CV Science

Thierry Levade MD, PhD, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Course and current status

Thierry LEVADE, MD, PhD

born July 4, 1957 in Rabastens, France, married, two children

PU-PH, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Toulouse-Rangueil Medical School

Current position: PI of ‘Sphingolipids, Cell Death and Tumor progression’ Group,

INSERM Unit 1037, Rangueil Hospital, 31432 Toulouse, France

1982: MD (Médaille d’or), University of Toulouse, France

1983: Department of chemical pathology, Hospital of Toulouse,

1984: Visiting Fellow, dept of neurochemistry and membrane biochemistry (Prof. S. Gatt), Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel

1986: Visiting Fellow, Division of Medical Genetics (Prof. Robert J. Desnick), Mount Sinai Hospital, New York

1986: PhD biochemistry, University of Toulouse, France

1987: Chargé de Recherche, INSERM Unit 101 (Profs. L. Douste-Blazy and H. Chap), Toulouse, France

1992: HDR, University of Toulouse, France

1993: Research Director, INSERM U.466 (Prof. R. Salvayre), Toulouse, France; PI of ‘Sphingolipids: signaling and lipidoses’ Group

2000: Full Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, University of Toulouse, France

2006: PI of ‘Sphingolipids, cell death and disease’ group, INSERM U.858 (Dir. A. Parini) Hospital of Rangueil, Toulouse, France

2011: PI of ‘Sphingolipids, cell death and tumor progression’ group, INSERM UMR1037 (Dir. JJ. Fournie) Hospital of Rangueil, Toulouse, France

Teaching activities

Paul Sabatier University of Toulouse, France

1997-present            Lecturing in Biochemistry, Medical School (1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd years)

1997-present            Lecturing in Molecular Biology, Medical School (1^st and 3^rd years)

1991-present            Lecturing in Human Pathophysiology, Biochemistry, Cellular Pharmacology, Cellular Physiology (Master’s and Postgraduate degrees), Universities of Toulouse, Angers, Paris, and Bordeaux, France

Other functions

M.D. at C.H.U. Hospital of Toulouse, Department of Chemical Pathology: since Jan. 1983

Honors and awards

1982 Lauréat de la Faculté de Médecine de Toulouse, Médaille d'Or

1987 Lauréat de l'Académie Nationale de Médecine

Main Research interests

Sphingolipid metabolism, Lysosomal storage diseases

Reviewing and editorial activities

- Reviewer for: J. Clin. Invest., J. Biol. Chem., FASEB J., PNAS, J. Cell Biol., Circ. Res., Cell Death Differ., Exp. Cell Res., Biochem. J., BBA, J. Neurochem., Am. J. Physiol., FEBS Lett., …

- Editor : Biochim. Biophys. Acta - Mol. Cell Biol. Lipids (Section Editor), Biochem. J. (editorial adviser)

- Reviewer for scientific committees of foundations: Action Research, USA-Israel Binational Science Foundation, Italian Ministry Program, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, MRC, INSERM, DFG, Italian Telethon, German Israeli Foundation,...

Scientific summary

In order to better understand the molecular mechanisms that regulate cell death, we are analysing the effects and modes of action of sphingolipids (and of the enzymes/proteins which control sphingolipid metabolism and trafficking) in the modulation of cell death
pathways. Hence, our project aims at defining novel targets in lipid metabolism able to interfere with cell death programs and, consequently, to halt tumor progression.

Keywords

Sphingolipids, apoptosis, ceramide, metabolism, caspases, melanoma, leukemia, chemotherapy, tumor microenvironment.