Sebastien Tabaries Ph.D.
RESEARCH PROJECT
I have developed a strong interest in uncovering the molecular details underlying cancer initiation and progression to metastatic disease. In 2006, I joined Dr. Siegel’s laboratory. The lab focuses on breast cancer, which is the most commonly diagnosed cancer affecting Canadian woman. My project is designed to identify genes that control the ability of breast cancer cells to metastasize and grow in the liver. To do so, we use 4T1 murine mammary carcinoma cells as a model to identify gene responses associated with the ability of breast cancer cells to metastasize to the liver. These 4T1 cells were subjected to three rounds of splenic injection to isolate breast cancer cells that aggressively grow in the liver. Expression profiles intrinsic to the explanted breast cancer cells have been generated to identify differentially expressed genes associated with the aggressive liver metastatic phenotype. Thus, we identify Claudin-2 as a mediator of Breast Cancer Liver Metastasis. In parallel, we have pursued experiments to identify gene expression changes within liver metastatic breast cancer cells that occur in situ, in response to the liver microenvironment..
BACKGROUND
Through the course of my career, I have pursued training opportunities in diverse fields, ranging from fundamental to applied research. I have helped define the molecular structure of the Annexin II-p11 complex, which is implicated in membrane fusion during exocytosis/endocytosis, and as a result have become proficient with numerous biochemistry techniques including chromatography (HPLC, FPLC), crystallogenesis, immunoblotting and immunoprecipitation (INSERM, Institut Cochin de Génétique Moléculaire, France). I subsequently moved to the pharmaceutical industry, using microarray and real-time PCR technologies to identify new therapeutic targets responsible for the development of cancer cell resistance to chemotherapy (Les laboratoires Pierre Fabre, France) and the application of these approaches to the study of type II diabetes (Lipha S.A., France). During my Ph.D. degree, under the supervision of Dr. Lucie jeannotte (Université Laval, Québec), I have learned techniques necessary for the generation of defined mutations in genetically engineered mouse models. I designed a conditional mutant mouse to study of the role of the Hoxa5 gene during murine development and defined regulatory sequences that control the regionalization of Hoxa5 expression in the developing embryo. This phase of my training provided me with practical skills in molecular and cellular biology techniques such as cloning, DNA footprinting, PCR, Northen blotting, Southern blotting, the generation and maintenance of transgenic mouse lines, mouse embryo micro-dissection and stem cell culture.
CONTACT INFO
Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Research Centre - McGill University
1160 Pine Ave. West (Room 508)
Montreal, Quebec (Canada)
H3A 1A3
T. 514.398.8889
F. 514.398.6769