Acquiring new knowledge and accelerating the discovery of new therapies
All cancers are the result of genetic alterations in one cell of our body, which results in said cell becoming abnormal, which then leads to a disorderly cell proliferation and tumor formation.
More than 200 different types of cancer can be caused by a number of different mutations producing specific anomalies at the molecular and cellular level.
Traditional therapeutic approaches such a chemotherapy and radiation therapy are nonspecific and are often accompanied by significant adverse side effects.
IRIC Investigators are working towards acquiring new knowledge to better understand the mechanisms of cancer and to develop personalized therapeutic approaches.
Litsios A, Goswami P, Terpstra HM, Coffin C, Vuillemenot LA, Rovetta M, Ghazal G, Guerra P, Buczak K, Schmidt A, Tollis S, Tyers M, Royer CA, Milias-Argeitis A, Heinemann M
Mol Biol Cell
2022-05-01
;33(
5
):rp2.
The group of Pierre Thibault, Principal Investigator at IRIC and professor in the Department of Chemistry of UdeM, with a colleague from Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands, recently published an exhaustive review article in Nature Reviews Methods Primers to educate researchers of all levels on the variety of mass spectrometry-based proteomic strategies used to study ubiquitin-like (UBL) modifications and the type of information that can be generated through these approaches.
IRIC is delighted by the creation of “Médicament Québec”, a major strategic hub whose mission is to promote greater autonomy and increase Quebec’s drive with respect to drug discovery, development and production.
Trang Hoang, Principal Investigator at the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) and Full Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the Faculty of Medicine of the Université de Montréal is the recipient of the 2021 Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences (CSMB) Jeanne Manery Fisher Award.
Telomeres are DNA sequences that serve as critical caps to protect the ends of chromosomes against degradation, fraying, and fusion with other chromosomes. They play an important role in maintaining genome integrity but in most cells in our body, telomeres become shorter with each cell division as the activity of the telomere maintenance enzyme (TERT) is repressed. After sufficient telomere shortening, the protective telomere structure is lost, activating the tumor-suppressor gene p53 and the DNA damage response. This leads to a non-proliferative state in normal cells called senescence, or to cell death in cancer cells. These inhibitory effects upon cell proliferation are thought to be an important mechanism to prevent the proliferation of damaged cells and the formation of tumors.
Infections with the yeast Candida albicans are a significant public health problem and a common complication in immunocompromised individuals such as people with AIDS, chemotherapy patients, and organ transplant patients. Although there are some treatments, their effectiveness can be compromised by the emergence of resistant strains and the identification of new antifungals is highly desirable. A few years ago, an IRIC team identified nicotinamide (NAM), a form of vitamin B3, as a potential antifungal treatment.
Enzymes that regulate cell division must be subjected to spatiotemporal control, allowing them to access the cellular structures they control only at the appropriate time. The segregation of chromosomes during mitosis is the most crucial event of cell division. Spatiotemporal coordination is therefore fundamental to the good progress of mitosis but it remains poorly understood.
By Fatéma Dodat
Understanding the regulation of T cell activity is crucial for the development of immunity against infections, but also in cancer. A study conducted by the team of Etienne Gagnon reveals that TMEM16F, a molecule that promotes the exchange of components between the lipid bilayer of a cell membrane, is involved in this activation.
In the past decades, advances in the field of nanotechnology, especially through the discovery and production of new nanomaterials, have catalyzed remarkable innovation in the creation of different biosensors, which are analytical devices used to detect and study the properties of many biological molecules. There are many types of biosensors and it is often difficult to compare their performance and identify the most promising approaches.
Génome Québec, IVADO and Oncopole have come together to organize the “Omics Data Against Cancer” (ODAC) Competition. This initiative aims to support projects developing applications and artificial intelligence tools used to better exploit the datasets generated by genomics and the study of cancer.
The project of Sébastien Lemieux, Principal Investigator at IRIC and his team is one of the 5 recipient projects of the program.
