CV Science

Pascale Dufourcq PhD, PharmaD

Course and current status

• 1994- PharmD, University of Bordeaux2
• 1997- PhD, Inserm U441, University of Bordeaux2
• 1997-1999 : Post-doctoral fellow, Pr. M. Rabinovitch laboratory, Institut de Recherche Cardio-vasculaire, Toronto university, Hospital for Sick Children, Canada.
• 1999-2001 : Post-doctoral fellow, Inserm U441, Pessac
• 2001-2010 : Assistant Professor in Biochemistry (MCU), UFR Sciences Pharmaceutiques, Inserm U828, Université de Bordeaux2
• 2010- Full professor in Biochemistry and Biotherapy (PU), UFR Sciences Pharmaceutiques, University of Bordeaux, Inserm U1034
• 2013-Head of service “Foundamental and clinical Biochemistry” at the University Bordeaux, UFR Sciences Pharmaceutiques.

Scientific summary

Research : characterize the cellular and molecular mechanisms that control the growth, the activation and the integrity of vessels under both physiological and pathological conditions. Studies Wnt/frizzled pathway in vascular biology. Technical approaches involve the use of transgenic mice (tissue specific, conditional KO mice), mouse models of angiogenesis (post-natal, adults), cell culture assays, gene modification, imaging (video and confocal microscopy), culture cell under flow conditions.

During the last years : We highlight the role of the various partners of the Wnt/fzd pathway signaling in the context of physiological and pathological angiogenesis. We have focused on the role of FZD receptors expressed by endothelial cells and have defined their implications in the formation and organization of the vascular plexus. Depending on the context, different signaling could be activated (β-catenin dependent or PCP cell planar polarity). Recently, we demonstrated the therapeutic potential of this pathway signaling (Fzd7/ß-catenin) for the treatment of pathologies characterized by an alteration in post-ischemic angiogenesis. These alterations may occur in diabetic retinopathy (excess angiogenesis) or in cardiovascular disease (vascular defect, impairment in vascular permeability...). Actually, our research is focused on the role of PCP signaling in EC response to shear stress.