CV Science

Sylvain RICHARD PhD Physiology

Course and current status

Directeur de recherche (DR1) au CNRS.  Age 57 (born 31/01/1957). 

 

Career:

Director of Research 1^st class, CNRS   2006-current

Director of Research 2^d class,  CNRS   1995-2006 

Researcher 1^st class,              CNRS   1990-1995

Researcher 2^d class,              CNRS   1986-1990

Post-doc   (Wash. Univ. Sch. of Med., St Louis, USA) 1985-1986

PhD (grant Research Minister, Fac. Sci. Tours)  1982-1985

 

Supervision

 - Since 2011: Deputy-head of Inserm Unit U1046 (PhyMedExp, Montpellier).

- Since 2011 : Coordinator team 1.

-  2003-2010:  Head of Inserm Unit U637.

-  Supervision of Young Researchers : PhD Theses: 17; Post-Doc: 9.

 

Editorial and international activities

Expertises & Reviews for: INSERM (patents/valorisation, Eur. Programs, host fellowships); AERES (Lab evaluations); ANR (projects evaluation); CNRS (Lab evaluations); ANVAR (valorisation); SFC (prizes), AFM (grants, projects), MRC (grants), BBSRC D. Phillips (UK), Univ. tenure positions (USA, UK), NSE Res. Council Canada, Swiss NSci. Foundation, Universities Grants (Paris-Sud, Paris XI, Angers, Tours, Montpellier).

 

Societies

National 1994-00: Board GRRC; 

International: 2000-04: Vice-Chair, then Chair EWGCCE (ESC);  2004-2007: Chair section Basic Science at Heart Failure Association (ESC) + Executive Committee + Board. 

Editorial Board: Europace (2001-2011); J. Mol. Cell. Cardiol., 2008-present. 

 

Research support / recent Grants

European (FP6, STREP 2005-07; responsible work-packages); 

SERVIER (2006-14; co-PI). 

ANR (Santé-Environnement, 2006-2009; PI).

5 ANRs (GENOPAT) as partner (2006-12). 

Several Grants (5)  from Fondation de France (principal investigator). 

Other recent international collaborations: Pr. S. Priori (NY, Pavia It), Pr. Condorelli (I, Milan) , Pr. M. Vos (NL, Utrecht University), Pr. I Sjaastad/Pr. O. Sejersted (No, Oslo University), Pr. C. Peers/Pr. D. Steele (UK, Leeds University)

 

115 publications ; h index 37

 87 invitations meetings (66 International including 37 conferences)

 

Five selected recent publications (period 2009-2014)

Fernandez-Velasco M, Rueda A, Rizzi N, Benitah JP, Colombi B, Napolitano C, Priori SG, Richard S, Gomez AM. Increased Ca²⁺ Sensitivity of the Ryanodine Receptor Mutant RyR2(R4496C) Underlies Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia. Circulation Research. 2009; 104: 201−U116. (IF=10.0)

Catalucci D, Zhang DH., DeSantiago J, Aimond F, Barbara G, Chemin J, Bonci D, Picht E, Rusconi F, Dalton ND, Peterson KL, Richard S, Bers DM, Brown JH, Condorelli G. Akt regulates L−type Ca2+ channel activity by modulating Cavα1 protein stability. J Cell Biology. 2009; 184: 923−33. (IF=9.9)

Gomez AM, Rueda A, Sainte-Marie Y, Pereira L, Zissimopoulos S, Zhu X, Schaub R, Perrier E, Perrier R, Latouche C, Richard S, Picot MC, Jaisser F, Lai FA, Valdivia HH, Benitah JP. Mineralocorticoid Modulation of Cardiac Ryanodine Receptor Activity Is Associated With Downregulation of FK506−Binding Proteins. Circulation 2009;119:2179−U89. (IF=14.4)

 Thireau J, Pasquié JL, Martel E, Le Guennec JY, Richard S. New drugs vs. old concepts: a fresh look at antiarrhythmics. Pharmacol Ther. 2011 Nov;132(2):125-45. (IF=8.7)

Thireau J, Karam S, Roberge S, Roussel J, Aimond F, Cassan C, Gac A, Babuty D, Le Guennec JY, Lacampagne A, Fauconnier J, Richard S. Β-adrenergic blockade combined with subcutaneous B-type natriuretic peptide: a promising approach to reduce ventricular arrhythmia in heart failure? Heart. 2014 (IF=6.0)

 

Five selected publications (since 1984) among 120 peer reviewed (h index, 37)

Nerbonne JM, Richard S, Nargeot J, Lester HA. New photoactivable cyclic nucleotides produce intracellular jumps in cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP concentrations. Nature, 1984, 310, 5972, 74-76.

