The Cardio-thoracic Research Center of Bordeaux (INSERM U1045), headed by Prof. Patrick Berger, comprises three research teams, each focused on distinct but complementary aspects of cardio-thoracic health:
1. Pathophysiology of the Pulmonary Circulation
Team Leader: Christelle Guibert
Research Focus: This team specializes in the biology of pulmonary circulation, particularly pulmonary hypertension (PH) in both adults and children. Their expertise spans ion channels, calcium signaling, vascular reactivity, vascular remodeling, inflammation, and the impact of particulate air pollution on pulmonary health.
Overview: The team investigates the pathophysiology of pulmonary circulation, emphasizing environmental factors and their long-term effects. PH, often linked to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adults or bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm newborns, leads to pulmonary arterial remodeling, right ventricular hypertrophy, and right heart failure. Despite extensive research, PH remains poorly understood and lacks curative treatments. The team adopts a translational approach, collaborating with clinical investigation centers to identify new therapies.
Team Composition: Researchers, physician-scientists (pulmonologists, pediatricians), pharmacologists, physiologists, and toxicologists.
2. Bronchial Remodeling
Team Leader: Patrick Berger
Research Focus: This team studies the pathophysiological mechanisms of bronchial obstructive diseases, which affect 10% of the European population. Asthma is the most frequent chronic disease in children. COPD is the third cause of death worldwide. Cystic fibrosis is the most frequent genetic disease.
Overview: The team employs translational approaches, leveraging strong clinical connections to decipher the mechanisms of bronchial remodeling underlying bronchial diseases and develop innovative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
Team Composition: Researchers and clinicians (pulmonologists, pediatricians, thoracic surgeon, radiologists, mycologists) with expertise in translational medicine.
3. Cardiac Electrophysiology
Team Leader: Olivier Bernus
Research Focus: The team aims to understand electrical dysfunctions of the heart, which contribute to cardiovascular diseases and sudden deaths, accounting for nearly one-third of global mortality. Their work is integrated within the LIRYC Institute, a leading center for electrophysiology and heart modeling.
Overview: The team conducts clinical and translational research to elucidate the mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias, including atrial and ventricular fibrillation, and electromechanical dysfunction in heart failure. They develop advanced 3D mapping and imaging techniques and innovate therapeutic approaches through a dedicated biomedical platform.
Team Composition: The team consists of multidisciplinary researchers, including cardiologists, physiologists, imaging specialists, and signal processing experts.
Common Goal
All three teams combine clinical and basic research to advance the understanding and treatment of cardio-thoracic diseases, fostering collaboration between scientists, clinicians, and industry partners.
