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

Effects of Lipid-Lowering Drugs on Vancomycin Susceptibility of Mycobacteria.

Rens, C., Laval, F., Daffe, M., Denis, O., Frita, R., Baulard, A., Wattiez, R., Lefèvre, P., & Fontaine, V. (2016). Effects of Lipid-Lowering Drugs on Vancomycin Susceptibility of Mycobacteria. Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy, 60(10), 6193-6199. doi:10.1128/AAC.00872-16  

 

Extrachromosomal HPV-16 LCR transcriptional activation by HDACi opposed by cellular differentiation and DNA integration

Bojilova Dimitrova, E., Weyn, C., Antoine, M.-H., & Fontaine, V. (2016). Extrachromosomal HPV-16 LCR transcriptional activation by HDACi opposed by cellular differentiation and DNA integration. Oncotarget. doi:10.18632/oncotarget.12263  

 

Increased vancomycin susceptibility in mycobacteria: a new approach to identify synergistic activity against multi-drug resistant mycobacteria.

Soetaert, K., Rens, C., Wang, X.-M., De Bruyn, J., Laneelle, M. A., Laval, F., Lemassu, A., Daffe, M., Bifani, P., Fontaine, V., & Lefèvre, P. (2015). Increased vancomycin susceptibility in mycobacteria: a new approach to identify synergistic activity against multi-drug resistant mycobacteria. Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy. doi:10.1128/AAC.04856-14  

 

Inter-laboratory variability in the presence of human papillomavirus in normal and abnormal cervical cytology samples.

Weyn, C., Garbar, C., Noël, J. C., Weynand, B., Verhest, A., D'Olne, D., Arbyn, M., Englert, Y., & Fontaine, V. (2013). Inter-laboratory variability in the presence of human papillomavirus in normal and abnormal cervical cytology samples. Cancer epidemiology, 37(4), 457-461. doi:10.1016/j.canep.2013.03.016  

 

Regulation of human papillomavirus type 16 early gene expression in trophoblastic and cervical cells.

Weyn, C., Vanderwinden, J.-M., Rasschaert, J., Englert, Y., & Fontaine, V. (2011). Regulation of human papillomavirus type 16 early gene expression in trophoblastic and cervical cells. Virology, 412(1), 146-155. doi:10.1016/j.virol.2010.12.056  

 

Evidence of human papillomavirus in the placenta.

Weyn, C., Thomas, D., Jani, J., Guizani, M., Donner, C., Van Rysselberge, M., Hans, C., Bossens, M., Englert, Y., & Fontaine, V. (2011). Evidence of human papillomavirus in the placenta. The Journal of infectious diseases, 203(3), 341-343. doi:10.1093/infdis/jiq056  

 

Effects of HPV-16 E5, E6 and E7 proteins on survival, adhesion, migration and invasion of trophoblastic cells.

Boulenouar, S., Weyn, C., Van Noppen, M., Moussa Ali, M., Favre, M., Delvenne, P. O., Bex, F., Noel, A., Englert, Y., & Fontaine, V. (2010). Effects of HPV-16 E5, E6 and E7 proteins on survival, adhesion, migration and invasion of trophoblastic cells. Carcinogenesis, 31(3), 473-480. doi:10.1093/carcin/bgp281  

 

Evaluation of combined general primer-mediated PCR sequencing and type-specific PCR strategies for determination of human papillomavirus genotypes in cervical cell specimens.

Fontaine, V., Mascaux, C., Weyn, C., Bernis, A., Celio, N., Lefèvre, P., Kaufman, L., & Garbar, C. (2007). Evaluation of combined general primer-mediated PCR sequencing and type-specific PCR strategies for determination of human papillomavirus genotypes in cervical cell specimens. Journal of clinical microbiology, 45(3), 928-934. doi:10.1128/JCM.02098-06  

 

Inhibition of human papillomavirus-16 long control region activity by interferon-gamma overcome by p300 overexpression

Fontaine, V., van der Meijden, E., & ter Schegget, J. (2001). Inhibition of human papillomavirus-16 long control region activity by interferon-gamma overcome by p300 overexpression. Molecular carcinogenesis, 31(1), 27-36. doi:10.1002/mc.1036  

 

A functional NF-kappaB binding site in the human papillomavirus type 16 long control region.

Fontaine, V., van der Meijden, E., de Graaf, J., ter Schegget, J., & Struyk, L. (2000). A functional NF-kappaB binding site in the human papillomavirus type 16 long control region. Virology, 272(1), 40-49. doi:10.1006/viro.2000.0363