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IRIBHM INTERNATIONAL PhD PROGRAM

Welcome to
Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire en Biologie Humaine et Moléculaire:

Marc Abramowicz                  

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Name: ABRAMOWICZ

First name: Marc

Date of birth: December 27, 1962

Nationality: Belgian

 

Education:

MD - 1986, Free University of Brussels (ULB)

PhD - 1992, Free University of Brussels (ULB)

 

Professional positions:

Chef de Clinique Adjoint, Hopital Erasme - ULB

Associate Professor, School of Medicine, ULB

 

Research interest:

Human genetics: chromosomal mapping, and gene identification, of rare genetic diseases like primary microcephaly and congenital hypothyroidism. Molecular study of genetic variants that convey an increased risk for complex inherited disorders like primary pulmonary hypertension.

 

Main publications:

- Abramowicz MJ, Albuquerque-Silva J, Zanen A (2002) Corneal dystrophy and perceptive deafness (Harboyan syndrome): CDPD1 maps to 20p13. J Med Genet 39:110-112.

- Jamieson CR, Fryns JP, Jacobs J, Matthijs G, Abramowicz MJ (2000) Primary autosomal recessive microcephaly: MCPH5 maps to 1q25-q32. Am J Hum Genet 67: 1575-7.

- Jamieson CR, Govaerts C, Abramowicz MJ (1999) Primary autosomal recessive microcephaly: homozygosity mapping of MCPH4 to chromosome 15. Am J Hum Genet 65: 1465-9.

- Abramowicz MJ, Duprez L, Parma J, Vassart G, Heinrichs C (1997) Familial congenital hypothyroidism due to inactivating mutation of the thyrotropin receptor causing profound hypoplasia of the thyroid gland. J Clin Invest 99: 3018-3024.

- Abramowicz MJ, Andrien M, Dupont E, Dorchy H, Parma J, Duprez L, Ledley FD, Courtens W, & Vamos E (1994) Isodisomy of chromosome 6 in a newborn with methylmalonic acidemia and agenesis of pancreatic beta cells causing diabetes mellitus. J Clin Invest 94: 418-421.

 

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Cédric Blanpain                  

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Name: Blanpain
First name: Cédric
Date of Birth: September 6th, 1970
Nationality: Belgian

Education:
MD - 1995, Free University of Brussels (ULB)
PhD - 2001, Free University of Brussels (ULB)
Board certified in Internal Medicine-2002, Free University of Brussels (ULB)

Professional position:
Permanent researcher of the Belgian National Research Scientific Fund (FNRS)

Research interest:
Our group is studying:

Main publications:
1. Blanpain C, Lowry WE, Geoghegan A, Polak L, Fuchs E. Self-renewal, multipotency, and the existence of two cell populations within an epithelial stem cell niche. Cell. 2004 118(5):635-48. 

2. Blanpain C, Lowry WE, Pasolli A, and Fuchs E. Canonical notch signaling functions as a commitment switch in the epidermal lineage. Genes Dev. 2006, 20:3022-35. 

3. Lowry, WE.*, Blanpain C.*, Nowak JA., Guasch G., Lewis L. and Fuchs E. * denotes    co-first author. Defining the impact of b-catenin/Tcf transactivation on epithelial stem cells. Genes Dev. 2005 (13):1596-611. 

4. Tumbar T, Guasch G, Greco V, Blanpain C, Lowry WE, Rendl M, Fuchs E. Defining the epithelial stem cell niche in skin. Science. 2004 303:359-63.

5. Blanpain C, Horsley V, Fuchs E. Epithelial Stem Cells: Turning over New Leaves. Cell. 2007, 128:445-58.

6. Blanpain C, Fuchs E. Epidermal stem cells of the skin. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol. 2006; 22:339-73.

7. Blanpain C, Fuchs E. p63: revving up epithelial stem-cell potential. Nat Cell Biol. 2007 (7):731-3.

8. Blanpain C, Vanderwinden JM, Cihak J, Wittamer V, Le Poul E, Issafras H, Stangassinger M, Vassart G, Marullo S, Schlndorff D, Parmentier M, Mack M. Multiple active states and oligomerization of CCR5 revealed by the functional properties of monoclonal antibodies

Mol. Biol. Cell 2002, 13: 723-737.

9. Blanpain C, Lee B, Tackoen M, Puffer B, Boom A, Libert F, Sharron M, Wittamer V, Vassart G, Doms RW, Parmentier M. Multiple nonfunctional alleles of CCR5 are frequent in various human populations. Blood. 2000; 96:1638-45. 

10. Blanpain C, Migeotte I, Lee B, Vakili J, Doranz BJ, Govaerts C, Vassart G, Doms RW, Parmentier M. CCR5 Binds Multiple CC-Chemokines: MCP-3 Acts as a Natural Antagonist.

Blood 1999 Sep 15;94(6):1899-1905

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Jean-Marie Boeynaems                 

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Name: Boeynaems

First name: Jean-Marie

Date of birth: September 26, 1951

Nationality: belgian

 

Education:

MD, 1975

PhD in biochemistry and pharmacology, 1981

Post-graduate in management, 1990 

Certified specialist in clinical pathology, 1982

 

Professional positions:

Director, Department of Clinical Pathology and Head, Laboratory of Medical Chemistry, Erasme Hospital

Professor of pharmacology, School of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles

 

Research interest:

Molecular pharmacology of P2Y  purinergic and pyrimidinergic receptors

 

Main publications:

- Communi D., Boeynaems J.-M. Receptors responsive to extracellular

pyrimidine nucleotides TIPS 18: 83-86, 1997

- Communi D., Govaerts C., Parmentier M., Boeynaems J.-M. Cloning of a human

purinergic P2Y receptor coupled to phospholipase C and adenylyl cyclase J.

Biol. Chem. 272: 31969-31973, 1997

- Communi D, Suarez-Huerta N, Dussossoy D, Savi P, Boeynaems J-M

Cotranscription and intergenic splicing of human P2Y11 and SSF1 genes J.

Biol. Chem.  276 : 16561-16566, 2001

- Communi D, Suarez Gonzalez N, Detheux M, Brézillon S, Lannoy V, Parmentier

M, Boeynaems J-M Identification of a novel human ADP receptor coupled to Gi

J. Biol. Chem. 276 : 41479-41485, 2001

- Wilkin F, Duhant X, Bruyns C, Suarez-Huerta N, Boeynaems J-M, Robaye B The

P2Y11 receptor mediates the ATP-induced maturation of human monocyte-derived

dendritic cells J. Immunol., 166 : 7172-7177, 2001

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Daniel Christophe                  

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 Name: CHRISTOPHE

First name: Daniel

Date of birth: August 10, 1951

Nationality: Belgian

 

Education:

B. Sc., Chemistry, Free University of Brussels (ULB), 1974

Ph.D., Chemistry, Free University of Brussels (ULB), 1979

Agrégation de l'Enseignement Supérieur, Free University of Brussels (ULB), 1988

 

Professional positions:

Research Director of the National Fund for Scientific Research (FNRS, Belgium)

Chargé de cours at the Free University of Brussels (ULB), School of Medicine

 

Research interest:

Gene expression: study of the molecular mechanisms involved in the control of transcription, mainly in tissue-specific and cAMP-dependent transcription in the thyroid; identification of transcripts, essentially in the thyroid, and investigation of the function of the corresponding proteins, with special interest for nuclear proteins.

