Team "GPCRs in Pain & Inflammation"
Frédéric Simonin
Frédéric Simonin
email: simonin[at]unistra.fr
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest family of membrane receptors in eukaryotes, comprising over 800 members in humans. They respond to a wide range of extracellular signals and play key roles in numerous physiological and pathological processes, including neurotransmission, cell proliferation and differentiation, chemotaxis, inflammation, and pain perception. Because of their central involvement in these pathways, GPCRs are major targets for drug discovery. Our research focuses on elucidating the roles of specific GPCRs in the development of chronic pain and related inflammatory responses, as well as uncovering the mechanisms that control GPCR signalling from the cell surface to intracellular compartments.
Research areas: Chronic pain ; Opioid-induced hyperalgesia ; Analgesic tolerance and other side effects.
Techniques: Chronic pain models in mouse ; In vitro and in vivo pharmacology ; Molecular biology ; ISH ; Pain phenotyping of knockout animals ; Study of trafficking and signalling of GPCRs ; Development of pharmacological and therapeutic tools (in collaboration with several teams of Medicinal Chemists).