Aurélie MORIN
Chercheur post-doctorant, Institut Curie
During my master's degree in Biotechnology at the Université de Technologie de Compiègne (UTC, Compiègne, France), I studied for one year abroad (in Ireland and Spain) and spent another year abroad in internship in biotech companies (in Spain and USA).
In 2005, I joined the research group of Dr. Florence Cabon at the CNRS in Villejuif (France). I worked for one year as an engineer on a research project focusing on the regulation of a growth factor, FGF-2, by testosterone during testicular maturation (Gonzalez-Herrera et al. 2006).
In 2006, I started my PhD in the same laboratory and studied the role and function of the androgen receptor (AR) in prostate carcinomas that became resistant to hormonotherapies. These results, published in 2007 (Compagno et al. 2007), evidence the central and mandatory role of AR in this pathology, and identify this protein as a potential therapeutic target in castration-resistant prostate cancer. They also open perspectives for the clinical use of RNA interference (Morin et al. 2009).
I then focused on the proteins interacting with AR and regulating its transcriptional activity. I identified a new enzyme interacting with the androgen receptor and regulating its transcriptional activity, thus promoting tumor growth. Interestingly, I also showed that this enzyme is an early maker of prostate tumor recurrence (Morin et al. 2011). These results open new diagnostic and therapeutic perspectives for prostate cancer, that represents the second leading cause of cancer death in men in western countries.
The therapeutic implication of my research project has always been an important source of motivation for me. I graduated my PhD on november 2009 and I am working as a post-doctoral researcher at the "Institut Curie" since January 2010. My project focuses on the in vivo regulation of the p53 tumor suppressor. I used various tools of genetic engineering to evaluate the effect of mutations or splicing of p53 and its main regulators in cells and animals. Because the results of my studies are not published yet, they will not be detailed here. The titles of the drafted articles bellow (Simeonova et al.) were slightly modified for the same confidentiality reasons.
66 contacts2010 - 2012Institut Curie, UMR3244, team "genetics of tumor suppression" headed by Pr Franck TOLEDO.
My project focuses on the in vivo regulation of the p53 tumor suppressor. I used various tools of genetic engineering to evaluate the effect of mutations or splicing of p53 and its main regulators in cells and animals.
Main techniques : homologous recombination in mouse embryonic stem cells and establishment of knock-in mouse models, targeting mutations in mouse somatic embryonic cells by RMCE-ASAP technique (recombinase-mediated cassette exchange), molecular cloning, cell culture.
Publications:
2011 Simeonova I, Morin A, Fang M, Khoury M, Bouarich R, Lejour V, Bourdon JC, Toledo F. “A mouse model to evaluate the importance of p53 alternative splicing”. Drafted.
2011 Simeonova I, Lejour V, Bardot B, Bouarich R, Morin A, Fang M, Charbonnier L, Toledo F. “Identification of a new class of p53 target genes”. Submitted publication.
2006 - 2009CNRS, FRE2944, "Epigenetics and Cancer" Villejuif, FRANCE. (team headed by Dr Florence Cabon)
The androgen receptor and its cofactors in castration-resistant prostate cancer.
Identification of new therapeutic targets for relapsing prostate cancer. In vitro and in vivo validation.
2009 Award Pierre May for the best scientific presentation at the IAL young science meeting (Villejuif).
PhD defence: novembre 2009
Publications and patents:
2011 Morin A, Fritsch L, Mathieu JR, Gilbert C, Guarmit B, Firlej V, Gallou-Kabani C, Vieillefond A, Delongchamps NB, Cabon F. “Identification of CAD as an androgen receptor interactant, and an early marker of prostate tumor recurrence”. Faseb J. in press.
2011 Firlej V, Mathieu JR, Gilbert C, Lemonnier L, Nakhlé J, Gallou-Kabani C, Guarmit B, Ovide-Bordeaux S, Morin A, Prevarskaya N, Delongchamps NB, Cabon F. “Thrombospondin-1 triggers cell migration and development of advanced prostate tumors”. Cancer Res. in press. Submitted patent.
2009 Morin A, Gallou-Kabani C, Mathieu JR, Cabon F. “Systemic delivery and quantification of unformulated interfering RNAs in vivo“. Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry. 9(12): 1117-1129. Review.
2007 Compagno D*, Merle C*, Morin A*, Gilbert C, Mathieu JR, Bozec A, Mauduit C, Benahmed M, Cabon F. “SiRNA-directed in vivo silencing of androgen receptor inhibits the growth of castration-resistant prostate carcinomas”. PLoS ONE. 2(10): e1006 * co-first authors
2011 Guyader C, Ceraline J, Gravier E, Morin A, Michel S, Erdmann E, de Pinieux G, Cabon F, Poupon M-F, Oudard S. “Hormone therapy modalities determine escape outcome, AR mutations, genetic and phosphorylation pathways activation in prostate cancer”. Submitted publication.
2005 - 2005CNRS, FRE2944, "Epigenetics and Cancer" Villejuif, FRANCE. (team headed by Dr Florence Cabon)
Research project focusing on the regulation of a growth factor, FGF-2, by testosterone during testicular maturation.
Publication
2006 Gonzalez-Herrera IG, Prado-Lourenco L, Pileur F, Conte C, Morin A, Cabon F, Prats H, Vagner S, Bayard F, Audigier S, Prats AC. “Testosterone regulates FGF-2 expression during testis maturation by an IRES-dependent translational mechanism”. Faseb J. 20(3): 476-8
2004 - 2004Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. Johnston, IOWA, USA.
Final studies internship. Research project for the construction of an inducible and controllable transgenic system in maize using a bacterial genes network.
Patent:
2011 Gordon-Kamm W, Lowe K, Simmons C, Morin A, Stiner L. “Tetracycline repressor and uses thereof”. Brevet BB1856USNA.
2003 - 2003ZEU-Inmunotec, S.L. Zaragoza, SPAIN.
R&D internship. Development of a microbiologic screening kit and a PCR kit for food analysis.