Biochemical Journal Poster Prize winner

Loïc Doeuvre

Loïc Doeuvre obtained his Master's degree in neuroscience from the University of Caen, France, in 2006. He joined the Inserm U919 research unit in 2007 and started a Ph.D., supervised by Dr. Anglés-Cano, on the cellular response to plasmin formation in the neurovascular unit. A key and original feature of his current studies is the release of cell-derived MPs (microparticles) under plasmin stimulation. Plasmin, rapidly formed at the cell membrane, induces a calcium influx that promotes JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase) and ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) phosphorylation, leading to membrane blebbing and formation of neuronal MPs, of about 300 nm in diameter, that are released in a time-dependent manner. MPs display molecular signatures from the parent cells that allow their identification and functional characterization. The central hypothesis is that MPs may be relevant to cell communication and may be considered as messengers of cell activation from a specific tissue undergoing activation or damage. Recently L.D. has reported that endothelial MPs that convey plasminogen activators may participate in a new mechanism for plasmin formation: the fibrinolytic cross-talk. L.D. will defend his thesis by the end of this year.