Personalized medicine, pharmacogenomics, therapeutic optimization : MEPPOT

Director : 

Pierre Laurent-Puig

Deputy Director : 

Sophie Mouillet-Richard

Since the inception of our research unit, we are dedicated to the improvement of personalized medicine, mainly in the cancer field through 3 axes. Our first research axis is centered on the elucidation of the diversity of different tumor types (colon, lung, pancreas) through molecular profiling of large collections of tumors. Part of these studies is made possible thanks to our close links with HEGP.

   

A second axis is the development of new biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis in various cancers (colon, lung, pancreas, stomach, ovary). This axis encompasses basic science for the identification step, technology development (microfluidic tools) to optimize detection, large-scale validation and transfer to the clinics (e.g. detection of miR31 as a predictive and prognostic factor for the response to anti-EGFR therapy in colon cancer).

We are also developing liquid biopsy monitoring approaches that allow detection of rare, non-targeted genetic or epigenetic alterations for patient follow-up. Finally, we developed a therapeutic axis, which focuses on the design of innovative suicide-gene strategies for cancer and we are applying pharmacogenomics to improve the efficacy of existing anti-cancer treatment. We are also exploring molecular pathways sustaining the cell response to various types of stress, notably those promoted by immunosuppressive and anti-cancer drugs.

Key-words: Cancer, biomarker, Liquid Biopsy, Microfluidics, Translational research, Personalized medicine, cancer metabolism

 

Scientific Themes

Personalized Medicine and Pharmacogenomics Group

Our cancer projects globally aim at providing physicians with state-of-the-art, efficient and accurate tools to take care of patients in the framework of precision medicine. To reach this goal we have the following specific objectives: 1/ deciphering the diversity of different types of solid tumors, 2/ developing biomarkers to better define the prognosis and the efficacy of treatment, 3/ developing specific therapeutic strategies notably based on our knowledge of tumor diversity.

Translational research and Microfluidics

Our aim is to develop and use droplet-based microfluidic systems to perform experiments that are out of the possibilities of existing technologies. We develop new tools, procedures and strategies for Cancer Research with three major focuses: (i) Creating new generations of devices for the non-invasive detection of Cancer biomarkers with applications in personalized medicine, cancer recurrence detection and cancer diagnostics; (ii) Highlighting of new Cancer biomarkers; (iii) Developing whole platforms for toxicological analysis of chemical and drugs.

Reprogramming of mitochondrial metabolism in the CMS subtypes of colon cancer

We are interested in providing new insights into the metabolic hallmarks of the consensus molecular subtypes (CMS) of colon cancer, focusing on the analysis of mitochondrial energy metabolism (fatty acid oxidation and respiratory chain).

Cell stress responses in acute and chronic kidney injuries

Our aim is to understand how cellular adaptive biological processes activated upon kidney injury participate in tissue remodeling, ultimately leading to chronic kidney disease.

The Biological Resource Center (BRC EPIGENETEC)

The Biological Resource Center (BRC EPIGENETEC) was created to manage the thousands of samples essential to our research. The BRC is an essential part of our research group : It is both a conservation center and a service provider whose purpose is to ensure the quality, security and sustainability of biological resources.

SIRIC CARPEM

Since 2011, eight Sites Intégrés de Recherche sur le Cancer (SIRIC) have been labeled in order to optimize and accelerate the production of new knowledge and to promote their dissemination and application in the management of cancer. The SIRIC CARPEM directed by Pr Pierre LAURENT-PUIG is located in this team.

Main publications

Isothermal digital detection of microRNAs using background-free molecular circuit. Gines G, Menezes R, Nara K, Kirstetter A-S, Taly V, Rondelez Y.  Sci Adv. janv 2020;6(4):eaay5952. link

Prognostic Value of Methylator Phenotype in Stage III Colon Cancer Treated with Oxaliplatin-based Adjuvant Chemotherapy. Gallois C, Taieb J, Le Corre D, Le Malicot K, Tabernero J, Mulot C, Seitz J-F, Aparicio T, Folprecht G, Lepage C, Mini E, Van Laethem J-L, Emile J-F, Laurent-Puig P, PETACC8 investigators. Clin Cancer Res. 01 2018 ;24(19):4745‑53. link

Circulating Tumor DNA is Prognostic and Potentially Predictive of Eryaspase Efficacy in Second-line in Patients with Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma. Bachet J-B, Blons H, Hammel P, Hariry IE, Portales F, Mineur L, Metges J-P, Mulot C, Bourreau C, Cain J, Cros J, Laurent-Puig P. Clin Cancer Res. 2020;26(19):5208‑16. link

A comprehensive population-based study comparing the phenotype and genotype in a pretherapeutic screen of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency. Pallet N, Hamdane S, Garinet S, Blons H, Zaanan A, Paillaud E, Taieb J, Laprevote O, Loriot M-A, Narjoz C. Br J Cancer. 2020;123(5):811‑8. link

The cellular prion protein controls the mesenchymal-like molecular subtype and predicts disease outcome in colorectal cancer. Le Corre D, Ghazi A, Balogoun R, Pilati C, Aparicio T, Martin-Lannerée S, Marisa L, Djouadi F, Poindessous V, Crozet C, Emile J-F, Mulot C, Le Malicot K, Boige V, Blons H, de Reynies A, Taieb J, Ghiringhelli F, Bennouna J, Launay J-M, Laurent-Puig P, Mouillet-Richard S. EBioMedicine. 2019;46:94‑104. link

All publications

Fundings