Philippe Tessier

Philippe Tessier studied at Laval University, the John Curtin School of Medical Research (Australian National University) and the University of Adelaide, followed by a post-doctoral fellowship at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund (United Kingdom). He has been a researcher at the Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec – Laval University since 1999, and a professor at the Department of Microbiology-Infectiology and Immunology of the Laval University School of Medicine.

Research Projects

Professor Tessier studies the biological activities of the proteins S100A8 and S100A9, two small proteins expressed by neutrophils, monocytes, and activated endothelial and epithelial cells. These proteins are secreted during inflammation and activate the immune response. His research indicates that S100A8 and S100A9 have opposite functions: S100A8 is anti-inflammatory and inhibits myeloid cell differentiation, while S100A9 is pro-inflammatory and induces the differentiation of precursors of neutrophils and monocytes. He studies the roles of these proteins in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and Crohn’s disease, in immune responses to solid tumors, and in the differentiation of leukemia cells.

Auto-inflammatory diseases are monogenic orphan diseases (<10,000 cases per syndrome worldwide) usually caused by defects in the genes regulating innate immunity. These diseases are characterized by recurrent, unprovoked inflammation (fever, abdominal pain, rash, arthralgia). High plasma concentrations of S100A8 and S100A9 are often found in patients with auto-inflammatory diseases. In collaboration with Professor Martin Pelletier and Dr. Anne-Laure Chetaille, Prof. Tessier is currently studying the roles of S100A8 and S100A9 in these diseases, to develop a diagnostic test to facilitate the treatment of these patients.