 

Main publications:

- Cloning and sequence analysis of TFE, a helix-loop-helix transcription factor able to recognize the thyroglobulin gene promoter in vitro F. JAVAUX, A. DONDA, G. VASSART and D. CHRISTOPHE Nucl. Acids Res. (1991), 19, 1121-1127.

- Unmethylated thyroglobulin promoter may be repressed by methylation of flanking DNA sequences B. PICHON, C. CHRISTOPHE-HOBERTUS, G. VASSART and D. CHRISTOPHE Biochem. J. (1994), 298, 537-541.

- Induction of Nerve Growth Factor-Induced Gene-B (NGFI-B) as an early event in the cyclic adenosine monophosphate response of dog thyrocytes in primary culture B. PICHON, C. JIMENEZ-CERVANTES, I. PIRSON, C. MAENHAUT and D. CHRISTOPHE Endocrinology (1996), 137, 4691-4698.

- Critical residues of the homeodomain involved in contacting DNA bases also specify the nuclear accumulation of thyroid transcription factor-1 C. CHRISTOPHE-HOBERTUS, V. DUQUESNE, B. PICHON, P.P. ROGER and D. CHRISTOPHE Eur. J. Biochem. (1999), 265, 491-497.

- A method for the large-scale cloning of nuclear proteins and nuclear targeting sequences on a functional basis B. PICHON, D. MERCAN, V. POUILLON, C. CHRISTOPHE-HOBERTUS and D. CHRISTOPHE Anal. Biochem. (2000), 284, 231-239.

 

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David Communi                  

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Name: Communi

First name: David

Date of birth: august 12, 1968

Nationality: Belgian

 

Education:

1990   BSc Biochemistry, Free University of Brussels, Belgium.

1995   Ph.D. Biochemistry, Free University of Brussels, Belgium.

 

Professional position: Research Associate F.N.R.S.

 

Research interests :

Study of the biochemical mechanisms involved in cellular signalling through the identification of peptides and proteins, as well as their post-translational modifications and proteic partners by structural proteomics (2D/HPLC/mass spectrometry): discovery and functional characterization of novel ligands for orphan receptors; analysis of their post-translational modifications involved in binding and signal transduction (proteolytic processing, phosphorylation, acetylation,...); study of their physiological roles in hematopoietic cells.

 

Main publications:

- Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase A is activated by receptor activation through a calcium:calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II mechanism. Communi D., Vanweyenberg V. and Erneux C. EMBO J. 16 (1997), 1943-1952.

- Calcium:calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and protein kinase C-mediated phosphorylation and activation of D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase B in astrocytes. Communi D., Dewaste V. and Erneux C. J. Biol. Chem. 274 (1999), 14734-14742.

- A novel receptor-mediated regulation mechanism of type I inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatase by calcium:calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II phosphorylation. Communi D., Gevaert K., Demol H., Vandekerckhove J. and Erneux C. J. Biol. Chem. 276 (2001), 38738-38747.

- Role of PlGF in the intra- and intermolecular cross talk between the VEGF receptors Flt1 and Flk1. Autiero M., Waltenberger J., Communi Di., Kranz A., Moons L., Lambrechts D., Kroll J., Plaisance S., De Mol M., Bono F., Kliche S., Fellbrich G., Ballmer-Hofer K., Maglione D., Mayr-Beyrle U., Dewerchin M., Dombrowski S., Stanimorovic D., Van Hummelen P., Dehio C., Hicklin D. J., Persico G., Herbert J.-M., Communi Da., Shibuya M., Collen D., Conway E. M. and Carmeliet P. Nature Medecine 9 (2003), 936-943.

- Specific recruitment of antigen-presenting cells by chemerin, a novel processed anti-tumoral protein from human inflammatory fluids. Wittamer V., Franssen J.-D., Vulcano M., Mirjolet J.-F., Le Poul E., Migeotte I., Brézillon S., Tyldesley R., Blanpain C., Detheux M., Mantovani A., Sozzani S., Vassart G., Parmentier M. and Communi D. J. Exp. Med. 198 (2003), 977-985.

 

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Didier Communi                  

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Name: Communi

First name: Didier

Date of birth: junet 10, 1971

Nationality: Belgian

 

Education:

1993 Free University of Brussels

         B.Sc. Chemistry (option: Biochemistry)

 

1998 Free University of Brussels

         Ph.D. Biochemistry

 

Professional positions: Ph.D., Research Associate F.N.R.S.

 

 

Research interest:

Identification of target genes specifically regulated by signalling molecules like extracellular nucleotides or angiogenic growth factors using microarrays and proteomics. The physiological roles of these signalling molecules and their associated target genes are evaluated more specifically in the immune and the cardiovascular systems using mouse in vivo models and the RNA interference technique.

 

Main publications:

 

- Role of PlGF in the intra- and intermolecular cross talk between the VEGF receptors Flt1 and Flk1. Autiero, M.*, Waltenberger, J.*, Communi, Didier* (*: first co-authors), Kranz, A., Moons, L., Lambrechts, D., Kroll, J., Plaisance, S., De Mol, M., Bono, F., Kliche, S., Fellbrich, G., Ballmer-Hofer, K., Maglione, D., Mayr-Beyrle, U., Dewerchin, M., Dombrowski, S., Stanimirovic, D., Van Hummelen, P., Dehio, C., Hicklin, D.J., Persico, G., Herbert, J.-M., Communi, David, Shibuya, M., Collen, D., Conway, E.M., Carmeliet, P. Nature Medicine, 9 (2003), 936-943.

- Extracellular adenine nucleotides inhibit the activation of human CD4+ T lymphocytes. Duhant, X., Schandené, L., Bruyns, C., Suarez Gonzalez, N., Goldman, M., Boeynaems, J.M., Communi, D. Journal of Immunology, 169 (2002), 15-21.

- Identification of a novel human ADP receptor coupled to Gi. Communi, D., Suarez Gonzalez, N., Detheux, M., Brézillon, S., Lannoy, V., Parmentier, M., Boeynaems, J.M. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 276 (2001), 41479-41485.

- Cloning of a human purinergic P2Y receptor coupled to phospholipase C and adenylyl cyclase. Communi, D., Govaerts, C., Parmentier, M., Boeynaems, J.M. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 272 (1997), 31969-31973.

- Cloning and functional expression of a human uridine nucleotide receptor. Communi, D., Pirotton, S., Parmentier, M., Boeynaems, J.M. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 270 (1995), 30849-30852.

 

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Bernard Corvilain                  

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 Name: Corvilain

First name: Bernard

Date of birth: 05/08/1959

Nationality: Belgian

 

Education:

Doctor of Medecine (MD) ULB 1984

PhD Thesis ("Agrégation de l'Enseignement Supérieur") ULB, 1995.

 

Professional positions:

Faculty Physician (Chef de Clinique Adjoint), Service d'Endocrinologie,

Hôpital Erasme - ULB (Université Libre de Bruxelles).

 

 Research interest: Transgenic models of thyroid tumors. Regulation and metabolic consequences of H2O2 generation in Thyroid. Phathogenesis of toxic adenoma.

