Caroline Gilbert

Professor Caroline Gilbert is a researcher whose main field of interest is the comprehension of the mechanisms underlying the dysregulation of the immune response following the infection by type 1 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1). In addition to being a regular researcher at the CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, she is a tenured professor in the Department of Microbiology-infectiology and Immunology of the Faculty of Medicine of Université Laval.

Since 2008, her laboratory has pursued two lines of research that completely align with the Infectious and immune diseases program’s priorities: the study of the role of extracellular vesicles and that of the type C lectin DCIR (Dendritic Cell Immunoreceptor) in the primary stages of HIV-1 infection.

She actively took part in the first studies showing the role of DCIR in the attachment of the virus, as well as in the transfer of the virus from dendritic cells or apoptotic CD4 T lymphocytes toward other CD4 T lymphocytes. Three patents were obtained from these studies and the valorization of these discoveries continues in her laboratory. She also demonstrated that, following viral infection, dendritic cells can release extracellular vesicles that play the role of intracellular communicator in a DCIR-dependent manner. The extracellular vesicles are found in biological fluids and her team identified in HIV-1 infected patients’ plasma a micro-RNA with immunomodulation potential: miR-155.

Her research program, based on these observations, thus includes a fundamental and a translational aspect. Indeed, the development of therapeutic strategies to block the interaction of DCIR with HIV-1, and consequently the liberation of pathogenic extracellular vesicles having immunosuppressive properties, could help in the comprehension of early events in the infection by HIV-1 and therefore improve the comprehension of the mechanisms of immunosuppression to design and develop new therapeutic tools. Finally, extracellular vesicles are considered important actors of communication and cellular transformation, as well as potential biomarkers of immune activation in people living with HIV-1. Over the past few years, the interest in these vesicles became very strong regarding their theranostics potential and her laboratory stands out with the biochemical methods she develops to characterize them better.

Beyond the pathogenesis of HIV-1 infection, the contributions of Prof. Gilbert extend to the evaluation of cellular immunity and the seroprevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. The participation of her laboratory in projects funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada testifies to the recognition of her expertise and her relevance to urgent global health challenges.

Another major project on the surveillance of immune responses to the COVID-19 vaccine in people living with HIV-1, in collaboration with Muraz Center in Burkina Faso, highlights the leadership of Prof. Gilbert in filling critical gaps at the junction between HIV/AIDS and emerging infectious diseases. Through her multidisciplinary approach and her collaborative spirit, Prof. Gilbert continues to carry out innovative research with deep implications for the comprehension and fight against infectious diseases.