RESEARCH PROJECT
Human polyomaviruses (HPyVs) are a growing challenge in immunocompromised patients in view of the increasing number of HPyV species and their diverse disease potential. Among polyomaviruses, BK virus (BKV) has been increasingly established as being an important human pathogen in immunocompromised individuals. There are no proven strategies to treat BK virus infection. Novel approaches to optimize diagnostic accuracy and patient management are urgently needed. The central aim of our research group is to better understand the molecular mechanisms of virus-host interaction in the pathogenesis of polyomaviruses-associated diseases and ultimately open new perspectives for the development of urgently needed accurate biomarkers, preventive antiviral strategies and vaccines.
Our work is focused on the following aspects:
- Study of molecular mechanisms of viral-host interaction during BKV life cycle to identify novel potentially druggable anti-viral targets and host factors for these viral infections.
- Functional analysis of BKV mediated immune response to develop biomarkers, preventive and therapeutic strategies for BKV-related diseases progression.
- Potential impact of BKV infection on the development of bladder cancer.
The functional relevance of the observed findings for the pathogenesis of the BKV infection is studied with state-of-the-art tissue culture systems and well characterized patient cohorts. We are confident that this approach has a profound impact on translational medicine including the delivery of biomarkers for BKV-related diseases as well as novel drug targets and vaccine development. Furthermore, the findings obtained for BK virus will be very helpful to study the other polyomaviruses including JC virus.
From 2020 to 2022, our research group has been strongly involved in the COVID-19 pandemic. Four major translational research projects on COVID-19 in hospitalized patients (COVID-HUS), hospital staff (SeroCoV-HUS and COVACHUS) and kidney transplant recipients (COVATRHUS) were launched by virologists and nephrologists of our group in collaboration with national and international researchers and clinicians. Our data which have resulted in more than 80 publications in high level international scientific journals significantly contributed to the understanding of the immune response against SARS-CoV-2. Consequently, our group members Sophie Caillard, Ilies Benotmane and Samira Fafi-Kremer were the most cited authors in 2021 in Kidney international journal, ranked first, second and fifth, respectively.
Collaborations:
The group has established multiple collaborations at various levels:
Prof. Prof. Pascal Poignard and Patrice Morand, Institut de Biologie Structurale, University of Grenoble
Dr. Christopher Buck, Laboratory of Cellular Oncology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda
Prof Olivier Thaunat, CIRI, INSERM U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon I, CNRS UMR5308, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université de Lyon, France
Prof. Olivier Schwartz, Virus & Immunity Unit, Department of Virology, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
Prof. Arnaud Fontanet, Emerging Diseases Epidemiology Unit, Department of Global Health, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
Prof. Michael Imperiale, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan
Prof. U. Wieland, Dr. S. Silling, Dr. V. Di Cristanziano, Nationales Referenzzentrum für Papilloma- und Polyomaviren, Cologne
Dr. Laurent Brino, High throughput cell based screening platform, IGBMC, Strasbourg
Spiesser Group of 13 French Nephrology hospital centers
French BKV Study Group of 27 Virology hospital centers