 

Main publications:

- CORVILAIN, B., VAN SANDE, J., DUMONT, J.E.  Inhibition by iodide of iodide binding to proteins : the "Wolff-Chaikoff" effect is caused  by inhibition of H202 generation.  Biochemical and Biophysical Research communications, 154, 1287-1292, 1988

- CORVILAIN, B., VAN SANDE, J., LAURENT, E., DUMONT, J.E.  The H2O2 generating system modulates protein iodination and the activity of the  pentose phosphate pathway in dog thyroid.  Endocrinology, 128, 779-785, 1991.

- CORVILAIN, B., CONTEMPRE, B., LONGOMBE, AO., GOYENS, P.,  GERVY- DECOSTER, C., LAMY, F.  Selenium and the thyroid : how the relationship was established.  Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 57 (2 suppl.) : 244S-248S, 1993

- CORVILAIN, B., LAURENT, E., LECOMTE, M., VAN SANDE, J.,DUMONT, JE.  Role of the cyclic AMP and the PIP2 cascades in mediating the effects of thyrotropin and iodide on hormone synthesis and secretion in human thyroid slices.  J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., 79, 152-159, 1994.

- CORVILAIN B, COLLYN L, VAN SANDE J, DUMONT JE. Stimulation by iodide of H2O2 generation in thyroid slices from several species. Am.J.Physiol. 2000 Apr;278(4): E692-9, 2000

 

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Sabine Costagliola                  

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Name: Costagliola

First name: Sabine

Date of birth: May 14, 1961

Nationality: French

 

Education: PhD Immunology 1991: PhD Medical Biology 2000

 

Professional positions: Qualified Research Scientist FNRS.

 

Research interest: The group is working on the identification of TSH receptor residues implicated in the binding of the ligand and autoantibodies from patients with Graves disease, but also in the mechanism of activation of this receptor. We developed an animal model of Graves disease from which monoclonal antibodies against TSHR were derived. They allowed the identification of sulfated Tyrosine residues, required in ligand but not autoantibodies binding. We are pursuing an extensive program of directed mutagenesis on the ectodomain of the TSHR, but also LH/CGR and FSHR, to propose a model of interaction of the hormone with its receptor.

 

Main publications:

- Activation of the cAMP pathway by the TSH receptor involves switching of the ectodomain from a tethered inverse agonist to an agonist. Vlaeminck-Guillem V, Ho SC, Rodien P, Vassart G, Costagliola S. Mol Endocrinol 2002 Apr;16(4):736-46

- Lysine 183 and glutamic acid 157 of the TSH receptor: two interacting residues with a key role in determining specificity toward TSH and human CG. Smits G, Govaerts C, Nubourgh I, Pardo L, Vassart G, Costagliola S. Mol Endocrinol 2002 Apr;16(4):722-35

- Tyrosine sulfation is required for agonist recognition by glycoprotein hormone receptors. Costagliola S, Panneels V, Bonomi M, Koch J, Many MC, Smits G, Vassart G. EMBO J 2002 Feb 15;21(4):504-13

- Purification and characterization of a soluble bioactive amino-terminal extracellular domain of the human thyrotropin receptor. Cornelis S, Uttenweiler-Joseph S, Panneels V, Vassart G, Costagliola S. Biochemistry 2001 Aug 21;40(33):9860-9

- Genetic immunization of outbred mice with thyrotropin receptor cDNA provides a model of Graves' disease. Costagliola S, Many MC, Denef JF, Pohlenz J, Refetoff S, Vassart G. J Clin Invest 2000 Mar;105(6):803-11

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Viviane De Maertelaer                  

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Name: De Maertelaer

First name: Viviane

Date of birth: November 11th, 1946

Nationality: Belgian

 

Education:

Free University of  Brussels (U.L.B.)

- Master in Physical Sciences ( Licence en Sciences Physiques) (1968)

- Teaching Qualification (Agrégation de l'Enseignement Secondaire Supérieur (1968)

- Master in Radiobiology (1973)

- PhD in Biophysics ( Doctorat en Sciences) (1978)

 

Professional positions:

- Professor of  Biostatistics  ( Faculties of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physiotherapy and  School of Public Health), Free University of Brussels

- Lecturer of  Biostatistics : Master in  Pharmacology and Medicine applied to the Pharmaceutical Industry  since 1992, Free University of Brussels.

 

Research interest:  Analysis of  biomedical data. Clinical trials. Bioequivalence studies

 

Main publications:

- DE MAERTELAER V, GALAND P. Cell kinetics : a model of stimulated populations.

J Theoretical Biology 69 (1977) 429-445.

- DE MAERTELAER V, POTTIER D. Stability conditions of cell populations in vivo. J Theor Biol 113 (1985) 299-310.

- DE MAERTELAER V, JACQUY J. Multivariate analysis of the effect of climatic factors on the probability of cerebral infarction according to age. Acta Neurol Scand 75 (1987) 56-61.

- GEVENOIS P A, SCILLIA P, DE MAERTELAER V, MICHILS A, DE VUYST P, YERNAULT J-C The effects of age, sex, lung size and hyperinflation on CT lung densitometry Am J Roentgenology 167 (1996) 1169-1173.

- DE MAERTELAER V,  LE MOINE O, DEVIERE J. Letter to the Editor Gastroenterology 2001; 121(1):233

  

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Jacques E. Dumont                 

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Name:  DUMONT

First name:  Jacques E.

Nationality:  Belgian

 

Education: MD 1956; PhD 1965

 

Professional positions:

Chargé de cours honoraire (honorary professor)

Founding Director IRIBHM.

 

Research interest:

- Signal transduction : theory and general

- Control of the concepts of the thyroid cell function, proliferation and differentiation

- Cloning of thyroid specific genes

- Patterns of gene expression in normal and tumoral thyroid

- Thyroid cancer and its oncogenic pathways

- Pathogeny of endemic cretinism and mechanisms and consequences of oxygen toxicity and selenium deficiency.

 

Main publications (reviews in which our work is discussed in a general frame):

- DUMONT JE. The action of thyrotropin on thyroid metabolism.  Vitam Horm 1971;29:287-412

- DUMONT JE, LAMY F, ROGER P, MAENHAUT C.   Physiological and pathological regulation of thyroid cell proliferation and differentiation by thyrotropin and other factors.  Physiol Rev 1992 Jul;72(3):667-97

- ROGER, P.P., REUSE, S., MAENHAUT, C., DUMONT, J.E. Multiple facets of the modulation of growth by cAMP. Vitamins and Hormones vol. 51, 59-191, 1995.

- KIMURA, T., DUMONT, J.E., FUSCO, A., GOLSTEIN, J.  Insulin and TSH promote growth in size of PC Cl3 rat thyroid cells, possibly via a pathway different from DNA synthesis: comparison with FRTL-5 cells. Europ. J. Endocrinol. 140, 94-103, 1999.

- Dumont JE, Dremier S, Pirson I, Maenhaut C.  Cross signaling, cell specificity, and physiology.  Am J Physiol Cell Physiol  283(1):2-28, 2002.

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Christophe Erneux                 

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Name: Erneux

First name: Christophe

Date of birth: January 10, 1954

Nationality: belgian

 

Education:

1971-1975            BSc Biochemistry, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium

March 1981          PhD Biochemistry, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium

July 1985              Qualification as teacher at university level of biochemistry and pharmacology ,Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium

 

Professional positions: Professor of Biochemistry

 

Research interest: Intracellular signalling, second messegers, cyclic nucleotides, deactivation pathway of second messengers, cyclic nucleotides, inositol phosphates and phosphoinositides, Ca2+, regulation of cell metabolism, inositol phosphatases and kinases.

