Research in Drug Development (RD3)

Microbiology, Bioorganic and Macromolecular Chemistry

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Research activities

The study of microorganisms, their virulence factors and drugs able to target them. My two main axes of research are human papillomaviruses (HPV) and mycobacteria. In virology, we are currently studying the regulation of the HPV-16 early gene expression and viral genome integration by various endogenic and iatrogenic factors. In mycobacteriology, our goals are to better characterize proteins involved in the synthesis of the waxy cell wall and to identify compounds able to inhibit the synthesis of this wall in order to target multidrug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Top ten recent articles

Assessing Barriers Encountered by Women in Cervical Cancer Screening and Follow-Up Care in Urban Bolivia, Cochabamba

BENSEMMANE, S., Loayza Villarroel, K., Montaño, K., Louati, E., Ascarrunz, C., Rodriguez, P., Fontaine, V., & Laokri, S. (2022). Assessing Barriers Encountered by Women in Cervical Cancer Screening and Follow-Up Care in Urban Bolivia, Cochabamba. Healthcare (Switzerland), 10(9), 1604. doi:10.3390/healthcare10091604  

 

In vitro and in vivo local tolerability of a synergistic anti-tuberculosis drug combination intended for pulmonary delivery

Ravon, F., Menchi, E., Lambot, C., Sahar, A. K., Chraibi, S., Remmelink, M., Fontaine, V., & Wauthoz, N. (2022). In vitro and in vivo local tolerability of a synergistic anti-tuberculosis drug combination intended for pulmonary delivery. Journal of applied toxicology, 1-14.  

 

Pyrrovobasine, hybrid alkylated pyrraline monoterpene indole alkaloid pseudodimer discovered using a combination of mass spectral and NMR-based machine learning annotations

Fouotsa, H., Mkounga, P., Lannang, A. M., Vanheuverzwijn, J., Zhou, Z., Leblanc, K., Rharrabti, S., Nkengfack, A. E., Gallard, J.-F., Fontaine, V., Meyer, F., Poupon, E., Le Pogam, P., & Beniddir, M. (2022). Pyrrovobasine, hybrid alkylated pyrraline monoterpene indole alkaloid pseudodimer discovered using a combination of mass spectral and NMR-based machine learning annotations. Organic & biomolecular chemistry, 20(1), 98-105. doi:10.1039/D1OB01791H  

 

Thermoplastic polyurethanes for biomedical application: A synthetic, mechanical, antibacterial, and cytotoxic study

Al Nakib, R., Toncheva, A., Fontaine, V., Vanheuverzwijn, J., Raquez, J.-M., & Meyer, F. (2022). Thermoplastic polyurethanes for biomedical application: A synthetic, mechanical, antibacterial, and cytotoxic study. Journal of applied polymer science, 139(4), 51666. doi:10.1002/app.51666  

 

Voatriafricanines A and B, Trimeric Vobasine-Aspidosperma-Aspidosperma Alkaloids from Voacanga africana

Fouotsa, H., Le Pogam, P., Mkounga, P., Lannang, A. M., Bernadat, G., Vanheuverzwijn, J., Zhou, Z., Leblanc, K., Rharrabti, S., Nkengfack, A. E., Gallard, J.-F., Fontaine, V., Meyer, F., Poupon, E., & Beniddir, M. (2021). Voatriafricanines A and B, Trimeric Vobasine-Aspidosperma-Aspidosperma Alkaloids from Voacanga africana. Journal of natural products. doi:10.1021/acs.jnatprod.1c00812  

 

Antibacterial Activities of Homemade Matrices Miming Essential Oils Compared to Commercial Ones

Oliveira Ribeiro, S., Fontaine, V., Mathieu, V., Abdesselam, Z., Dominique, B., Caroline, S., & Souard, F. (2021). Antibacterial Activities of Homemade Matrices Miming Essential Oils Compared to Commercial Ones. Antibiotics, 10(5), 584. doi:10.3390/antibiotics10050584  

 

Antibacterial and Cytotoxic Activities of Ten Commercially Available Essential Oils

Oliveira Ribeiro, S., Fontaine, V., Mathieu, V., Stevigny, C., Souard, F., et al. (2020). Antibacterial and Cytotoxic Activities of Ten Commercially Available Essential Oils. Antibiotics, 9, 0717.  

 

Interplays between copper and Mycobacterium tuberculosis GroEL1

Yang, D., Klebl, D. P., Zeng, S., Sobott, F., Prévost, M., Soumillion, P., Vandenbussche, G., & Fontaine, V. (2020). Interplays between copper and Mycobacterium tuberculosis GroEL1. Metallomics, 12(8), 1267-1277. doi:10.1039/D0MT00101E  

 

Evaluation of the effectiveness of high-risk human papilloma self-sampling test for cervical cancer screening in Bolivia

Allende Larrain, G., Surriabre Dick, P., Ovando, N., Calle, P., Torrico, A., Villarroel, J., Bossens, M., Fontaine, V., & Rodríguez, P. (2020). Evaluation of the effectiveness of high-risk human papilloma self-sampling test for cervical cancer screening in Bolivia. BMC infectious diseases, 20(1). doi:10.1186/s12879-020-04963-2  

 

Methyl arachidonyl fluorophosphonate inhibits Mycobacterium tuberculosis thioesterase TesA and globally affects vancomycin susceptibility.

Yang, D. Z., Vandenbussche, G., Vertommen, D., Evrard, D., Abskharon, R. N. N., Cavalier, J.-F., Berger, G., Canaan, S., Khan, M. S., Zeng, S., Wohlkönig, A., Prévost, M., Soumillion, P., & Fontaine, V. (2020). Methyl arachidonyl fluorophosphonate inhibits Mycobacterium tuberculosis thioesterase TesA and globally affects vancomycin susceptibility. FEBS letters, 594(1), 79-93. doi:10.1002/1873-3468.13555