SPEAKER
Prof Sylviane Muller
Distinguished Class CNRS Director
Professor University of Strasbourg Institute for
Advanced Study / Chair Therapeutic Immunology,
Director of the CNRS Institut de Biologie
Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC),
Director of the CNRS laboratory Immunopathology
and therapeutic chemistry,
Head of the Laboratory of Excellence Drug
Discovery Center Medalis
HOST:
Department of Infection and Immunity / IBBL
RESPONSIBLE LIH SCIENTIST:
Dr Catherine Larue (catherine.larue@ibbl.lu)
Prof. Dirk Brenner (dirk.brenner@lih.lu)
www.lih.lu
Supported by:
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LINEAR UBIQUITINATION, CELL DEATH, INFLAMMATION AND BEYOND
ABSTRACT
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Since several years, I have concentrated my
activity on systemic lupus erythematosus
(SLE), which represents a prototype of
autoimmune rheumatic disease. SLE is
characterized by inflammation and damage to
various tissues, complement deficiencies,
modification of cytokine secretion and
production of autoantibodies. At least 100
different antigens, often nuclear, targeted by
specific antibodies have been characterized in
SLE. The cause of the illness is poorly understood,
multifactorial in essence, depending on
risk factors that are genetic, hormonal (with a
female prevalence) and environmental.
Over the recent years, I have focused my
research activity on the pathways involved in
autoreactive lymphocytes activation and on
molecular events leading to cell death/living
phenomena (apoptosis, autophagy) that are
central in lupus.
Combining my fundamental knowledge of
lupus with my long lasting experience in
peptide chemistry has enabled me, with my
team, to develop very novel strategies
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to modulate the aberrant immune response and
restore normal immune functions using synthetic
peptides. The results of a Phase IIb clinical
trial directed by ImmuPharma including
one of our peptides in ~150 lupus patients gave
extremely promising results. This peptide is
currently evaluated in a phase III clinical trial
both in the US and Europe (LUPUZOR program).
More recently, I have been involved in studies
dealing with neuropsyschiatric lupus with the
objective to better understand the molecular
basis of this dramatic form of lupus and
propose specific strategies to treat affected
patients.
My approaches are based on fundamental
immunology, immunochemistry, cellular and
molecular biology, biochemistry, organic
chemistry and pharmacology, structure-function
studies, chemoinformatics, physiology,
cellular imaging and manipulation of animal
models.
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* Opposite Luxembourg Institute of Health, House of BioHealth, 29, rue Henri Koch L-4354 Esch/Alzette
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