 

Main publications:

- Erneux C., Cohen S. and Garbers D.L. The kinetics of tyrosine phosphorylation by the purified epidermal growth factor kinase of A-431 cells. J.Biol.Chem. 1983 258: 4137-4142.

- Erneux C., Van Sande J., Miot F., Cochaux P., Decoster C. and Dumont J.E. A mechanism in the control of intracellular cAMP level: the activation of a calmodulin-sensitive phosphodiesterase by a rise of intracellular free calcium. Mol.Cell Endocrinol. 1985 43: 123-143.

- Takazawa K., Vandekerckhove J., Dumont J.E. and Erneux C. Cloning and expression in Escherichia coli of a rat brain cDNA encoding a Ca2+/calmodulin-sensitive inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase. Biochem.J. 1990 272: 107-112.

- Communi, D., Vanweyenberg, V., Erneux, C. D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase-A is activated by receptor activation by a calcium:calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II phosphorylation mechanism EMBO J. 1997 16: 1943-1952.

- Pesesse, X., Dewaste, V., De Smedt, F., Laffargue, M., Giuriato, S., Moreau, C., Payrastre, B. and Erneux, C. The SH2 domain containing inositol 5-phosphatase SHIP2 is recruited to the EGF receptor and dephosphorylates phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate in EGF stimulated COS-7 cells. J. Biol. Chem. 2001 276, 28348-28355.

 

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Ingrid Langer                 

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Name: Langer

First name: Ingrid

Date of birth: April 7, 1972

Nationality: belgian

 

Education:

1995 Pharmacist, Université Libre de Bruxelles
1999 PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles

 

Professional positions: Professor of Pharmacology

 

Research interest: Study of the functional signalling complexes of olfactory receptors.
Molecular pharmacology of receptors of the GPCR-B family.

 

Main publications:

- A small sequence in the third intracellular loop of the VPAC1 receptor is responsible for its efficient coupling to the calcium effector, I. Langer, P. Vertongen, J. Perret, M. Waelbroeck and P. Robberecht, Mol Endo 2002; 16(5): 1089-1096.

- Evidences that interspecies polymorphism in the human and rat cholecystokinin receptor-2 affects structure of the binding site for the endogenous agonist cholecystokinin, I. Langer, I.G. Tikhonova, M.A. Travers, E. Archer-Lahlou, C. Escrieut, B. Maigret, and D. Fourmy, J Biol Chem 2005; 280(23): 22198-22204.

- Cell surface targeting of VPAC1 receptors: evidences for implication of a quality control system and the proteasome, I. Langer, K. Leroy, N. Gaspard, J-P. Brion and P. Robberecht, BBA-Mol Cel Res 2008, 1783(9):1663-72.

- Evidence for a direct and functional interaction between the regulators of G protein signaling-2 and phosphorylated C-terminus of cholecystokinin-2 receptor, I. Langer, I.G. Tikhonova, C. Boulegue, JP. Esteve, S. Vatinel, A. Ferrand, L. Moroder, P. Robberecht and D. Fourmy, Mol Pharmacol 2009,75(3):502-513.

 

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Catherine Ledent                 

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Name: LEDENT

First name: CATHERINE

Date of birth: August 20, 1965

Nationality: Belgian

 

Education:   1983-1987 :

              Licence en Biologie Médicale Appliquée

              Université Libre de Bruxelles (U.L.B.)

                            

              1987-1992 :

              Doctorat en Biologie Médicale Appliquée (Ph.D.)

              Université Libre de Bruxelles, I.R.I.B.H.N.

 

Professional positions:

Chercheur Qualifié of the National Fund for Scientist Research

 

Research interest:

Development and analysis of mouse knock out models for G proteins coupled receptors

 

Main publications:

- Tissue-specific expression and methylation of a thyroglobulin-CAT fusion gene in transgenic mice, C. Ledent, M. Parmentier and G. Vassart, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87 (1990), 6176-6180.

- Thyroid expression of an A2 adenosine receptor transgene induces thyroid hyperplasia and hyperthyroidism, C. Ledent, J. E. Dumont, G. Vassart and M. Parmentier, EMBO J. 11 (1992), 537-542.

- Differenciated carcinomas develop as a consequence of the thyroid specific expression of a thyroglobulin-human papillomavirus type 16 E7 transgene, C. Ledent, A. Marcotte, J.E. Dumont, G. Vassart and M. Parmentier, Oncogene (1995) 10, 1789-1797.

- Aggressiveness, hypoalgesia, and high blood pressure in mice lacking the adenosine A2a receptor, C. Ledent, J-M Vaugeois, S.N. Schiffmann, T. Pedrazzini, M. El Yacoubi, J-J Vanderhaeghen, J. Costentin, J. K. Heath, G. Vassart and M. Parmentier, Nature (1997) 388, 674-678.

- Unresponsiveness to Cannabinoids and Reduced Addictive Effects Of Opiates in CB1 Receptor Knockout Mice, C. Ledent, O. Valverde, G. Cossu, F. Petitet, J.-F. Aubert, F. Beslot, G. A. Böhme, A. Imperato, T. Pedrazzini, B.P. Roques, G. Vassart, W. Fratta, M. Parmentier, Science (1999) 283, 401-404.

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Frédérick Libert                  

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 Name: Libert

First name: Frédérick

Date of birth: 22 december 1962

Nationality: Belgium

 

Education:

B.Sc in Chemistry (1985)

PhD in Biochemistry (1991)

 

Professional positions:

 "Chercheur Qualifié" of the Belgian Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique

 

Research interest: We are interested in DNA microarrays, which are a technology that allows simultaneous monitoring of the expression levels of numerous genes. A collection of 11000 cDNAs clones normalized by substractive hybridization and partially identified from resting and activated leucocytes has been established. The examination of the transcriptional changes induced by the envelope of the virus HIV-1 in freshly isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells is our current objective. The study of the expression profile induced by Kiss-1, a peptide ligand that suppresses metastases of human melanomas and breast carcinomas, is also under investigation. The analysis of the large amount of data generated by microarray experiments will lead to a better understanding of the intracellular cascade activated in these target cells.

 

Main publications:

- Selective amplification of four new members of the G Protein-Coupled Receptor Family, F. Libert, M. Parmentier, A. Lefort, C. Dinsart, J. Van Sande, C. Maenhaut, M.J. Simons,  J.E. Dumont, G. Vassart, Science, 244 (1989), 569-572.

- Molecular cloning of the thyrotropin receptor, M. Parmentier, F. Libert, (M.P. and F.L. contributed equally), C. Maenhaut, A. Lefort, C. Gerard, J. Perret, J. Van Sande, J.E. Dumont, G. Vassart, Science, 246 (1989), 1620-1622.

- The orphan receptor cDNA RDC7 encodes an A1 adenosine receptor, F. Libert, S. Shiffmann, A. Lefort, M. Parmentier, C. Gerard, J.E. Dumont, J.J Vanderhaegen, G. Vassart,

EMBO J., 10 (1991), 1677-1682.

