Scientific topics
Keywords
Sophie Lestavel PhD Cellular Biology
Course and current status
October 1988-September 1991
PhD Research Fellow, University of Lille 2 – INSERM U545 “Lipoproteins, Nuclear Receptors and Atherosclerosis”
October 1991-September 1992
Teaching and Research Fellow, University of Lille 2 – INSERM U545 “Lipoproteins, Nuclear Receptors and Atherosclerosis”
October 1992-September 2008
Assistant Professor – Cellular Biology - University of Lille 2 – INSERM U545 “Lipoproteins, Nuclear Receptors and Atherosclerosis”
Present Position from Oct 2008
Professor – Cellular Biology - University of Lille 2, Faculté des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques – INSERM U1011 « Nuclear Receptors, Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes »
Group leader « Nuclear receptors in intestine – control of lipid and glucose homeostasis »
Scientific summary
The general aim of my work is to study the role of nuclear receptors in the control of energy homeostasis with a special interest towards lipid and glucose metabolism in the gastrointestinal tract. In particular, besides its role in nutrient absorption, intestine is now considered as an endocrine tissue which participates in the glycemic control through the secretion of entero-hormones (among them GLP-1). We have shown that the transcriptionnal regulation of GLP-1 secretion by the nuclear receptor PPARdelta might be a novel therapeutic target in type 2 diabetes. We have now initiated a new project aiming to dissect the molecular mechanisms of bile acid-controlled production of entero-hormones. This includes studies in cellular and in vivo transgenic murine models.
