CEPR

Team 2

Proteolytic enzymes and their pharmacological targeting in lung diseases

Team leader : Brice KORKMAZ

Team 2 is a basic research team oriented to a multidisciplinary and translational research investigating proteolytic mechanisms associated with two chronic pulmonary diseases (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and fibrosis) and lung cancer. 

Our group also investigates interventional strategies for targeting lung proteases in the inflammatory microenvironment. For that we develop on the one hand innovative methods of synthesis to prepare new small chemical (heterocyclic) inhibitors and, in an other hand we design and produce original antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs, a targeted therapy, allowing selective delivery of cytotoxic agents, thereby limiting usual systemic toxicity).

More specifically, we focus on proteolytic mechanisms of serine proteases (from neutrophils and epithelial cells) and cysteine cathepsins (from fibroblasts and macrophages). Indeed, reestablishing the homeostasis of the proteolytic balance (protease/antiprotease) is a perspective to develop therapeutic approaches for inflammatory lung diseases.

The Team gathered biochemists, chemists, cell biologists and physicians, all experts in the study of proteolysis in inflammatory lung diseases.

Members

Team leaders

Brice KORKMAZ

Brice KORKMAZ

Team Leader
brice.korkmaz@inserm.fr
Gilles LALMANACH

Gilles LALMANACH

Deputy Team Leader
gilles.lalmanach@univ-tours.fr

Specific expertises

Bioconjugation

Chemical Library

Circular Dichroism

HPLC / FPLC

Hyperoxic chamber

Medicinal and heterocyclic chemistry

Peptide Synthesis

Spectrofluorimetry

Key events

Congress organization

2024
2023

Research and formation key events

Dr Sandrine Dallet-Choisy elected for the 3th time as director of faculty of sciences (january 2024)
Promotion to the rank of professor of Dr Nicolas Joubert and Dr Fabien Lecaille (Faculty of sciences, 2023)
New lecturer in medicinal chemistry: Dr Pierre Sierocki (Faculty of pharmacy, 2023)
Dr Gildas Prié is teaching assessor of faculty of pharmacy (since 2022)
Pr Marie-Claude Viaud-Massuard is the chair of the National Council of Universities 86
Pr Fabien Lecaille is a member of the National Council of Universities 64
Opening of two university lecturer positions for september 2024

Fundings & partnerships

Scientific environment

Canada

Oceania

USA