- Resistance to HIV-1 infection of Caucasian individuals bearing mutant alleles of CCR5 chemokine receptor gene, M. Samson, F. Libert, (M.S. and F.L. contributed equally), B.J. Doranz, J. Rucker, C. Liesnard, C.-M. Farber, S. Saragosti, C. Lapouméroulie, J. Cognaux, C. Forceille, G. Muyldermans, C. Verhofstede, G. Burtonboy, M. Georges, T. Imai, S. Rana, Y. Yi, R.J. Smyth, R.G. Collman, R.W. Doms, G. Vassart, M. Parmentier, Nature (1996) 382, 722-725.

- The deltaccr5 mutation conferring protection against HIV-1 in Caucasian populations has a single and recent origin in Northeastern Europe, F. Libert, P. Cochaux, G. Beckman, M. Samson, M. Aksenova, A. Cao, A Czeizel, M. Claustres, C. de la Rua, M. Ferrari, C. Ferrec, G. Glover, B. Grinde, S. Guran, V. Kucinskas, J. Lavinha, B. Mercier, G. Ogur, L. Peltonen, C. Rosatelli, M. Schwartz, V. Spitsyn, L. Timar, L. Beckman G. Vassart, Hum Mol Genet 7 (1998), 399-406. 

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Carine Maenhaut                  

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Name: Maenhaut

First name: Carine

Date of birth: August 17, 1965

Nationality: Belgian

 

Education:

- MS chemistry (1987)

- PhD thesis in biochemistry (1992)

 

Professional positions: assistant professor

 

Research interest: Control of cell proliferation, Cancer.

Our group is involved in the study of thyroid cell proliferation and differentiation, which are stimulated by thyrotropin through the adenylyl cyclase/cAMP dependent pathway. This pathway is involved in goitrogenesis, tumor promotion and generation of hyperfunctional adenomas. Ongoing studies include the identification by molecular biology techniques (PCR-derived methods, microarrays…) of new genes regulated by cAMP, as well as the analysis of gene expression profiles in thyroid tumors by the microarray technology. The identification of differentially expressed genes between normal and tumor thyroid cells might help to identify new molecular markers for cancer diagnosis as well as new pharmacological targets.

 

Main publications:

- Maenhaut C., Van Sande J., Massart C., Dinsart C., Libert F., Monferini E., Giraldo E., Ladinsky H., Vassart G., Dumont J.E. (1991) The orphan receptor cDNA RDC4 encodes a 5-HT1D serotonin receptor. Biochem. Bioph. Res. Comm. 180, 1460-1468.

- Maenhaut C., Brabant G., Vassart G., Dumont J.E. (1992) In vitro and in vivo regulation of thyrotropin receptor mRNA levels in dog and human thyroid cells. J. Biol. Chem. 267, 3000-3007.

- Wilkin F., Savonet V., Radulescu A., Petermans J., Dumont J.E., Maenhaut C. (1996) Identification of novel genes modulated in the thyroid of dogs treated with methimazole and propylthiouracil. J. Biol. Chem. 271, 28451-28457.

- Dremier S., Pohl V., Poteet-Smith C., Roger P., Corbin J., Doskeland S., Dumont, J.E.,  Maenhaut C. (1997) Activation of cyclic AMP-dependent kinase is required but may not be sufficient to mimic cyclic AMP-dependent DNA synthesis and thyroglobulin expression in dog thyroid cells. Mol. Cell. Biol. 17, 6717-6726.

- Deleu S., Savonet V., Behrends J., Dumont J.E., Maenhaut C. (2002) Study of gene expression in thyrotropin-stimulated thyroid cells by cDNA expression array : ID3 transcription modulating factor as an early response protein and tumor marker in thyroid carcinomas. Exp. Cell Res., in press.

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Françoise Miot                  

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Name: Miot

First name: Françoise

Date of birth: October 12, 1957

Nationality: Belgian

 

Education: Licence en sciences chimiques; 1986 Doctorat en sciences chimiques (PhD)

 

Professional positions: researcher IRIBHM

 

Research interest: CHARACTERIZATION OF THOX (THYROID OXIDASES):  COMPONENTS OF THE THYROID H2O2 GENERATING SYSTEM.

The H2O2 generating system is the limiting step of thyroid hormone synthesis which is catalyzed by the thyroperoxydase (TPO) at the apical surface of the thyrocytes. Based on the functional homology with the leukocyte H2O2 generating system, we have cloned two thyroid specific cDNAs encoding two proteins, ThOX1 and ThOX2, members of the NADPH oxidase family. ThOX proteins are co-localized with TPO at the apical membrane of the thyrocyte and must interact with other proteins to generate H2O2. We are studying the characteristics of these proteins and their implications in thyroid diseases.

 

Main publications:

- MIOT, F., ERNEUX, C., WELLS, J.N. and DUMONT, J.E. The effect of alkylated xanthines on cyclic AMP accumulation in dog thyroid slices exposed to carbamylcholine. Mol. Pharmacol. (1984) 25,261-266.

- MIOT, F., VAN HAASTERT, P.J.M. and ERNEUX, C Specificity of cGMP binding to a purified cGMP-stimulated phosphodiesterase from bovine adrenal tissue. Eur. J. Biochem. (1985) 149, 59-65.

- UYTTERSPROT, N., PELGRIMS, N., CARRASCO,N., GERVY,C., MAENHAUT,  C., DUMONT, J.E. and MIOT, F. Moderate doses of iodide in vivo inhibit cell proliferation and the expression of  thyroperoxidase and Na+/I- symporter mRNAs in dog thyroid. Mol. Cell. Endocrinol. (1997) 131, 195-203.

- DE DEKEN, X.,  WANG,D., MANY, M-C., COSTAGLIOLA, S., LIBERT, F., VASSART, G., DUMONT, J.E. and MIOT, F. Cloning of two human thyroid cDNAs encoding new members of the NADPH oxidase family. J. Biol. Chem. (2000) 275, 23227-23333

- DE DEKEN, X.,  WANG,D., DUMONT, J.E. and MIOT, F. Characterization of ThOX proteins as components of the thyroid H2O2 generating system. Exp. Cell Res. (2002) 273, 187-196

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Marc Parmentier                  

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Name: Parmentier

First name: Marc

Date of birth: March 24, 1956

Nationality: Belgian

 

Education: M.D. 1981, Ph.D. 1990

 

Professional positions: Professor

 

Research interest:

Functional charaterization of orphan G protein-coupled receptors. Chemokine receptors in inflammatory processses and cancer. HIV co-receptors. Knock out models for G protein-coupled receptors. Structure-function analysis of receptors.

 

Main publications:

- Parmentier M, Libert F, Maenhaut C, Lefort A, Gérard C, Perret J, Van Sande J, Dumont JE and Vassart G. Molecular cloning of the thyrotropin receptor. Science 246 (1989), 1620-1622.

- Parmentier M, Libert F, Schurmans, S., Shiffmann S, Lefort A, Eggerickx D, Ledent C, Mollereau C, Gérard C, Perret J, Grootegoed JA, and Vassart G. Expression of members of the putative olfactory receptor gene family in mammalian germ cells. Nature 355 (1992), 453-455.

