Adrian BaumannNanolive, Genève, Suisse“Label-free 3D holotomographic live cell imaging at high resolution”Contact IRCM : Alexandre Djiane

Gergely SzakacsInstitute of Cancer Research, Medical University of Vienna, Austria “Targeting efflux transporters in multidrug resistant cancer: an unfinished business”"Clinical evidence shows that, following initial response to treatment, drug-resistant cancer cells frequently evolve, and eventually most tumors become resistant to all available therapies. The most straightforward cause of therapy resistance is linked to cellular alterations that prevent drugs to act on their target. Upregulation of cell membrane efflux transporters of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily leads to simultaneous resistance against structurally and functionally unrelated chemotherapeutic agents. In particular, P-glycoprotein (Pgp, MDR1), the product of ABCB1 gene, was shown to be expressed in several drug resistant malignancies. Based on the correlation of P-glycoprotein expression and function with unfavorable treatment response, it is universally accepted that pharmacological modulation of the MDR phenotype has the potential to significantly increase the efficacy of currently available anticancer therapies. Unfortunately, despite a few early successes, clinical trials conducted with Pgp inhibitors did not fulfill this expectation, failing to confirm clinical benefit. Failure of the trials led to a setback in research, and the shutdown of the pharmaceutical development of transporter inhibitors for the improvement of anticancer therapy. Yet the “transporter problem” has not vanished, as evidenced by new studies supporting the relevance and benefit of research on the role of ABC transporters in clinical drug resistance. Failure of the inhibitors has boosted research in other directions, exploring the possibility to evade efflux, or to exploit the paradoxical sensitivity associated with efflux-based drug resistance mechanisms. In this talk I will describe new approaches to combating multidrug-resistant cancer, including the development of drugs that engage, evade or exploit efflux by P-glycoprotein." Contact IRCM : Charles TheilletLe séminaire sera diffusé par Zoom. Un lien sera envoyé par mail quelques jours avant la dateThis will be a Zoom webinar. A link will be sent by email in due time. 

Iros BarozziInstitute of Cancer Research, Medical University Vienna”Unveiling a Rare Transcriptional State Exposes General Mechanisms of Adaptation to Hormone Therapies”Contact IRCM: Charles Theillet“Le séminaire sera diffusé en Webinaire Zoom. Le lien sera diffusé 2 jours avant la date prévue. Il sera transmis en salle de séminaire avec une audience limitée pour respecter la distanciation“

The @IRCM_MTP and the @ICM_Montpellier wish to express their profound gratitude to the Mayor, town council and merchants of #Baillargues for their commitment and generous contribution to advancing prostate #Cancer research in the frame of the November event 2020.

Publication le 07/10/2020Le projet soutenu par la Fondation ARC vise à identifier à l’aide de Biomarqueurs une signature prédictive de réponse au blocage de l’axe PD-1/PD-L1 chez des patients atteints de cancers du poumon non à petites cellules en récidive ou métastatique en 2e ligne thérapeutique. Dans ce contexte, il est admis que la présence d’une réponse lymphocytaire T-CD8 anti-tumorale est associée à la réponse aux anti-PD-1/PD-L1. L’objectif primaire du projet cherchera  à comparer différents tests ((LT-CD8 résidents (TRM), LT-CD8 totaux, Signature IFN?, TMB et néoépitope, répertoire T) pouvant refléter une réponse anti-tumorale lymphocytaire T-CD8 pré-existante.En objectif secondaire, on recherchera si l’analyse de ces biomarqueurs est comparable sur des biopsies récentes ou plus anciennes d’un même patient.Le projet est porté par 5 équipes Inserm, l’équipe de BioInformatique et Biologie des Systèmes de l’IRCM de Montpellier à la charge de l’analyse des données cliniques. En savoir plus 

Publication : 17/09/2020Description: Radiotherapy is one of the main treatments for solid tumors. Severe late radiation-induced toxicity of the surrounding normal tissues occurs in 5% to 10% of patients following radiotherapy. The radiation-induced lymphocyte apoptosis assay developed to predict late radiation-induced toxicity in patients has demonstrated to be significantly associated with toxicities. However, the molecular mechanism explaining the link between the lymphocyte apoptosis rate and the development of late toxicity is still unknown. It is well established that the acid sphingomyelinase/ceramide pathway is involved in radiation-induced apoptosis, more particularly in endothelial cells. We have started to look at this pathway in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in cancer patients. We observed ceramide expression in response to radiation in patients’ samples and we were able to identify an increase in acid sphingomyelinase activity at 8 Gy. This project proposes to study the ceramide pathways in PBMC responsiveness to ionizing radiation in cancer patients and the consequences on apoptosis, ROS and inflammation. The goal of this project is to have a better understanding on the correlation between radiation-induced late toxicity and apoptosis and to help improve the life quality of the patients.More

Ce prix récompense un chercheur junior pour son travail remarquable en radio-oncologie, physique médicale et / ou radiobiologie.  La recherche du Dr Constanzo porte sur le rôle des vésicules extracellulaires dans l’activation du système immunitaire, dans un contexte de Radiothérapie vectorisée des tumeurs à base d’anticorps monoclonaux radiomarqués. Ce projet est conduit au sein de l’équipe dirigée par le Dr. J-P Pouget « Radiobiologie et Radiothérapie Vectorisée » de l’Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier (IRCM, INSERM U1194). En savoir plus : https://www.radres.org/page/2020Awards

Publication : 02/09/2020The NanoTumor consortium is a French national multi-disciplinary workforce that aims to study cancer initiation and progression at molecular and subcellular level, by combining cutting-edge technologies and expertise in electron and fluorescence 2D-3D imaging, spatial transcriptomics and mass-spectrometry, micropatterning and microfluidics/biomechanics in various cellular and animal models, anti-intrabody/PPI engineering, and high-throughput screening. It will explore several children and adults’ cancers characteristics from the structure of underlying molecular complexes, spatio-temporal genes and proteins expression patterns, all the way up to subcellular organization, tissues morphology/rheology, and ultimately drug design and screening.To support the research program of WP3, a postdoc/engineer will be initially hired for 18 months with the objective of securing 18 additional months. The postdoc/engineer will be in charge of optimizing the experimental protocols required during the project, in particular immunochemistry, cell culture, live cell imaging techniques, and biochemistry. The postdoc/engineer will be also in charge of the formation of students (Masters, PhD) to these experimental approaches. Previous experience in NGS, proteomics, HTS, protein engineering, and/or bioinformatics would be a strong asset. The position will be located at the IRCM in Montpellier, but will require personal flexibility since the postdoc/engineer may be involved in experiments in all the laboratories of the consortium (stays from days to months).  More