinic validation of TAX 2 : Project granted by SATT Nord and Pharmaseed society (Israel) Discovery Oncology Award (Roche Diagnostics GmbH en 2015).

Academics :

Numerous scientific collaborations are active with other groups at the national and international level

- CNRS
- INSERM
- INRA
- Canceropole Grand Est