- Samson M, Libert F, Doranz BJ, Rucker J, Liesnard C, Farber CM, Saragosti S, Lapouméroulie C, Cogniaux J, Forceille C, Muyldermans G, Verhofstede C, Guy Burtonboy G, Georges M, Imai T, Rana S, Yi Y, Smyth RJ, Collman RG, Doms RW, Vassart G and Parmentier M. Resistance to HIV-1 infection of Caucasian individuals bearing mutant alleles of the CCR5 chemokine receptor gene. Nature 382 (1996) 722-725.

- Rucker J, Samson M, Doranz BJ, Libert F, Berson JF, Yi Y, Collman RG, Broder CC, Vassart G, Doms RW and Parmentier M. Regions in b-Chemokine Receptors CCR5 and CCR2b that Determine HIV-1 Cofactor Specificity.  Cell 87 (1996) 437-446.

- Ledent C, Valverde O, Cossu G, Petitet F, Aubert JF, Beslot F, Böhme GA, Imperato A, Pedrazzini T, Roques BP, Vassart G, Fratta W, Parmentier M. Unresponsiveness to cannabinoids and reduced addictive effects of opiates in CB1 receptor knock out mice. Science 285 (1999) 401-404.

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Isabelle Pirson                  

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Name: PIRSON

First name: Isabelle

Date of birth: 25-03-68

Nationality: Belgian

 

Education: 1990 Free University of Brussels

                  Licence in Chemical Sciences (option biochemistry)

 

                  1995  Free University of Brussels

                  Doctorat in Sciences - equivalent PHD

 

Professional positions: Associate Professor  - Free University of Brussels

 

Research interest:

Contribution to the elucidation of a protein's function can benefit greatly from the identification of its protein partners. The two-hybrid in vivo method of screening for protein/protein interactions in yeast, in now enabling research teams to identify potential protein interactors of a variety of proteins of interest. Our lab's main research thrust is focused on protein/protein interactions in the field of signal transduction. We have developed diverse biochemical and cellular biology methods to support the results yielded by the two-hybrid system and to address the physiological relevance of the identified complexes.

 

Main publications:

- Highly sensitive control of transcriptional activity by factor heterodimerization. Swillens S., and Pirson I. Biochemical Journal. 301, (1994) 9-12.

- c-Myc expression is controlled by the mitogenic cAMP-cascade in thyrocytes. Pirson I., Coulonval K., Lamy F., Dumont J.E. Journal of Cellular Physiology 168:59-70  (1996)

- The visual display of regulatory information and networks. Pirson I., Fortemaison N., Jacobs C., Dremier S., Dumont J.E., Maenhaut C. Trends in Cell Biology 10-10 (2000) 404-408.

- Identification and characterization of a novel activated RhoB binding protein containing a PDZ domain and whose expression is specifically modulated in thyroid cells by cAMP. Mircescu*H., Steuve*S., Savonet V., Degraef C., Mellor H., Dumont J.E., Maenhaut C., Pirson I. European Journal of Biochemistry 269 (2000) 6241-6249.

- The c-Cbl associated protein (CAP) and c-Cbl are two new partners of the SH2-containing inositol polyphosphate 5- phosphatase SHIP2. Vandenbroere I., Paternotte N., Dumont J.E., Erneux C., Pirson I. Biochemical and Biophyical Communications 300  (2003) 494-500.

 

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Bernard Robaye                  

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Name: Robaye

First name: Bernard

Date of birth: January 05, 1962

Nationality: Belgian

 

Education:

PhD Biology (1992)

 

Professional positions: 1rst assistant ULB

 

Research interest: Nucleotides receptor P2Y and Apoptosis

 

Main publications:

- TNF induces the phosphorylation of 28kDa stress proteins in endothelial cells: possible role in protection against cytotoxicity. B. Robaye, A. Hepburn, R. Lecocq, W. Fiers, JM Boeynaems, JE Dumont Biochem. Biophys. Res. Communic. 1989 163:301-308.

- TNF induces apoptosis (programmed cell death) in normal endothelial cells in vitro. B. Robaye, R. Mosselmans, W Fiers, JE Dumont, J.E., P Galand Am. J. Pathol. 1991 138:447-453.

- Apoptotic cell death analysed at the molecular level by two dimensional gel electrophoresis. B. Robaye, A. Paulus Doskeland, N. Suarez-Huerta, S.O. Doskeland, JE. Dumont Electrophoresis 1994 15:503-510.

- Molecular cloning and characterization of the mouse P2Y4 nucleotide receptor N. Suarez-Huerta, V. Pouillon, JM Boeynaems, B. Robaye. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 2001 416: 197-202

 

- The P2Y11 receptor mediates the ATP-induced maturation of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells F. Wilkin, X. Duhant, C. Bruyns, N. Suarez-Huerta, JM Boeynaems, B. Robaye. J. Immunol. 2001 166: 197-202

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Pierre Roger                  

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 Name: ROGER

First name: Pierre P.

Date of birth: May 9, 1958

Nationality: Belgian

 

Education:

Master in Chemical Sciences ULB 1980

PhD (Biochemistry) ULB 1984

 

Professional positions:

Research Associate of the National Fund for Scientific Research (Belgium)

 

Research interest:

I have pioneered the study of thyroid cell proliferation and differentiation by defining model systems of primary cultures in serum-free medium, and have obtained the first in vitro demonstrations of the distinct cascades of mitogenic signal transduction by TSH/cAMP and growth factors/ras/MAPK. The cAMP pathway promotes both proliferation and differentiation in thyrocytes and is causatively involved in goitrogenesis, tumor promotion and generation of hyperfunctional adenomas. The positive regulation of thyroid cell cycle by cAMP is unique as it targets the assembly and activation of complexes of pre-existing cyclin D and CDK4 without involving most intermediaries of known mitogenic signaling cascades. Current research interests include the molecular and cellular aspects of cell cycle regulation in this and other models (cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases and CDK inhibitors, their interactions and their posttranslational modifications).

 

Main publications:

- Factors controlling proliferation and differentiation of canine thyroid cells cultured in reduced serum conditions: effects of thyrotropin, cyclic AMP and growth factors. P.P. Roger, J.E. Dumont Mol. Cell. Endocrinol. 36 (1984), 79-93.

- The cyclic AMP-mediated stimulation of cell proliferation. J.E. Dumont, J.C. Jauniaux, P.P. Roger Trends Biochem. Sci. 14 (1989), 67-71.

- A mechanism generating heterogeneity in thyroid epithelial cells: suppression of the thyrotropin/cAMP-dependent mitogenic pathway after cell division induced by cAMP-independent factors. P.P. Roger, M. Baptist, J.E. Dumont J. Cell Biol. 117 (1992), 383-393.

- A requirement for cyclin D3-CDK4 assembly in the cAMP-dependent proliferation of thyrocytes. F. Depoortere, A. Van Keymeulen, J. Lukas, S. Costagliola, J. Bartkova, J.E. Dumont, J. Bartek, P.P. Roger (corresponding author), S. Dremier J. Cell Biol. 140 (1998),1427-1439.

- Transforming growth factor b1 selectively inhibits the cyclic AMP-dependent proliferation of primary thyroid epithelial cells by preventing the association of cyclin D3-cdk4 with nuclear p27kip1. F. Depoortere, I. Pirson, J. Bartek, J.E. Dumont, P.P. Roger Mol. Biol. Cell 11 (2000), 1061-1076.