Piot C., Lemaire S., Albat B., Seguin J., Nargeot J., Richard S. High frequency-induced Up-regulation of human cardiac calcium currents. Circulation, 1996, 93, 120-128.       

Quignard JF., Frapier JM., Harricane MC., Albat B., Nargeot J., Richard, S. Voltage-gated Ca channel currents in human coronary myocytes : regulation by cGMP and NO. J. Clinical Investigation, 1997, 99, 185-193. 

Quignard JF., Ryckkwaert F, Albat B, Nargeot J, Richard S. A novel tetrodotoxin-sensitive sodium current in cultured human coronary myocytes Circulation Research, 1997, 80, 377-382.

 Andre L, Boissière J, Reboul C, Perrier R, Meyer G, Zalvidea S, Thireau J, Tanguy S, Bideaux P, Hayot M, Boucher F, Obert P, Cazorla O, Richard S. Carbon monoxide pollution promotes cardiac remodeling and ventricular arrhythmia in healthy rats. Am J Resp and Critical Care Med. 2010, 181(6):587−95. (IF=10.2)

Scientific summary

Development of comprehensive approaches of diseases based on clinical observations (bedside) and translation of mechanistic discoveries into preclinical testing in the cardiovascular field.

Field of research concerns ion channels activity, Excitation-Contraction coupling, Na⁺ and Ca²⁺ signalling, and neurohormonal imbalance.

Recognized expertise in electrophysiology, Ca²⁺ imaging and pharmacology.

One specific interest focuses on functional remodeling during hypertrophy, heart failure, and related mechanisms of malignant ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) with emphasis on concepts integrating the role of intracellular Ca²⁺ and/or Na⁺ as a key element in arrhythmia triggering.

Investigations on both genetic and chronic experimental rodent models together with pharmacological approaches and translational aspects.

At team level, approaches combine studies at the sub-cellular level (Ca²⁺ transient, contraction, ionic currents) and in vivo investigations (Echocardiography, ECG telemetry, intracardiac recordings, heart rate variability analysis). Specifically, this involves investigation of Ca²⁺ waves and spontaneous action potentials in vitro, and in parallel, VAs and sudden cardiac death of rhythmic origin in vivo. A secondary axis focuses on the role of Na⁺ and Ca²⁺ homeostasis in the regulation of vascular contraction and arterial diseases.

Recent interest aims to develop a cardiac stem cell approach for cardiac repair. Long-term idea is to combine this strategy with existing pharmacological treatments.

 

Management and Teaching experience

Head of INSERM laboratory U637 Physiopathologie Cadiovasculaire for 8 years (2003-2011; 35 members). Currently Deputy-Head of INSERM laboratory U1046 since 2011. Extensive experience in obtaining funding and successful execution of public, academic, industrial and EU funded projects, and publishing scientific articles in high impact specialized journals. Trained (or contributed to train) over 15 postdoctoral fellows (9 from abroad, many of whom moved on to group leader positions at universities in their home countries). Regular involvement in national (National Agency of Research - ANR), European (e.g.. CONTICA, funded by the European Union), and international (e.g. CAPES-COFECUB with Brazil; CEDRE with Lebanon) funded programs, networks and collaborations. Regular invitations in the staff of several summer European schools (EU: 2008; ESC: 2009, 2011, 2013).

 

Examples of recent works and expertises listed with key contribution and collaborations: 

[1] Control of Ion Channels in Cardiac Arrhythmia, funded by a European project grant (2006-2009) (FP6, Specific Targeted Research Project; name: CONTICA (Control of Intracellular Calcium and Arrhythmias); coordinator: P^r B. Pieske, Gratz; PI U637: S. Richard coordinator WPs; Participants: A.M. Gomez, J.P. Bénitah.

[2] Role and pathophysiology of vascular Na channels, Strategic Alliance with Servier (2006-2009) PI: S. Richard. Participant: A. Virsolvy (U637).

[3] Carbon monoxide (CO) pollution promotes cardiac remodelling and VA in healthy rats. Funded by a National Grant Res. Program on cardiovascular disease (ANR 2007-2009; 'COMYOCARD - Effects of urban types of CO pollution on the myocardium.  PI: S. Richard. Participants: O. Cazorla (U637), C. Reboul, P. Obert (University Avignon).

[4] Effects of Rycals on myocardial function and sudden cardiac death in heart failure and CPVT1: mechanisms and potential therapeutic benefits. (preclinical investigations, private industry; Servier 2008-2014)  PI: S. Richard & A Lacampagne.

[5] Active role of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in cardiac remodeling and pro-arrhythmogenicity. Funded by National Grants from Fondation de France (PepNarythm and SynaptoCard, 2010-12; 2014-2016; PI: S. Richard & J. Thireau.