There are over 160 small GTPase proteins in human cells that can fluctuate between an active state (“on”) and an inactive state (“off”). These work as switches to control whether intracellular signaling pathways are turned on or off. Of particular interest are GTPases of the RAS family. Mutations in these GTPases are among the main causes of human cancers, yet there are currently no therapeutics targeting RAS proteins themselves.
This discovery by a team of IRIC researchers could soon be taught in molecular biology courses. Katherine Borden’s laboratory recently published a study in the journal PNAS that demonstrated that the activity of RNAs can be regulated in a new way: by modulating a RNA modification known as capping.
On August 18, 2020, the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) announced the selected research projects that will benefit from its financial support. This substantial support allows researchers to acquire highly specialized avant-garde equipment and infrastructure, and to recruit and retain internationally renowned scientists.
Resveratrol (RSV) is a natural compound found in many plants, including the skin of grapes (and in wine), blueberries, raspberries, mulberries and peanuts. It has attracted considerable research attention due to its reported beneficial properties in experimental models such as yeasts, nematode worms, fruit flies and mice, including lifespan extension under certain conditions. A causal role of RSV in human health has not yet been established.
In some cases, taking the direct path is not the most effective. A study led by the team of Philippe Roux, in collaboration with the teams of Louis Gaboury and Sylvain Meloche of IRIC, indeed reveals that the oncogenic protein KRAS could be targeted indirectly. Recently published in Nature Communications, their results demonstrate that mutation of this oncogene modifies the expression of proteins at the surface of the cells that cover the internal villi of the intestine. This study offers new therapeutic opportunities for the treatment of colorectal cancer.
While the pandemic has highlighted the importance of supporting scientific research, IRICoR and the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation (QBCF) have joined forces through their joint LeadAction|Breast Cancer Competition to accelerate breast cancer research work and develop additional therapeutic options for those affected by this cancer.
The research sectors particularly impacted by the pandemic are beginning to be identified. David Knapp, Principal Investigator at IRIC, in collaboration with David G. Kent (University of York) and Nagarajan Kannan (Mayo Clinic), highlight the consequences of the health crisis on early-career investigators and clinical trials. The analysis stems from data collected by a survey shared by the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) among its members. Carried out between April 6 and April 15, 2020, 762 investigators from 52 countries responded. Here is a look back at this analysis published in Stem Cell Reports and on the main issues that were raised.
Génome Québec, in partnership with IRIC, Université de Montréal, Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute and McMaster University, is proud to announce funding for a new research project intended to accelerate the discovery of antiviral COVID-19 medications. Spearheaded by professors Michael Tyers (IRIC / Université de Montréal), Yoshua Bengio (Mila / Université de Montréal) and Anne Marinier (IRIC / Université de Montréal), the $1 million project was launched in fast-track mode on June 1, 2020.
The Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of the Université de Montréal is proud to announce that David Knapp and Geneviève Deblois have been recruited as new Principal Investigators. They are in charge, respectively, of the Cellular Engineering Research Unit and the Metabolic and Epigenetic Alterations in Cancer Research Unit.
IRIC presents the 32nd edition of its Distinguished Scientist Lecture Series, with a full ten part program.
Join us on Mondays at 11:30 am, to learn about the latest findings in cancer research with leading biomedical investigators from Canada, USA and Europe.
GPCRs represent the largest human membrane protein family and play a critical role in essential physiological and pathological processes.
Chaired by IRIC CEO Michel Bouvier, this virtual symposium showcased some of the latest discoveries and techniques leveraging the potential of GPCRs in these crucial fields.
To relive the Symposium and catch up on the presentations, head up to this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr0WirF2NPI&t=251s
IRIC presents the thirty first edition of its Distinguished Scientist Lecture Series, with a full 15 part program. Join us on Mondays at 11:30 am, to learn about the latest findings in cancer research with leading biomedical investigators from Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia.
