IRCM Researchers

Unprecedented advances in the fields of microfluidics, global quantification of mRNAs of individual cells ("single-cell RNA sequencing") and computational biology now make it possible to decipher gene expression programs that govern the functioning of each individual cell of our body, and the perturbations at the origin of disease. However, since the level of mRNAs does not always correlate with that of the proteins they encode, the direct profiling of the functional actors of the cells, the proteins, appears essential for a more precise and informative determination of gene expression programs with single-cell resolution. Single-cell proteome profiling, including posttranslational modifications and protein interactions, is also invaluable to decipher detailed mechanisms of cell function in health and disease.

Recently, our laboratory initiated the development of single-cell proteomics (SCP) at the IRCM in order to map gene expression networks of individual cells with unprecedented precision. Precision is enhanced by combining SCP with antibody-based isolation of cell sub-populations, the antibodies being identified using phage display screening of recombinant antibody fragments (FAB). This dual method, termed PHAGE-SCP, will be published in 2022.

Our research lay upstream of the development of a new medical paradigm, called cell-based interceptive medicine, which is spreading rapidly in Europe ("LifeTime Initiative") and aims to treat diseases at the first signs of disruption of gene expression networks in cells that branch off from health to disease. To accelerate the development of cell-based interceptive medicine in Québec and Canada, our team has set up the 37TrillionCells initiative (www.37trillioncells.com) which brings together several laboratories around research themes that use common single-cell and omics technologies.

The PHAGE-SCP pipeline, which is a central element of the 37TrillionCells initiative, promises to revolutionize the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of many diseases, including diabetes which affects more than 500 million people in the world and can cause serious complications. In addition to diabetes and its complications, our team is interested in certain neurodegenerative disorders including leukodystrophies, ALS, and Alzheimer's.

Our work is based on national and international partnerships with academic and industrial groups, promoting an open science approach to accelerate the discovery of medical treatments and the creation of wealth for the economy of Quebec and Canada.