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Pathophysiological role of vitamin D signalling

Pathophysiological role of vitamin D signalling

SUBGROUP LEADER

Gilles LAVERNY

The active form of the hormone vitamin D controls calcium and phosphate levels in the body. In addition, it contributes to the regulation of the inflammation and cell proliferation, conferring a protective, even therapeutic, role in various cancers and autoimmune diseases.

To date, the mechanisms underlying the activities of vitamin D have not been elucidated. This lack of understanding limits its clinical use, since the doses required for the treatment of cancers or autoimmune diseases induce hypercalcemia; resulting in calcification of the kidneys, heart and vessels, leading to dysfunction of these organs.

Our group is interested in understanding how vitamin D controls calcium homeostasis and tumor progression. We focus on rare diseases characterized by impaired vitamin D signaling, and on prostate cancer.

We use patient cells and mouse models recapitulating human pathologies, and leverage single-cell and spatial transcriptomic analyses coupled with functional validations.

We also collaborate with chemists to characterise new vitamin D analogues with potent therapeutic activities for many diseases that are refractory to current treatments.

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Fundraising Campaign for Daniel Metzger and Gilles Laverny's Team

From 10 November to 10 December 2024, the Life PINK association is launching a fundraising campaign in Alsace, with the aim of raising €1 per…

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Our recent paper on prostate cancer progression

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Awards and recognitions

Gilles Laverny

Individual fellowship - Inserm (2021)

Poster prize - Fondation Maladies Rares (2019)

Trainee Award - Vitamin D workshop (2015)

Daniela Rovito

Young researcher award - OSCAR (2021)

Kateryna Len-Tayon

Trainee Award  - Vitamin D workshop (2024).

Jury award - Fondation ARC (2024).

Poster prize - Association pour la Recherche sur les Tumeurs Prostatiques (2021)

PhD fellowship - Ministère de l'Education Nationale, de l'Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche (2020)

Noe Pierrat

PhD fellowship - Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (2023)

Vanessa Friedrich

PhD fellowship Inserm/Pfizer (2024)

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