A pharmacist by training, Dr. Nicolas Bertrand is an assistant professor at Laval University’s School of Pharmaceutical Studies. He is also a researcher in the department of Endocrinology and Nephrology at the CHU de Quebec Research Center. His research in nanomedicine focuses on potentiating the efficacy of therapeutic molecules by using nanotechnologies. He is the editor of the European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics (Elsevier, IF: 4.2) and director of the « Biopharmacy et pharmacometrics » strategic cluster of the Réseau Québécois de Recherche sur les Médicaments (rqrm.ca). He is an associate member of the Institute on Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods (INAF) and of the Centre de Recherche sur les Matériaux Avancés (CERMA).

Encapsulating bioactive molecules through differentiated technologies

Many drugs in development, or already on the market, possess suboptimal physiochemical or pharmacological characteristics. Nanomedicine can harness the unique features of nanomaterials to facilitate the administration of these drugs, or potentiate their efficacy. Encapsulation of bioactive molecules in nanoparticles can prevent their metabolism, ameliorate their pharmacokinetics, or ensure their optimal distribution to diseased tissues. Altogether, these effects can pave the way for more efficient and better tolerated drugs.

Dr. Nicolas Bertrand’s laboratory uses functional polymers and lipids to encapsulate a variety of bioactive molecules in clinically-relevant drug delivery vehicles.

Elucidate the interactions of nanomaterials with the immune system

Like other drugs, the use of nanoparticles as drug delivery vehicles can trigger unexpected or undesirable reactions. The type of system, its size, or the materials used in its preparation can all influence the nature and extent of its interactions with the immune system. The development of better tolerated nanomedicines necessitates a better understanding of how drug delivery platforms interact with the various components of the immune system.

Through a unique expertise in the preparation of nanoparticle libraries, combined with an established knowledge in preclinical pharmacokinetics, Dr. Nicolas Bertrand’s laboratory specialises in studying the fate of nano- and biomaterials in living animals. This approach leads to an integrated understanding of the interactions of materials with complete, functional biological systems.

CHUL
2705, boulevard Laurier
T-4-13
Québec, Québec
Canada G1V 4G2
+1 418-525-4444, extension 46302 / 42296

Latest news

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Grenier P, de Oliveira Viana IM, Lima EM, Bertrand N

Anti-polyethylene glycol antibodies alter the protein corona deposited on nanoparticles and the physiological pathways regulating their fate in vivo.

Journal Article

J Control Release, 287 , pp. 121-131, 2018, ISSN: 0168-3659.

Abstract | Links:

Ouellette M, Masse F, Lefebvre-Demers M, Maestracci Q, Grenier P, Millar R, Bertrand N, Prieto M, Boisselier E

Insights into gold nanoparticles as a mucoadhesive system.

Journal Article

Sci Rep, 8 (1), pp. 14357, 2018, ISSN: 2045-2322.

Abstract | Links:

Perreault M, Maltais R, Roy J, Picard S, Popa I, Bertrand N, Poirier D

Induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress by aminosteroid derivative RM-581 leads to tumor regression in PANC-1 xenograft model.

Journal Article

Invest New Drugs, 2018, ISSN: 0167-6997.

Abstract | Links:

Bisso PW, Tai M, Katepalli H, Bertrand N, Blankschtein D, Langer R

Molecular Rotors for Universal Quantitation of Nanoscale Hydrophobic Interfaces in Microplate Format.

Journal Article

Nano Lett, 18 (1), pp. 618-628, 2018, ISSN: 1530-6984.

Abstract | Links:

Maltais R, Trottier A, Roy J, Ayan D, Bertrand N, Poirier D

Pharmacokinetic profile of PBRM in rodents, a first selective covalent inhibitor of 17β-HSD1 for breast cancer and endometriosis treatments.

Journal Article

J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol, 178 , pp. 167-176, 2018, ISSN: 0960-0760.

Abstract | Links:

Bertrand N, Grenier P, Mahmoudi M, Lima EM, Appel EA, Dormont F, Lim JM, Karnik R, Langer R, Farokhzad OC

Mechanistic understanding of in vivo protein corona formation on polymeric nanoparticles and impact on pharmacokinetics.

Journal Article

Nat Commun, 8 (1), pp. 777, 2017, ISSN: 2041-1723.

