METABOLIC DISEASES EXPERTS

François has served as an expert in metabolic diseases since 2007. He has worked extensively on the development of novel in vivo assays and animal models of obesity/type 2 diabetes and related co-morbidities, all presented in international meetings and published in numerous scientific journals.

In 2016, François received the ASBMB Journal of Lipid Research Junior Investigator Award, as well as the Berman-Zech Award in 2018, for his research work on preclinical evaluation of drugs targeting type 2 diabetes, dyslipidaemia, diabetic nephropathy and NASH/MASH.

In 2006, he worked in the laboratory of Pr. Daniel J. Rader in Philadelphia, USA. In collaboration with pharmaceutical companies, his work focused on novel drugs affecting lipoprotein metabolism and reverse cholesterol transport in various mouse models.

François earned his Ph.D. in Nutrition and Metabolism from the University of Nantes, France. It dealt with the development of a canine model of obesity and insulin resistance, for evaluating drugs targeting type 2 diabetes and diabetic dyslipidaemia.

Estelle earned her PhD in Pr. Rémy Burcelin’s lab (I2MC, Toulouse) in 2016. She worked on neuronal GLP-1 sensitivity in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes without obesity. She demonstrated that GLP-1 sensitivity was under influence of gut microbiota composition and metabolism by working on antibiotic-treated and germ-free mouse models. She developed mouse and in vitro models to target and study the gut brain axis recruiting the vagus nerve and the enteric nervous system. She received a price from Science Academy of Toulouse for her research work. In 2017, she moved in Sweden and worked as a post-doctoral fellow in Pr.Fredrik Bäckhed’s group to improve her knowledge on the link between gut microbiota and host physiology. She demonstrated that gut microbiota is critical for the enteric nervous system development and intestinal transit by producing compound acting on serotonin signalling. As a project manager, Estelle delivers her strong expertise in animal models of type 2 diabetes to optimize customers’ drugs preclinical development. On the research side, she develops new animal models of metabolic comorbidities, as well as in vivo and in vitro models to study GLP-1 signalling, neuronal gut-brain axis and gut microbiota.

Natalia earned her PhD in Immunology from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, in 2010. She dealt with 3D stem cells culture for tissue differentiation. She first did a post doc at INSERM, Lyon, France, where she worked on 3D cancer stem cell culture. From 2012 to 2016, she worked at INRAE, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment, Micalis, Jouy-en-Josas, France, on the interaction of the intestinal microbiota with host, on immunological aspects.
Afterwards, she spent a year in Canada, at McMaster University, working on gut-brain axis communication, celiac disease, and 3D intestinal organoids. Back in France, 2018, she joined INRAE, Toxalim, Toulouse. There, she has served as an expert in intestinal physiology and developed 3D intestinal organoids culture. Natalia works as a Project Manager and Scientist at Physiogenex and manages numerous in vivo studies to determine the potential efficacy of new drug targets. One of her missions is to develop new in vitro technologies and cell systems to model metabolic disorders dedicated to drug screening and efficacy evaluation.

Claire is a Pharmacist holding a Ph.D in Immunology from the University of Toulouse III and a Master’s in Management from Toulouse Business School.

Starting her career in 2014 in the pharmaceutical industry, Claire worked as a Scientific Training Manager in Zambon, where she led national training programs in pharmacology. She then joined the R&D department of Baxter in Belgium, as a Stability Analyst directing stability studies on renal solutions.

In her research career, Claire worked as a Research Assistant at the University of Florida, conducting cell culture and animal experiments on osteoclastogenesis. As a master’s researcher at Institute of Cardiac and Metabolic Diseases, she explored cardiac adaptations in female mice using advanced imaging techniques. During her PhD in CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) she focused on immunology, developing novel tools for measuring cellular forces during macrophage phagocytosis. Claire has also mentored students and professionals and taught physiology at the Faculty of Medicine.

Claire works as a Study Director to perform preclinical studies for our customers or for Physiogenex’ s internal research programs. She also contributes to the business development through presentations of Physiogenex’ s latest findings in international conferences.

Emmanuel obtained a University Degree in Life Sciences at the “Université de Nantes”, followed by a Technical Degree in biological and biochemical analysis at the “Université d’Auvergne”. In 1997, he joined Cephalon France, a biotechnology and pharmaceutical company where he worked for 8 years as a senior technician. His work focused on both cardiovascular and central nervous system areas on in vivo models.

In 2006, Emmanuel joined Physiogenex as a senior technician. Over the years, he developed his technical expertise on models and studies for metabolic disorders and became Engineer Assistant, Project Engineer and Laboratory Manager. Today, Emmanuel manages, on a day-to-day basis, the team of technicians and he coordinates schedules and laboratory operations. He also operates in R&D projects and client studies. His technical expertise is required to evaluate the feasibility and implementation of studies.

Sura holds a Master’s degree in quality, Security and Environment Management. Prior to joining Physiogenex, she worked as a Coordinator of Quality, Security and Environment management at Sogeti France, an IT consulting company. She prepared ISO 14001 certification renewal, regulatory monitoring for quality certifications, and databases for risk management. In 2016, Sura joined Physiogenex as QSE manager. Besides laboratories and facility security, and environment management, she ensures that our Quality Management System complies with customers, internal, ISO 9001 and regulatory requirements.

Julie obtained her diploma of Accounting and Company Management in 2007. She worked as an accountant for various companies before joining Physiogenex in 2011 as Social and Accounting Affairs Officer. Since 2018, she is our Administrative and Financial Manager. She handles human resources, accounting, finances and the overall administrative management of Physiogenex.

Pr. Burcelin is a Research Director at the French National Medical Research Institute (INSERM, Inserm/UPS I2MC 1048), since 2008. Pr. Burcelin is an internationally renowned specialist on molecular bases of glycaemic control, notably insulin resistance and the role of the intestine (microbiota & glucoincretins (GLP-1 and GIP) on the gut brain axis, thereby studying metabolic and cardiovascular diseases). He founded the EASD Incretin Study Group of which he is the Chairman. Pr Burcelin has published more than 120 peer reviewed publications in international journals and has founded and contributed to 7 biotech companies.

From 2001 to 2007, he headed a research team at the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). From 1995 to 2000, he was Assistant Professor at the Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology in a research laboratory headed by Pr. B. Thorens in Lausanne, Switzerland. Pr. Burcelin gained his PhD in molecular endocrinology in 1992 and completed his studies at the Jacques Monod Institute (Paris, France) and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Pr.  M.J. Charron, New York, USA) until 1995.

Pr. Burcelin is a reviewer for major journals in biological science, notably diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, microbiology, and an advisor to many international pharmaceutical, agro-food and biotechnology companies. He is also a member of several international societies, such as the French Society for Diabetes (SFD), the European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes (EFSD) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA).