Cancer Grand Challenges : Prof. Blanpain’s team selected
The team led by Prof. Blanpain has been shortlisted with 11 others teams for the last step of the Grand Challenges award.
The Plasticity-Tx project aims to construct a catalogue of cell states to uncover the mechanisms that drive cancer cell plasticity and reveal new therapeutic approaches against cancer.
Official announcement
Press release of the Université Libre de Bruxelles (in French)
Publications in Nature : a new drug prevents EMT, metastasis and resistance to anti-cancer therapy
Pharmacological targeting of netrin-1 inhibits EMT in cancer.
Lengrand J, Pastushenko I, Vanuytven S, Song Y, Venet D, Sarate RM, Bellina M, Moers V, Boinet A, Sifrim A, Rama N, Ducarouge B, Van Herck J, Dubois C, Scozzaro S, Lemaire S, Gieskes S, Bonni S, Collin A, Braissand N, Allard J, Zindy E, Decaestecker C, Sotiriou C, Salmon I, Mehlen P, Voet T, Bernet A, Blanpain C.
Nature. 2023 Aug 2. doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06372-2.
Pubmed PDF
Netrin-1 blockade inhibits tumour growth and EMT features in endometrial cancer.
Cassier PA, Navaridas R, Bellina M, Rama N, Ducarouge B, Hernandez-Vargas H, Delord JP, Lengrand J, Paradisi A, Fattet L, Garin G, Gheit H, Dalban C, Pastushenko I, Neves D, Jelin R, Gadot N, Braissand N, Léon S, Degletagne C, Matias-Guiu X, Devouassoux-Shisheboran M, Mery-Lamarche E, Allard J, Zindy E, Decaestecker C, Salmon I, Perol D, Dolcet X, Ray-Coquard I,Blanpain C*, Bernet A*, Mehlen P* (*last co-authors)
Nature. 2023 Aug 2. doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06367-z.
Pubmed PDF
Press highlights
ULB press release
Centre de recherche en cancérologie de l’Université de Lyon press release
RTBF
Le Vif
News Medical Life Sciences
Le specialiste
France info
Europe1
Femme actuelle
Telesambre
BX1
Cancer : l’avenir de la recherche
Interview with Cédric Blanpain and Alexandra Van Keymeulen in FNRS News.
Cancer : l’avenir de la recherche, FNRS.News, 128, juin 2023, p 52-55.
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Publication in Nature : RHOJ controls EMT-associated resistance to chemotherapy
RHOJ controls EMT-associated resistance to chemotherapy.
Debaugnies M, Rodriguez-Acebes S, Blondeau J, Parent MA, Zocco M, Song Y, Latil M, Dubois C, Moers M, Impens F, Van Haver D, Rorive S, Allard J, Uemura A, Sotiropoulou PA, Salmon I, Méndez J, Blanpain C.
Nature 2023. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-05838-7
Pubmed PDF
Press highlights
ULB press release
Le Soir
La Libre
RTBF
Bioworld
Esprit Libre
Prof. Blanpain receives the 2023 Momentum award for the International Society of Stem Cell Research
Cédric Blanpain is being given the International Society of Stem Cell Research’s Momentum Award. This is the first time that such a prestigious award is being given to a researcher working in Europe.
Press highlights
ISSCR press release
ULB press release
RTBF
Le Soir
European Commission March 2023
Esprit Libre
Prof Blanpain’s editorial in Fokus (Le Vif l’Express supplement, December 2023)
Yura Song at the Young scientist special session
Yura Song (PhD student in bioinformatics), was selected to be one of the twelve speakers of the Young scientist special session, which was co-organized by Stanford University, K-bioX (a non-profit organization of Korean scientists in USA), Department of Pharmacy – Seoul National University, College of Medicine – Catholic university of Korea, College of Medicine – Chungang University (all are located in Seoul, Korea). She got third prize with the paper “NR2F2 controls malignant squamous cell carcinoma state by promoting stemness and invasion and repressing differentiation“. Federico Mauri, Corentin Schepkens,…and Cédric Blanpain. Nature Cancer, volume 2, pages 1152–1169 (2021).
Cédric Blanpain creates a new company to replace ChromaCure
Cédric Blanpain crée un nouvelle société pour remplacer ChromaCure, L’Echo, vendredi 2 septembre 2022.
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Publication in Nature Cell Biology : Mesp1 controls the chromatin and enhancer landscapes essential for spatiotemporal patterning of early cardiovascular progenitors
Spanish Order of Civil Merit awarded to the lab
On June 16, H.E. Ambassador of Spain in Belgium awarded the laboratory the Orden del Mérito Civil (Order of Civil Merit). She wanted to highlight the discoveries made by the laboratory on the Fat1 gene, thanks to the collaboration with many Spanish hospitals.
Rencontre avec un chercheur heureux : Cédric Blanpain
An interview published in L’artichaut, 39/4, April 2022, p. 46-49.
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Cédric Blanpain élu à l’Académie des Sciences, Institut de France
Le professeur Cedric Blanpain est élu à l’Académie des Sciences, Institut de France, dans la section de biologie humaine et sciences médicales pour ses travaux menés au sein du laboratoire des cellules souches et du cancer de l’Université libre de Bruxelles.
ULB press release
“La recherche, une vie de labo”
How does a research laboratory run in pratice? This article highlights the work of Alexandra Van Keymeulen’s research group.
“La recherche, une vie de labo”, Télévie News, 7, December 2021.
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EOS granted to a project coordinated by Prof. Cédric Blanpain
An EOS (Excellence of Science) grant has been granted to a consortium led by Prof. Blanpain. This four-year program, which wants to promote joint research between researchers in the Flemish and French-speaking communities, is the most important research programs in Belgium.
The granted project, coordinated by Prof. Cédric Blanpain, also involves Stein Aerts (KU Leuven), Liesbet Lagae (Interuniversity Microelectronics Center), Jean-Christophe Marine (KU Leuven) and Yvan Saeys (Universiteit Gent).
Together, they will work on the Cell-cell cOmmuNicaTion As a driver of Cancer cell state identiTy and Decode the impact of cell-cell communications on the identity of tumor states in skin cancers.
EMBO long-term fellowship to Chen Jiang
A long-term fellowship has been granted to Chen Jiang (postdoctoral researcher in the lab) by the EMBO, a prestigious organization of more than 1800 leading researchers that promotes excellence in life sciences. Thanks to this prestigious fellowship, Chen will be able to work on the mechanisms regulating stem cell multipotency during tissue repair and tumor initiation.
Publication in Nature Cancer : NR2F2 controls malignant squamous cell carcinoma state by promoting stemness and invasion and repressing differentiation
NR2F2 controls malignant squamous cell carcinoma state by promoting stemness and invasion and repressing differentiation.
Federico Mauri, Corentin Schepkens, Gaëlle Lapouge, Benjamin Drogat, Yura Song, Ievgenia Pastushenko, Sandrine Rorive, Jeremy Blondeau, Sophie Golstein, Yacine Bareche, Marie Miglianico, Erwin Nkusi, Milena Rozzi, Virginie Moers, Audrey Brisebarre, Maylis Raphaël, Christine Dubois, Justine Allard, Benoit Durdu, Floriane Ribeiro, Christos Sotiriou, Isabelle Salmon, Jalal Vakili and Cédric Blanpain. Nature Cancer, volume 2, pages 1152–1169 (2021)
Pubmed PDF
Press highlights
“En communauté française, les moyens dont nous disposons sont insuffisants”.
Interview of Pr. Blanpain by Bastien Carninx in Fokus, November 2021, p. 10-11 et cover. PDF
2022 Mike Price Gold Medal awarded to Professor Cédric Blanpain
The European Association for Cancer Research’s Mike Price Gold Medal Award is a biennial award recognising a senior researcher who has made exceptional contributions to the progress of cancer research in Europe.
https://www.eacr.org/mike-price-award
Cédric Blanpain guest on the program “Le Grand oral” (Belgian radio)
Link to the broadcast : https://www.rtbf.be/auvio/detail_le-grand-oral-de-cedric-blanpain?id=2735591
A portait of Prof. Cédric Blanpain published in Le Vif
Cédric Blanpain, Prix Francqui-Collen : “Ce qu’on découvre n’est jamais ce qu’on cherchait”.
Propos recueillis par Soraya Ghali
Le Vif, numéro 2, 14 janvier 2021, p.20-23.
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Publication in Nature 2020 : Fat1 deletion promotes hybrid EMT state, tumour stemness and metastasis
Fat1 deletion promotes hybrid EMT state, tumour stemness and metastasis.
Nature. 2020 Dec 16. doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-03046-1.
Pubmed – PDF
Press highlights
ULB press release
Le Soir
La Libre Belgique
L’Echo
Le journal du Médecin
Daily Science
RTBF
BX1
Levante (Spanish journal)
La Razon (Spanish journal)
Cédric Blanpain receives the Francqui Prize 2020
Cédric Blanpain has been awarded by the Francqui-Collen Prize 2020. This prize is the highest scientific distinction in Belgium. He is the 25th researcher from the Université libre de Bruxelles to win this prestigious prize. On December 16th his Majesty the King Philippe will award him the prize officially.
Press highlights
ULB press release
Francqui Foundation press release
Belgian Monarchy
L’Echo
VRT
Daily Science
La Libre Belgique
La Libre Belgique 2
Le Soir
Le Soir 2
Le Soir 3
Esprit Libre
RTBF
BX1
L’Avenir
Sud info
TV com
Podcast interview with L’Echo
In this podcast, Prof. Cédric Blanpain talks about the fight against cancer, the issues of aging and vaccination. Which prospects in research against cancer and aging? What future for researcher-entrepreneurs? What is the relationship between large pharmaceutical companies and public research?
Link to the podcast on the web site of L’Echo
Yura Song selected as a member of KOSEABe
Publication in Nature 2020 : Heterotypic cell–cell communication regulates glandular stem cell multipotency
Publication in Nature 2020 : Mechanisms of stretch-mediated skin expansion at single-cell resolution
Mechanisms of stretch-mediated skin expansion at single-cell resolution.
Aragona M, Sifrim A, Malfait M, Song Y, Van Herck J, Dekoninck S, Gargouri S, Lapouge G, Swedlund B, Dubois C, Baatsen P, Vints K, Han S, Tissir F, Voet T, Simons BD, Blanpain C
Nature 2020 Jul 29. doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-2555-7
Pubmed | PDF
Press higlights :
Publication in Cell 2020 : Defining the Design Principles of Skin Epidermis Postnatal Growth
Defining the design principles of postnatal tissue growth
Dekoninck S, Hannezo E, Aragona A, Sifrim A, Malfait M, Gargouri S, de Neunheuser C, Dubois C, Voet T, Simons Benjamin D, Blanpain C
Cell. 2020 Apr 5. pii: S0092-8674(20)30277-4. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.03.015. [Epub ahead of print]
Cover article
Pubmed | PDF
Press higlights:
ULB press release
European Research Council : new ERC grant for Pr. Cédric Blanpain
For the third time, Pr. Cédric Blanpain – Laboratory of Stem Cells and Cancer, Université libre de Bruxelles – has obtained a grant from the European Research Council (ERC). This new project called “TrackingTumorStates” aims to define at the single cell resolution, the mechanisms regulating tumor transition states, responsible for tumor growth, differentiation, invasion, metastasis and resistance to therapy.
Cédric Blanpain – Welbio Investigator, Director of the Laboratory of Stem Cells and Cancer Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) – had obtained an ERC starting grant in 2007 (“CancerStem” 2007-2013), during which his lab identified the cells of origin of the most frequent epithelial cancers, demonstrated the existence of cancer stem cells within their natural microenvironment and identified intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms regulating their functions.
He has also obtained an ERC consolidator grant in 2014 (“EXPAND” 2014-2019), during which his group defined the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating tissue expansion and cell fate decision during postnatal growth and repair of epithelial tissues.
With his new ERC Advanced Grant (TrackingTumorStates, 2020-2025), he and his team will define at the single cell level the different tumor states. Within a given tumor, some cancer cells actively proliferate, while others differentiate, others migrate and give rise to metastasis, or finally some cells enter in a dormant state and resist to chemotherapy.