Abstract | Links:

Chapeau AL, Bertrand N, Briard-Bion V, Ramon P, Poncelet D, Bouhallab S

Coacervates of whey proteins to protect and improve the oral delivery of a bioactive molecule

Journal Article

J Funct Foods, 38 , pp. 197-204, 2017, ISSN: 1756-4646.

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Chopra S, Bertrand N, Lim JM, Wang A, Farokhzad OC, Karnik R

Design of Insulin-Loaded Nanoparticles Enabled by Multistep Control of Nanoprecipitation and Zinc Chelation.

Journal Article

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 9 (13), pp. 11440-11450, 2017, ISSN: 1944-8244.

Abstract | Links:

Bertrand N, Simard P, Leroux JC

Serum-Stable, Long-Circulating, pH-Sensitive PEGylated Liposomes.

Journal Article

Methods Mol Biol, 1522 , pp. 193-207, 2017, ISSN: 1064-3745.

Abstract | Links:

Mahmoudi M, Bertrand N, Zope H, Farokhzada OC

Emerging understanding of the protein corona at the nano-bio interfaces

Journal Article

Nano Today, 11 (6), pp. 817-832, 2016, ISSN: 1748-0132.

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28 entries « ‹ 1 of 3 › »
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Active projects

  • Centre de recherche sur les matériaux avancés, Subvention, Institutionnel - BDR, BDR - Centres de recherche reconnus, from 1996-06-01 to 2020-04-30
  • Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec - Université Laval, Subvention, Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec - Université Laval, Centres de recherche affiliés, from 2017-01-01 to 2099-12-31
  • Designing quality control strategies to assess the self-assembly and biological stability of chitosan nanoparticles, Partenariat, MITACS Inc., Accélération Québec (MITACS/MESI), from 2018-05-01 to 2021-06-30
  • Engineering functional nanoparticles using libraries of polymers, Subvention, Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et génie Canada, Subventions à la découverte SD (individuelles et d'équipe), from 2016-04-01 to 2021-03-31
  • Envisager une protection contre le passage des perturbateurs endocriniens à travers la peau, Subvention, Université Laval - Soutien à la recherche, from 2019-02-01 to 2020-12-31
  • Interactions non-covalentes pour l'isolation des nanoparticules, Subvention, Fonds de recherche du Québec - Nature et technologies, Établissement de la relève professorale, from 2018-04-01 to 2020-03-31
  • Nanopharmacologie et nanomédecine : vers le développement de plates-formes technologiques pour la vectorisation des médicaments, Subvention, Fonds de recherche du Québec - Santé, Établissement de jeunes chercheurs - Juniors 1, from 2018-07-01 to 2022-06-30
  • Nanopharmacologie et nanomédecine: vers le développement de plates-formes technologiques pour la vectorisation des médicaments, Subvention, Fonds de recherche du Québec - Santé, Chercheur-boursier Juniors 1 et 2, Seniors, from 2018-07-01 to 2022-06-30

Recently finished projects

  • Analytical methods and analysis of in vivo toxicology of nanoparticles derived from the papaya-mosaic virus, Partenariat, Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et génie Canada, Programme de subvention d'engagement partenarial (SEP), from 2017-10-01 to 2018-03-31
  • Encapsulation et relargage contrôlé de nouveaux principes actifs anticancéreux., Subvention, Fondation du CHU de Québec, from 2016-04-01 to 2018-03-31
  • Functional polymers and libraries of nanoparticles for drug delivery, Partenariat, Fondation Canadienne pour l'innovation (La), Fonds des leaders John-R.-Evans (FLJR), from 2016-12-01 to 2018-03-31
  • Interactions des nanoparticules avec le système immunitaire, Subvention, Fondation du CHU de Québec, from 2017-10-02 to 2018-03-31
  • Nanomedicine to streamline the development of endoplasmic reticulum stress aggravators, Subvention, Fonds de recherche du Québec - Santé, Réseaux thématiques de recherche, from 2017-04-01 to 2018-03-31
  • Plateforme : bases de données et plateformes de formulation innovantes, Subvention, Fonds de recherche du Québec - Santé, Réseaux thématiques de recherche, from 2017-04-01 to 2018-03-31
  • Quaternized trimethyl chitosan nanoparticles to encapsulate peptides with poor oral bioavailability, Partenariat, Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et génie Canada, Programme de subvention d'engagement partenarial (SEP), from 2016-10-01 to 2017-05-31
Data provided by the Université Laval research projects registery