Pr Florence CALDEFIE-CHEZET

Professor of Universities (Pharm D/Ph D)

Email : contact
Phone : +33(0)4 73 17 79 71

THEMATIC OF RESEARCH IN THE ECREIN TEAM

The main objective of the ECREIN team is to characterise the immunocompetent cells' (CICs, ie immune cells, adipocytes, endothelials, epithelials, chondrocytes) response to microenvironment variations. This program is in the immunonutrition area with two major aims:

1) To identify the interrelationships between immunological/inflammatory alterations and metabolic disorders in relation to the nutritional status in physio-pathological conditions (in particular ageing, cancer, obesity, osteoarticular pathologies, allergy and food intolerance).

2) To maintain/optimize the responsiveness of the immunocompetent cells through nutritional interventions in a preventive and/or therapeutic way. To do this, a modulation strategy of the dialogue between CICs and other tissues (breast, intestine, bone in particular) is developed through the use the immunomodulatory bioactives (pre and probiotics, vitamin D, plant bioactives), in order to prevent the risk of chronic pathology associated with aging.

In this context, we select and evaluate plants/bioactives of naturally origin that have an effect on the immunocompetent cells thanks to our combined expertise in phytochemistry and biology.

RESEARCH ACTIVITY

The main objective of the work conducted is to characterize the response of immunocompetent cells (CICs, ie immune cells, adipocytes, endothelials, epithelials, chondrocytes) to variations in their micro-environment with two major endpoints:

1) To identify the relationships between immunological/inflammatory alterations and metabolic disorders related to nutritional and immune status in physio-pathological conditions (in particular aging, cancer). In this perspective, our work is more specifically focused on the study of the interactions between breast epithelial cells (immunocompetent barrier cells) and their microenvironment (adipocytic, immune and inflammatory) in obese situations, which is known to be a risk factor for breast cancer occurrence and relapse in post-menopausal women.

2) To maintain/optimize the immunocompetent cells' response capacities by providing nutritional interventions in a preventive and/or therapeutic approach. To achieve this, a strategy for modulation of the CIC microenvironment is developed by the use of immunomodulatory food plant bioactives , in order to prevent the potential risk of chronic pathologies that are associated with an inflammatory state (obesity, arthrosis...) which impairs mobility. Example of a project: FRI CLUSTER PLANTINAUV PROJECT. (please put a link to Plantinauv).

Our work is conducted in a transversal approach that combines original cellular (2 and 3D) and animal models (high-calorie diet, enriched environment) and clinical research protocols.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

1: Cholet J, Decombat C, Vareille-Delarbre M, Gainche M, Berry A, Senejoux F, Ripoche I, Delort L, Vermerie M, Fraisse D, Felgines C, Ranouille E, Berthon JY, Priam J, Saunier E, Tourrette A, Troin Y, Thebaud G, Chalard P, Caldefie-Chezet F. In Vitro Anti-Inflammatory and Immunomodulatory Activities of an Extract from the Roots of Bupleurum rotundifolium. Medicines. 2019 Oct 11;6(4).

2: Bougaret L, Delort L, Billard H, Le Huede C, Boby C, De la Foye A, Rossary A, Mojallal A, Damour O, Auxenfans C, Vasson MP, Caldefie-Chezet F. Adipocyte/breast cancer cell crosstalk in obesity interferes with the anti-proliferative efficacy of tamoxifen. PLoS One. 2018 Feb 1;13(2):e0191571.

3: Ramdani LH, Talhi O, Taibi N, Delort L, Decombat C, Silva A, Bachari K, Vasson MP, Caldefie-Chezet F. Effects of Spiro-bisheterocycles on Proliferation and Apoptosis in Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines. Anticancer Res. 2016 Dec;36(12):6399-6408.

4: Bougaret L, Delort L, Billard H, Lequeux C, Goncalves-Mendes N, Mojallal A, Damour O, Vasson MP, Caldefie-Chezet F. Supernatants of Adipocytes From Obese Versus Normal Weight Women and Breast Cancer Cells: In Vitro Impact on Angiogenesis. J Cell Physiol. 2017 Jul;232(7):1808-1816.

5: Delort L, Rossary A, Farges MC, Vasson MP, Caldefie-Chézet F. Leptin, adipocytes and breast cancer: Focus on inflammation and anti-tumor immunity. Life Sci. 2015 Nov 1;140:37-48. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2015.04.012. Epub 2015 May 6.

CURRICULUM VITAE

CURRENT POSITION

PharmD, University Professor, ECREIN Research Team Leader (UNH, UMR 1019 INRA-UCA) and Head of the Pharmaceutical Plant and Fungal Sciences Teaching Laboratory (SVFp), UFR PHARMACIE.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Nutrition, immunocompetent cells, cancer, obesity, inflammation, organoids, plant and fungal sciences, plant / plant bioactives, macromyces

QUALIFICATIONS

1997 Doctor in Pharmacy, Clermont-Ferrand;

1997 Master of Biological and Medical Sciences, Clermont-Ferrand;

1998 DEA in "Nutrition and Food Sciences", Clermont-Ferrand;

2002 PhD University "Nutrition-Health", Clermont-Ferrand ;

2006 HDR. Pharmacy: Specialization "Biology-Health", Clermont-Ferrand ;

2007 Qualification for PU CNU41 positions

SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTION

Factor H: 22; 44 original publications, 7 reviews, 2 book chapters

1 patent, 1 SATT maturation program large center; 12 invited lectures, 25 oral communications, > 120 poster communications.

VALUATION OF RESEARCH:

+15 programmes financed since 2006 (INCA, National League against Cancer, ARC, Cancéropôle CLARA, FRI CLUSTER, Regional Contract; ERDF)

SUPERVISIONS:

12 Post-Doctoral students and 13 foreign doctoral students.

Director of 5 PhD students at the University since 2006.

SCIENTIFIC RAYONNEMENT

Congress Organization: 6 national and 2 international

Networks: Nacre, STOLON, D-2 ONCO-CLARA, Aviesan- " Organoid Multi-organism";

International collaborations: Sweden (Excellence Chair 2010-2012), Benin, Mali, Algeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Morocco, Turkey, Wales, Lebanon, Thailand.

RESPONSIBILITIES

UFR PHARMACIE-UCA: PACES selection committee since 2015; PACES triplements committee since 2015: teacher referring PACES; UFR pharmacy governance consulting; communication coordinator.

UNIVERSITY-UCA: Head of the CICAN'AUV platform (UCA Partner); UCA communication-referee since 2017.

UNH, UMR1019: Since 2017 head of the ECREIN research team and member of the UMR directional committee.

CANCEROPOLE CLARA: Scientific Council member since 2018, Nutrition referent; College for prevention and social innovations member since 2018