CV Science

Sophie TARTARE DECKERT PhD in Health Sciences, INSERM Research Director

Course and current status

PROFESSIONAL CARER

2021:   Research Director (DR1) Inserm

2008:   Research Director (DR2) Inserm

1998:   Staff scientist (CR1) Inserm

1994:   Staff scientist (CR2) Inserm

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE                                                                                                                                                                                            2019-        Co-leader, Workpackage Dermato-Oncology, FHU OncoAge, AVIESAN label 2015

2012-        Team co-leader “Microenvironment, Signaling and Cancer”, Inserm U1065 (C3M) Université Côte d’Azur, Nice.

2006:         Visiting Scientist at Ontario Cancer Institute, Toronto, Canada

2004-2011: Team leader “Microenvironment and Melanocyte Tansformation”, Inserm U597

1996-1998:  Post-doctoral fellow, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, USA

1989-1993:  Graduate Student, University of Nice, France

SCIENTIFIC OR ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD ACTIVITIES

2022-  Member of the Inserm scientific board

2020-  Member of the scientific board, Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (FRM)

2021-  Member of the FHU CAMin Science Advisory Board

2021-  Member of the scientific council of the Azureen consortium for research in health (GCS-CARES)

2021  President of the scientific jury of R. Rosen award FRM

2019-21 ITMO Cancer Aviesan expert

2017-20  President of the scientific committee 4 CN4, Fondation ARC

2017-20  President of the scientific committee 4, Fondation pour la Recherche sur le Cancer  (ARC)

2017-21 President of the scientific committee, Cancéropôle PACA

2017-20  Member of the National scientific Advisory board, Fondation ARC 

2017-22  Member of the administrative board, Faculty of Medicine of Nice

2012-17  Deputy president of the scientific committee 4, Fondation ARC

2015-17  Member of the Scientific committee, Cancéropôle PACA

2014-18  Member of the Scientific committee « Soutien pour la formation à la recherche   translationnelle en cancérologie » Inserm/Plan Cancer

2014       President of the scientific jury of Hélène Starck awards ARC fondation

2014:      Chair of the sselection committee “INSERM-University chairs”, Lille University

2014:      Scientific selection Committee A*MIDEX "Étoiles montantes", AMU

2012-2016  Administrative board, University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis

2012-2016  Administrative board, Faculty of Medicine of Nice

HONORS AND AWARDS                                                                                                                                                                                              

2022-2024    Equipe labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer

2019              Université Côte d’Azur Excellence award

2019              “Prix Raymond Rosen”, Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale

2017               “Prix Charente 2017”, la Ligue Contre le Cancer

2016-2020      Equipe labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer

2011     Prize Young Researcher Bettencourt-Schueller received by N. Fenouille (PhD student under my supervision)

2007    Awardee of a Research-Clinical Interface, Inserm-Nice Hospital program

2005    Prize Young Researcher Bettencourt-Schueller received by C. Gaggioli, (PhD student under my supervision)

1996   NATO Scientific and Technical Research Fellowship

Scientific summary

My main research area of expertise is in how tumor cells communicate with their microenvironment and in melanoma, the most aggressive and serious form of skin cancer.
I obtained my PhD from the University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis, School of Medicine, France for my work on the crosstalk between tyrosine kinase receptors and the molecular dissection of insulin signaling. I became interested in cell cycle control and cancer during my post-doctoral research at the Salk Institute. Since 2003, I have developed my independent research program and established my own lab at Inserm Unit 1065, C3M Institute.
Our laboratory is interested in understanding microenvironmental influences and signaling networks that drive melanoma growth and dissemination. We have been particularly involved in studying the role of tumor secreted factors in metastatic niche formation and in deciphering how the extracellular matrix (ECM), a key component of the microenvironment influences melanoma cell plasticity and responses to therapies targeting the BRAF oncogenic pathway. The team is also developing translational research that proposes new concepts such as the mechanobiology of melanoma and identifies new biomarkers and therapeutic targets in preclinical models.
My lab achieved important discoveries such as: 1) identification of novel tumor-secreted factors and their related signaling networks that drive melanoma dissemination; 2) demonstration of autocrine and paracrine roles for tumor-derived SPARC to overcome p53-mediated tumor suppression and to drive mesenchymal transition, vascular permeability and tumor cell extravasation; 3) association of the dedifferentiated resistant melanoma cell phenotype with fibrosis markers and collagen remodeling activities; and 4) demonstration that mechano-addiction of melanoma cells represents a novel targetable therapeutic vulnerability.
Our current work focuses in 1) deciphering how mechanotransduction pathways influence melanoma cell biology and responses to current anti-melanoma therapies, and 2) investigating of the role of the lymphatic microenvironment in melanoma metastasis, immune suppression and therapeutic escape. Our aim is to translate our results on melanoma to the clinic.