Scientific topics
Keywords
Chantal Housset MD, PhD, Professor in Cell Biology, UPMC Paris 6
Course and current status
|
Chantal Housset was trained as a Hepatologist in Paris 5. She obtained her MD degree in 1987 and became Specialist in Digestive Diseases in 1993. She obtained her PhD degree at Paris 7 in 1993 and Research Direction Habilitation in 1998. She was Visiting Scientist and NIH grant recipient for 1 year in 1992, at UCSF, California. She was recruited first class Researcher at Inserm in 1994, and developed a Research Program on liver fibrosis in biliary diseases. She has been Director of an Inserm-UPMC Research Team since 1997. In 2000, she was attributed a University and Hospital Professorship in Cell Biology. She provides teaching to Life Science Students in Medical School and in Biology. She belongs to the Reference Center for Biliary Diseases in Saint-Antoine Hospital, AP-HP, and leads an Inserm-UPMC team entitled Biliary Pathophysiology, Fibrosis and Carcinogenesis of the Liver, at UMR_S 938, Saint-Antoine Research Center. The expertise of the team relates to the mechanisms responsible for metabolic and biliary diseases of the liver and their progression towards fibrosis. In 2007, Chantal Housset was awarded by the French Ministry of Research and Education, for her Research and Teaching. Since 2008, she is Director of IFR65, an Institute in Health Research, which coordinates all Research Units from four UPMC Hospitals (Saint-Antoine, Tenon, Trousseau, Quinze-Vingt). She has been Vice-President of UPMC University Committee for Teaching (CEVU, 2006-07), and member of Scientific Committees, at Inserm (CSS C05, 2003-07), at AP-HP Clinical Research Delegation (2004-06). Currently, she belongs to the Scientific Committees of ANRS National Agency, of UPMC Medical School (UFR967), of Medical Research Foundation (FRM), and of Cystic Fibrosis Association VLM. |
Scientific summary
The scientific team lead by Chantal Housset works on the mechanisms of metabolic and bilary-type liver disorders, their progression toward fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. Genetic diseases caused by alterations in the traffic, function or expression of hepatobiliary transporters (i.e. ABCB4 phospholipid canalicular transporter; CFTR), inflammatory biliary diseases (primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are investigated. Preclinical and clinical studies of the response to established treatments (i.e. ursodeoxycholic acid) and the targeting of nuclear receptors (FXR, VDR, PPAR) in these diseases are conducted. The contribution of different myofibroblastic cell types to tissue repair (i.e. fibrogenesis, angiogenesis, regeneration) in liver diseases are also investigated on the basis of differential proteomic and transcriptomic analyses. Fibrogenesis is associated with regenerative and carcinogenic mechanisms dependent on Insulin receptor, IGF-1R, EGFR and VEGFR pathways, that we analyze using SiRNA and pharmacological inhibitors. The levels of expression or activation of nuclear receptors and tyrosine kinase receptors pathways are examined in experimental models and human samples. Therapeutic targeting of these receptors is tested in preclinical studies and in phase II and III clinical trials, in collaboration with industrial partners. The diagnostic and prognostic value of serum biomarkers of fibrosis is evaluated in large cohorts of patients.
