IGBMC : Institut de la Génétique et de la Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire

Using an innovative strategy, researchers at the IGBMC managed to cure an animal affected by centronuclear myopathy, also called myotubular myopathy. Through a gene modulation approach, J. Laporte’s team observed an almost total disappearance of clinical signs of this rare disease. In addition to the therapeutic potential they give rise to, these results shed a new light on the mechanisms involved in Centronuclear myopathies. This study is published 24 February 2014 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Every year since 1998, the UNESCO and L'Oréal Corporate Foundation rewards 5 women, one per continent, for their contribution to the advancement of Science and career in a field still largely dominated by men. For the 2014 awards, life sciences are being celebrated.

The team of Dr. Ali HAMICHE (IGBMC), in collaboration with Drs. Christophe ROMIER (IGBMC), Stefan Dimitrov (IAL, Grenoble) and Tak MAK (UHN, Toronto, Canada) has identified a new mechanism of regulation of gene expression. This is the first example showing at a molecular level the relief of the inhibition of a promoter through a specific histone removal. Their results are published on January 22nd in the journal Nature.

From bacteria to mammals, cell cilia are essential structures for life. However, their role is often poorly understood. Thanks to an innovative imaging technique, the team of Julien Vermot at the IGBMC could visualize in real time the role of endothelial cilia during the development of the vascular system in zebrafish. They measured the forces driving the deformation of cilia in the blood vessels and were able to reconstruct the three-dimensional internal structure of a cilium. In this new study, the researchers show that the cilia of endothelial cells play a central role in the development of the vascular system. This work is published on 20 February 2014 in the journal Cell Reports.