In the project TrackingTumorStates, using multidisciplinary approaches that combine single-cell lineage tracing, single-cell genomics, epigenomics and transcriptomics together with pharmacological treatment and genetic perturbations, Prof. Blanpain and his team will define in a comprehensive and integrated manner the identities and functions of distinct tumor states at single-cell resolution. By identifying the mechanisms that regulate tumor cell state transitions and functions, Blanpain and colleagues hope to define new tumor vulnerabilities and provide new therapeutic opportunities.
“I am so grateful to the ERC to fund my new research project studying tumor transition states and their role during tumor progression, metastasis and response to therapy. Without the ERC, my lab would never be able to make many of the discoveries we made over the last 10 years. It is so exciting and encouraging for all our European countries to have the ERC, which had made so much good things and change the dynamic of the European research” comments Cédric Blanpain, the first Belgian scientist that already obtained three ERC grants since the launch of the first ERC call in 2007.
Publication in Sciences Advances 2020 : Epidermal autonomous VEGFA/Flt1/Nrp1 functions mediate psoriasis-like disease
Benhadou F, Glitzner E, Brisebarre A, Swedlund B, Song Y, Dubois C, Rozzi M, Paulissen C, del Marmol V, Sibilia M, Blanpain C
Epidermal autonomous VEGFA/Flt1/Nrp1 functions mediate psoriasis-like disease
Science Advances 2020 Jan 8 ; 6(2):eaax5849. doi : 10.1126/sciadv.aax5849
Pubmed | PDF
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Publication in Cell Reports 2019: Context Dependency of Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition for Metastasis
Revenco T, Nicodeme A, Pastushenko I, Sznurkowska MK, Latil M, Sotiropoulou PA, Dubois C, Moers V, Lemaire S, de Maertelaer V and Blanpain C
Context Dependency of Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition for Metastasis
Cell Rep. 2019 Nov 5; 29(6):1458-1468. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.09.081
Pubmed | PDF
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Pr. Cédric Blanpain received the 2019 AstraZeneca Price
Prof. Cédric Blanpain was awarded the price for biomedical research 2019 from the AstraZeneca Foundation. Every two years, the AstraZeneca Foundation, together with the Académie Royale de Médecine de Belgique (ARMB) and the Koninklijke Academie voor Geneeskunde van België (KAGB), awards a prize to a Belgian biomedical scientist for research that has contributed, or could contribute, to improving human health. S.A.R. Princess Astrid gave this distinction to Prof. Blanpain at the Royal Academy in Brussels. Jean-Claude Marcourt, the Belgian’s French Community Minister for Research, together with other guests including the members of the Blanpain’s lab, were also present at the ceremony.
Crédits : AstraZeneca Foundation – Laurent Dubrule
Press highlights :
La Libre Belgique : special edition on cancer
Prof. Blanpain makes the cover of this special edition PDF
World Cancer Day : a new campaign for Télévie
In the distant future, will cancer still be so frightening? Will it be easily and totally curable? Prof. Blanpain has accepted to answer these questions for the new Télévie campaign. PDF
Joint interview with Jean Stéphenne and Cédric Blanpain
Is the creation of biotech companies as a logical extension of scientific research work worthwhile? Read under the link below the viewpoints of Jean Stéphenne, former GlaxoSmithKline CEO and Prof. Cédric Blanpain.
“Il nous faut des chercheurs qui puissent écouter”, L’Echo, 10 December 2018. PDF
Publication in Nature 2018: Overcoming the resistance to therapy in skin cancer
Sánchez-Danés A, Larsimont JC, Liagre M, Muñoz-Couselo E, Lapouge G, Brisebarre A, Dubois C, Suppa M, Sukumaran V, Del Marmol V, Tabernero J,Blanpain C.A
Slow-cycling LGR5 tumour population mediates basal cell carcinoma relapse after therapy.
Nature. 2018 Oct; 562(7727):434-438. doi: 10.1038/s41586-018-0603-3. Epub 2018 Oct 8.
