INSERM U1256 lab
(NGERE official website)
Our research project is focused on nutrigenomic and epigenomic mechanisms of diseases, with particular interest, but not exclusively, to mechanisms linked to the one-carbon metabolism. It is based on a transversal approach, including cellular and molecular aspects, integrated analysis in animal models and validation of mechanistic hypothesis in population studies. Our project assesses the long-term consequences of dysregulation during gestational period triggered by the environment and later exposures such as overnutrition. The mechanisms that are scrutinized are linked to developmental abnormalities, cellular stress and inflammation and metabolic interactions related to complex diseases and rare metabolism diseases. Our project aims to address public health problems related to nutritional status. WHO individualized deficiencies in folate and vitamin B12 as one of the major problems of nutritional deficiencies with a level 2 priorities. In industrialized countries, deficiencies in folate and vitamin B12 are common during the gestational period and in the elderly, with frequencies of 10-20% in these population sub-groups of European countries.
The project was deveopped into 4 well-interrelated themes individualized during the last five-year period: Proliferation / Differentiation / Plasticity and Development – Epigenomics / Epigenetics and Metabolism – Inflammation / Cellular Stress and exposure to environmental hazards – Rare diseases of metabolism.
Through this project, the unit has been involved in regional structuring actions covering clinical research and therapeutic innovation, with several partners such as University Regional Hospital of Nancy, the University Regional Hospital of Strasbourg and the University Louis Pasteur of Strasbourg. It is a pilot contributor to FHU ARRIMAGE and works closely with the pharmaceutical industry in Lorraine, inside the Bioprolor consortium, regarding innovative therapies for rare metabolism diseases and digestive tract inflammatory diseases. It also participates in training and education with a strong commitment in providing teaching for many Masters (in which several members of the unit have important responsibilities) and the spreading of knowledge (organization of seminars, two International congresses and of a session in the Summer FASEB Conferences, not counting many lectures on invitation) detailed in the Results section.
The unit is one of the main research facilities of the joint Research Federation CNRS-Inserm where it plays a leading role in one of the axes (Epigenetics / Epigenomics) and hosts a platform in genomics and functional genetics. It is affiliated to European Networks (notably ENDA) as a provider of genomic activities carried out on its own platform.