Presentation of UMR 1152

 

Faculté de Médecine X. Bichat

 

General research theme of Inserm UMR1152

UMR 1152 is a Mixed Research Unit, placed under the dual supervision of Inserm and the University of Paris 2019. It depends on the Inserm Paris 7 Regional Delegation. This UMR was created on January 1, 2014 after evaluation by AERES, Inserm and Université Paris Diderot and renewed from January 1, 2019 for a subsequent period of 5 years.

UMR1152 studies the risk factors and the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the onset and progression of respiratory diseases, in particular, severe asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis and pulmonary fibrosis, i.e. idiopathic origin (IPF), either associated with acute lung injury (ALI, and acute respiratory distress syndrome, ARDS). A research component concerning the cellular mechanisms involved in acute and chronic lung transplant dysfunctions is also being developed. Clinical and basic research approaches are used to determine the origin of these diseases and, in particular, of the inflammation and abnormalities of structural cells (epithelial and mesenchymal cells) that accompany them.

A particular interest is focused on the study (i) of the mechanisms involved in the loss of the integrity of the respiratory epithelium, in the alterations of the repair process and its response to certain infectious agents (influenza virus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, fungal agents), (ii) functional alterations of pulmonary fibroblasts and bronchial smooth muscle cells (survival / apoptosis, differentiation, migration, contraction, proliferation, activation) and anti-infectious responses of pulmonary macrophages.

Overall, the projects proposed by the 3 teams that make up the Unit (*) are as follows :

1) better understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in inflammation and pulmonary remodeling in the respiratory diseases studied and their complications, in particular pulmonary infections and acute and chronic pulmonary rejection;

2)  identify the genetic, biological and histopathological determinants aiming to better characterize or identify new patient phenotypes;

3) to test new therapeutic strategies to prevent or treat inflammation and lung remodeling and accompanying respiratory dysfunction.

These projects are based on cross-cutting strategies including: (i) studies on national and international multicenter cohorts using bio-statistical, biological and genetic approaches, (ii) analysis of the expression of certain factors and new bio- markers at and away from the lung and the study of their correlation with clinical parameters related to the onset of the disease, its co-morbidities, its progression and its response to treatment, (iii) identification the functional role of these factors in healthy and pathological primary respiratory cells and in mouse models genetically manipulated and reproducing the main characteristics of the diseases studied.

 

Composition of UMR1152

UMR1152 is headed by Ms. Marina Pretolani, DR1 at Inserm, and is currently made up of 50 people divided into 3 teams. The Unit also includes a support and support secretariat service, as well as a Histology and morphology platform open to external teams, within and outside the Bichat site.

 

 

UMR1152 equipment

The Bichat site of the Faculty of Medicine has access to many equipment and infrastructures, such as OPS and transgenic animal facilities, a cytometry platform, an imaging platform (fluorescence, confocal and bi-photonic microscopy, video-TIRF ), cell sorter.

The UMR1152 is equipped with L1 and L2 containment culture rooms, rooms dedicated to molecular biology, histology / immunohistochemistry / immunofluorescence, biochemistry and animal experimentation. A Multiplex device (funded by LabEx Inflamex) is also available.