Pubmed | PDF
Press higlights :
Cédric Blanpain cited as a good incarnation of leadership in Wallonia
“Des fêtes dans une Wallonie en panne de leadership”, Le Soir, 15-16 September 2018. PDF
A long portrait of Cédric Blanpain in “Le Soir” : « J’ai peur du cancer donc je cherche à le soigner »
In the framework of its summer series, Le Soir publishes a long portrait of Prof. Cédric Blanpain : « Mon moteur? La découverte de l’inconnu », 11 August 2018. PDF
ChromaCure SA is launched
Created by Prof. Cédric Blanpain, this new spin-off will be dedicated to the development of therapeutic molecules against cancer. The launch of this very promising venture is considered a major event in the Belgian biotech world.
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Publication in Nature Cell Biology 2018: Origin of mammary gland stem cells identified
Wuidart A, Sifrim A, Matsumura S, Fioramonti M, Brisebarre A, Brown D , Centonze A, Dannau A, Dubois C, Van Keymeulen A, Voet T, Blanpain C
Early lineage segregation of multipotent embryonic mammary gland progenitors.
Nat Cell Biol.2018 Jun;20(6):666-676. doi: 10.1038/s41556-018-0095-2. Epub 2018 May 21.
Pubmed | PDF
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Publication in Nature 2018: Tumor transition state and the origin of the metastasis
Pastushenko I, Brisebarre A, Sifrim A, Fioramonti M, Renvenco T, Boumahdi S, Van Keymeulen A, Brown D, Moers V, Lemaire S, De Clercq S, Minguijon E, Cédric Balsat C, Sokolow Y, Dubois C, de Cock F, Scozzaro S, Sopena F, Lanas A, D’Haene N, Salmon I, Marine JC, Voet T, Sotiropoulou P and Blanpain C.
Identification of the tumour transition states occurring during EMT.
Nature. 2018 Apr;556(7702):463-468. doi: 10.1038/s41586-018-0040-3. Epub 2018 Apr 18.
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Publication in Science 2018: Early step of cardiac development revealed
Lescroart F, Wang X, Lin X, Swedlund B, Gargouri S, Sànchez-Dànes A, Moignard V, Dubois C, Paulissen C, Kinston S, Göttgens B,Blanpain C.
Defining the earliest step of cardiovascular lineage segregation during gastrulation by single cell RNA-seq.
Science. 2018 Mar 9;359(6380):1177-1181. doi: 10.1126/science.aao4174. Epub 2018 Jan 25.
Pubmed | PDF
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Belgian Foundation against Cancer Research Award to Prof. Blanpain
The Belgian Foundation against Cancer has granted its first Cancer Research Award to Prof. Blanpain in the field of fundamental research. This award is given to the researcher who has been ranked in first place in the grant selection. Press release
Prof. Cédric Blanpain amongst the 100 most influential Belgians of the year 2016
Publication in Cell Stem Cell 2016/2017 : the origin of EMT revealed
Latil M, Nassar D, Beck B, Boumahdi S, Wang L, Brisebarre A, Dubois C, Nkusi E, Lenglez S, Checinska A, Vercauteren Drubbel A, Devos M, Declercq W, Yi R, Blanpain C.
Cell-Type-Specific Chromatin States Differentially Prime Squamous Cell Carcinoma Tumor-Initiating Cells for Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition. Cell Stem Cell.2017 Feb 2;20(2):191-204.e5. doi:10.1016/j.stem.2016.10.018. Epub 2016 Nov 23.
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Press higlight: La Libre Belgique
Pr. Cédric Blanpain elected as a member of Academia Europaea
Publication in Nature 2016 : the origin of skin cancer uncovered
Publication in Cell Reports 2015 : Uncovering the number and clonal dynamics of cardiac progenitors during heart morphogenesis
Maylis Raphael received the “Prix pour les Jeunes Chercheurs” award from the Bettencourt-Schueller Foundation
Pr. Cédric Blanpain received from his Majesty the King Philippe the prestigious FNRS quinquennial 2011-2015 prize
On November 2015, Pr. Cédric Blanpain was awarded from a FNRS quinquennial 2011-2015 price (the Joseph Maisin price for fundamental biomedical sciences). Every five years, those prestigious prices award five Belgian researchers for their particularly exceptional career.