Name:

Pr. Alain Bernard

Centre:

Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale

INSERM UMR 576

Route Saint Antoine de Ginestiére

PO Box 3079 - 06202 Nice - France

Tel: 33 4 92 15 77 00     Fax: 33 4 92 15 77 09

E-mail: abernard@unice.fr

Professor of Immunology, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Director of the Unit INSERM UMR 576. Former staff member of the oncology paediatric dept, Institut Gustave Roussy, villejuif, and head of the First International Workshop on Human Leucocyte Differentiation Antigens which gave rise to the systematic international classification of surface molecules and the CD nomenclature which became an official WHO nomenclature . Since then, this international effort has expanded and, at this time, seven other international workshops and international meetings were hold in europe, USA and Japan.

The Laboratory of cellular and molecular interactions (Unité INSERM UMR 576) is a world leading laboratory in the field of leucocytes surface molecules. In 1985, it was the central organising laboratory of the First International Workshop on Human Leucocyte Antigens. The laboratory has maintained a leading edge in the field, particularly in molecules mediating cellular adhesion and activation, events that are both critically related. It has discovered the CD99 molecule in 1983 and determined its primary aminoacid sequence in 1989. The laboratory now includes 15 senior researchers and 16 junior and post-doctoral investigators both from France and abroad. The Laboratory consists of 4 research groups working in close co-ordination (structure/function relationships, second messengers, apoptosis, cytokines/chemokines and immunoregulation). All the necessary state-of the-art equipments and know-how for the proposed investigations is available, including high speed cell sorting cytofluorometer, laser scanning cytofluorometer, confocal microscopy, massive cell culture facilities, real time PCR apparatus, DNA sequencer, animal facilities for athymic and transgenic mice. The laboratory has extensive expertise in molecular constructs, investigation of cell adhesion under shear forces, both in vivo and in vitro, double hybrid techniques to disclose molecular interactions and in full humanization of monoclonal antibodies and their production in bacculovirus system. The laboratory is therefore often noted both nationally and internationally for its expertise in these domains and has developed many successful collaborative efforts, both in Europe and USA.

Personnel involved in studies related to PROTHET's:

Dr Ghislaine Bernard,  Assistant Professor of Immunology, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis graduated in molecular and cellular biology, full member of the Unit INSERM UMR 576 with an expertise in surface molecules, both in terms of functional and biochemical aspects.

Dr Muriel de Matteis, Assistant Professor of Immunology, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis., graduated in molecular medicine, full member of Unit INSERM UMR 576; expertise in molecular biology and genetic engineering.

Dr Véronique Pourtein, Attending in Immunology, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis. Graduated as a doctoral chemist, full member of Unit INSERM UMR 576; expertise in surface molecules biochemestry and molecular purifications.

Isabelle Alberti, Doctoral fellow,  Unit INSERM UMR 576

Martine Samak, research technician,  Unit INSERM UMR 576

Dr. Christian Cambillaud, full CNRS member, head of the "architecture et fonctions des macromolécules" in Marseille has an expertise in analysing protein structures by X ray diffraction and nuclear magnetic resonnance.

Dr.Gérard Devauchelle, full CNRS member, head of "laboratoire de pathologie comparée" in Saint Christole les Alès has an expertise in full humanization of monoclonal antibodies and prodiction in bacculovirus system.

Recent Publications relevant to the project:

Vivinus M, Ticchioni M, Mary F, Hofman P, Quaranta V, Rousselle P, Bernard A. Laminin 5 in the human thymus; control of T cell proliferation via a6b4 integrin.. J. Cell. Biol, 144, 563-575, 1999.

Bernard G, Raimondi V, Alberti I, Pourtein M, Widjenes J, Ticchioni M, Bernard A. CD99 (E2) upregulates alpha4beta1 dependent T cell adhesion to inflamed vascular endothelium under flow conditions. Eur. J. Immunol, 30:3061-3065,  2000.

Ticchioni M, Raimondi R, Lamy L, Widjenes J, Lindberg FP, Brown E J, Bernard A, Integrin-associated protein (CD47/IAP) contributes to T-cell arrest on inflammatory vascular endothelium  under flow . Faseb J, 15:341-50, 2001.

Pettersen RD, Bernard G, Olafsen MK, Pourtein M, Lie SO. CD99 signals caspase independant T cell death. J. Immunol, 166, 4931-4942, 2001.

Alberti I, Bernard G, Rouquette-Jazdanian AK, Pelassy C, Pourtein M, Aussel C, Bernard A. CD99 isoforms expression dictates T cell functional outcomes. FASEB J 16:1946-8, 2002.