 

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Stephane Schurmans                  

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Name: SCHURMANS

First name: Stéphane

Date of birth: June 13, 1960

Nationality: belgian

 

Education:

1978-1985            Medical school: Free University of Brussels, Belgium: M.D.

1991                Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland: M.D.

05.1991            Doctoral Thesis, University of Geneva, Switzerland

04.1996            Thèse d'Agrégation de l'enseignement supérieur, Free University of Brussels, Belgium.

 

Professional positions:

Senior Research Associate (FNRS)

 

Research interest:

Study of genes function in vivo (using classical transgenesis and knock out technologies), and their potential implication in diseases.

 

Main publications:

- The gene INPPL1, encoding the lipid phosphatase SHIP2, is a candidate for type 2 diabetes in rat and man. Marion E., P. Kaisaki, V. Pouillon, C. Gueydan, J. C. Levy, A. Bodson, G. Krzentowski, J.-C. Daubresse, J. Mockel, J. Behrends, G. Servais, C.Szpirer, V. Kruys, D. Gauguier, and S. Schurmans. Diabetes, 51 (2002), 2012-2017.

- In vivo effects of anti-IL-4 monoclonal antibody on neonatal induction of tolerance and on an associated autoimmune syndrome. Schurmans, S., C. H. Heusser, H.-Y. Qin, J. Merino, G. Brighouse, and P.-H. Lambert. J. Immunol., 145 (1990), 2465-2473.

- Impaired LTP induction in dentate gyrus of calretin-deficient mice. Schurmans, S., S. N. Schiffmann, H. Gurden, M. Lemaire, H. -L. Lipp, V. Schwam, R. Pochet, A. Imperato, G. A. Böhme, and M. Parmentier. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA, 94 (1997); 10415-10420.

- Impaired motor coordination and Purkinje cell excitability in mice lacking calretinin. Schiffmann, S. N., G. Cheron, A. Lohof, P. d'Alcantara, M. Meyer, M. Parmentier, and S. Schurmans. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA, 96 (1999); 5257-5262.

- The lipid phosphatase SHIP2 controls insulin sensitivity. Clément, S., U. Krause, F. Desmedt, J.-F. Tanti, J. Behrends,  X. Pesesse, T. Sasaki, J. Penninger, M. Doherty, W. Malaisse, J. E. Dumont, Y. Le Marchand-Brustel, C. Erneux, L. Hue, and S. Schurmans. Nature, 409 (2001); 92-97.

 

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Jean-yves Springael                  

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Name: Springael

First name: Jean-yves

Date of birth: October 15,1970

Nationality: belgian

Education:
1999 Ph. D.    Biochemistry, Université Libre de Bruxelles (U.L.B.)
1993 B. Sc.     Chemistry-biochemistry, Université Libre de Bruxelles (U.L.B.)

Positions held : Assistant Professor, Project leader, School of Medecine U.L.B.

Research interests :

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute one of the largest family of cell surface proteins in vertebrates and invertebrates. They play a wide range of physiological functions like sensory perception, immune defense mechanisms, cell migration, hormonal control or neurotransmission. Our research aim at studying mechanisms of GPCRs activation as well as functional consequences of GPCRs homo- and hetero-oligomerization by using chemokine receptors as a model. This family contains about 20 receptors expressed on a variety of cells including immune cells, endothelial cells and neurons. GPCRs oligomerization is thought to play a important role in cells function by influencing receptor pharmacological properties, their coupling to G-proteins and their trafficking to and from the cell surface.

Main publications:
 
-  Sohy D., Yano, H., de Nadai, P, Urizar, E., Guillabert A., Javitch, J.A., Parmentier, M. and Springael, J.Y., Hetero-oligomerization of CCR2, CCR5, CXCR4 and the protean effects of “selective”-antagonists J. Biol. Chem., (epub 2009)
-  Springael, J.Y., Urizar E. Costagliola, S, Parmentier, M. and Vassart G., Allosteric properties of G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) oligomers.   Pharmacology and Therapeutics (2007) 115:410-418
- Sohy,D., Parmentier,M., and Springael,J.Y., Allosteric transinhibition by specific antagonists in CCR2/CXCR4 heterodimers. J. Biol. Chem., (2007).282: 30062-30069.
-  Springael, J.Y., de Poorter, C, Deupi, X, Van Durme, J, Pardo, L and Parmentier, M., The activation mechanism of chemokine receptor CCR5 involves common structural changes but a different network of interhelical interactions relative to rhodopsin. Cell. Signal. (2007) 19: 1446-1456
-  Springael, J.Y., Le Minh, P. N., Urizar E., Costagliola, S., Vassart, G. and Parmentier, M., Allosteric modulation of binding properties between units of chemokine receptor homo- and hetero-oligomers. Mol. Pharmacol. (2006) 69:1652-61
-  Springael, J.Y., Urizar E. and Parmentier, M., Dimerization of chemokine receptors and its functional consequences. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev. (2005) 16: 611-623
-  El-Asmar, L., Springael, J.Y., Ballet, S., Urizar, E., Vassart, G. and Parmentier, M., Evidence for negative binding cooperativity within CCR5-CCR2b heterodimers. Mol. Pharmacol. (2005) 67 : 460-469

 

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Stephane Swillens                  

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Name: Swillens

First name: Stéphane

Date of birth: April 11, 1951

Nationality: belgian

 

Education:

MS in Physics, 1973 (Free University of Brussels)

PhD, 1978 (Free University of Brussels)

 

Professional positions:

Chargé de Cours (School of Medicine, Free University of Brussels)

 

Research interest:

- Computer-aided interpretation of receptor binding data.

- Theoretical simulation of biochemical models (ligand-receptor interactions, cyclic AMP metabolism, InsP3-sensitive Ca2+ channel)

- Interpretation of electrophysiological data

 

Main publications:

- How to Estimate the Total Receptor Concentration when the Specific Radioactivity of the Ligand is Unknown. S. Swillens (1992) Trends Pharmacol. Sci. 13, 430-434

- Interpretation of Binding Curves Obtained with High Receptor Concentrations: A Practical Aid for Computer Analysis. S. Swillens (1995) Mol. Pharmacol. 47, 1197-1203

- From calcium blips to calcium puffs: theoretical analysis of the requirements for inter-channel communication. S. Swillens, G. Dupont, L. Combettes & P. Champeil (1999) Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 96, 13750-13755

- Bidirectional synaptic plasticity as a consequence of interdependent Ca2+-controlled phosphorylation and dephosphorylation pathways. P. d'Alcantara, S. N. Schiffmann & S. Swillens (2003) Eur. J. Neurosci. 17, 2521-2528

- Instant evaluation of the absolute initial number of cDNA copies from a single real-time PCR curve. S. Swillens, J.-C. Goffard, Y. Maréchal, A. de Kerchove d'Exaerde & H. El Housni (2004) Nucleic Acids Res. 32, e56

 

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Pierre Vanderhaeghen                  

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Pierre Vanderhaeghen

Name: Vanderhaeghen

First name: Pierre

Nationality: Belgian

 

Education:

M.D. 1992 (ULB), Ph.D. 1996 (ULB)

 

Professional positions:

Research Director at the Belgian FNRS

 

Research interest:

-Development of the cerebral cortex
-Neurogenesis from pluripotent stem cells
-Human brain evolution
-Axon guidance and brain repair

 

Main publications:

-Generation of Cortical Neurons from Embryonic Stem Cells.
Gaspard N, Bouschet T, Herpoel A, Naeije G, vandenAmeele J, and Vanderhaeghen P.
Nature Protoc.  4 (2009), 1454-63.

-An intrinsic mechanism of corticogenesis from embryonic stem cells.
Gaspard N, Bouschet T, Hourez R, Dimidschstein J, Naeije G, vandenAmeele J, Espuny-Camacho I, Herpoel A, Passante L, Schiffmann S, Gaillard A, and Vanderhaeghen P.
Nature  455 (2008), 351-357.

-An RNA gene expressed during cortical development evolved rapidly in humans.
Pollard KS, Salama SR, Lambert N, Lambot MA, Coppens S, Pedersen JS, Katzman S, King B, Onodera C, Siepel A, Kern AD, Dehay C, Igel H, Ares M, Vanderhaeghen P, and Haussler D.
Nature 443 (2006),167-172.

-Ephrin signalling controls brain size by regulating apoptosis of neural progenitors.
Depaepe V, Suarez N, Passante L, Dufour A, Gorski J, Jones K, Ledent C, and Vanderhaeghen P.
Nature 435 (2005), 1244-1250.

Area-Specificity and Topography of Thalamocortical Projections Controlled by Ephrin/Eph genes.
Dufour A, Seibt J, Passante L, Depaepe V, Ciossek T, Frisen J, Kullander K, Flanagan J, Polleux F, and Vanderhaeghen P.
Neuron 39 (2003), 453-465.

A mapping label required for normal scale of body representation in the cortex.
Vanderhaeghen P, Lu Q, Prakash N, Frisén J, Walsh CA, Frostig R, and Flanagan JG.
Nature Neurosci. 3 (2000), 358-365.

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     Alexandra  Van Keymeulen                  

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Main publications:

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Jacqueline Van Sande                  

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Name: Van Sande

First name: Jacqueline

Nationality: Belgian

 

Education:

Master in chemistry 1963

PhD in biochemistry in 1976

 

Professional positions:

Professor

head of the thyroid intracellular signaling research

 

Research interests:

Mechanism of action of TSH on thyroid cell (cAMP,PLC cascade and their effects)

Physiopathology of autonomous thyroid adenomas

Role of lipid rafts in thyroid cells

Mechanism of acrylamide carcinogenetic effect

 

Main publications:

- Inhibition by iodide of the activation of the thyroid cyclic AMP system. VAN SANDE, J., GRENIER, G., WILLEMS, C., DUMONT, J.E. Endocrinology, 96, 781-786, 1975.

- Thyrotropin activates both the cyclic AMP and the PIP2 cascades in CHO cells expressing the human cDNA of TSH receptor.  VAN SANDE, J., RASPE, E., PERRET, J., LEJEUNE, C., MAENHAUT, C., VASSART, G., DUMONT, J.E. Mol. Cell. Endocrinol. 74, R1-R6, 1990.

- Somatic mutations in the thyrotropin receptor gene cause hyperfunctioning thyroid adenomas.  PARMA, J., DUPREZ, L., VAN SANDE, J., COCHAUX, P., GERVY, C., MOCKEL, J., DUMONT, J.E., VASSART, G. Nature 365, 649-651 (1993).

- Somatic and germline mutations of the TSH receptor gene in thyroid diseases.VAN SANDE, J., PARMA, J., TONACCHERA, M., SWILLENS, S., DUMONT, J.E., VASSART, G. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., 80, 2577-2585 (1995).

-  Specific activation of the thyrotropin receptor by trypsin. VAN SANDE, J., MASSART, C., COSTAGLIOLA, S., ALLGEIER, A., CETANI, F., VASSART, G., DUMONT, J.E. Mol. Cell. Endocrinol. 119, 161-168 (1996).
- Anion selectivity by the sodium iodide transporter. VAN SANDE, J., MASSART, C., BEAUWENS, R., SCHOUTENS, A., COSTAGLIOLA, S., DUMONT  , J.E., WOLFF, J.    Endocrinology,144, 247-252, 2003.
- Kinetics of thyrotropin-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid stimulating antibody binding and action on the TSH receptor in intact TSH receptor-expressing CHO cells.  VAN SANDE, J., COSTA ,M.J., MASSART , C., SWILLENS, S., COSTAGLIOLA, S.,ORGIAZZI,J., DUMONT,J.E.
J Clin Endocrinol Metab,88, 5366-5374, 2003.
- Tyhrotropin stimulates the generation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate in human thyroid cells .VAN SANDE, J., DEQUANTER, D.,LOTHAIRE, P.,MASSART, C.,DUMONT, J.E., and ERNEUX, C.     J Clin Endocrinol Metab ,91 ,in press ,2006

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Gilbert Vassart                  

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Name: VASSART

First name: Gilbert

Date of birth: February 18, 1944

Nationality: Belgian

 

Education:

MD 1969. Free University of Brussels.

PhD 1974. Free University of Brussels.

 

Professional positions:

Professor of Medical Genetics

Director IRIBHM

Head of the Department of Medical Genetics, Erasme Academic Hospital.

 

Research interest:

G. Vassart graduated as an MD from the Free University of Brussels (Belgium) in 1969 and got his PhD from the same university in 1974. He is Head of the department of medical genetics, Erasme Academic Hospital, Universite Libre de Bruxelles and director of the IRIBHM. He pioneered the use of molecular genetics in endocrinology. His current research interests include: structure function relationships of the glycoprotein hormone receptors, in particular, of the TSH receptor; identification of the natural agonists and of the physiological role of orphan G protein-coupled receptors; the mechanisms of action of the autoantibodies responsible for Graves' disease; the molecular mechanisms responsible for congenital hypothyroidism. G.Vassart was awarded the Francqui and Van Gysel prizes in 1993 and 2000 respectively.

 

Main publications:

- Parmentier, M., F. Libert, C. Maenhaut, A. Lefort, C. Gerard, J. Perret, J. Van Sande, J.E. Dumont, and G. Vassart. 1989.  Molecular cloning of the thyrotropin receptor.  Science  246:1620-1622.

- Libert, F., M. Parmentier, A. Lefort, C. Dinsart, J. Van Sande, C. Maenhaut, M.J. Simons, J.E. Dumont, and G. Vassart. 1989.  Selective amplification and cloning of four new members of the G protein-coupled receptor family. Science  244:569-572.

- Parma, J., L. Duprez, J. Van Sande, P. Cochaux, C. Gervy-Decoster, J. Mockel, J.E. Dumont, and G. Vassart. 1993.  Somatic mutations in the thyrotropin receptor gene cause hyperfunctioning thyroid adenomas.  Nature 365:649-651.

- Samson, M., F. Libert, B.J. Doranz, J. Rucker, C. Liesnard, C.M. Farber, S. Saragosti, C. Lapouméroulie, J. Cognaux, C. Forceille, G. Muyldermans, C. Verhofstede, G. Burtonboy, M. Georges, T. Imai, S. Rana, Y. Yi, R.J. Smyth, R.G. Collman, R.W. Doms, G. Vassart, and M. Parmentier. 1996.  Resistance to HIV-1 infecton in caucasian individuals bearing mutant alleles of the CCR-5 chemokine receptor gene.  Nature  382:722-725.

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