Full professor
Pharmacy - Direction
Faculty of Pharmacy

Dr. Isabelle Laverdière (BPharm, MSc in Hospital Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, PhD) is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of Laval University and a clinical researcher at the Research Center and the Mother and Child Soleil Center of the CHU de Québec-Université Laval. Her research program as well as her clinical practice in pharmacy focus on pediatric oncology.

The work of her team aims to optimize therapies for children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer, with a particular emphasis on acute leukemia. This work is grouped into two main axes which, together, will develop more effective strategies to improve leukemia treatments, the well-being of patients and their families, as well as the practices of healthcare professionals working with them.

Axis 1 – Pharmacogenetic and Precision Pharmacotherapy Tools:

The importance of epigenetic regulation emerges as a crucial mechanism for the disposition and action of drugs. Studying epigenetic markers in the context of pediatric leukemia treatment offers a new opportunity to further personalize therapy. The dynamic nature of certain epigenetic processes, as well as their ability to persist over time, offers several potential clinical applications, including guiding the choice, dose, and monitoring of medications, as well as developing targeted therapies.

Our team contributes to improving understanding of the (epi) genetic factors associated with treatment response and leukemia progression, as well as the molecular mechanisms involved. This is with the clinical goal of improving tools guiding therapy use and discovering new targets for innovative therapies. Our first target examines the involvement of DNA methylation changes in chemotherapy resistance and leukemia progression. This work combines bioinformatics and biostatistical approaches, as well as experimental methods of cellular and molecular biology.

Axis 2 – Clinical Tools to Support Optimal Use and Well-being with Therapies:

Our work and scientific literature support that leukemia treatments are associated with many difficulties, both physical, psychological, and social, which can affect the patient and all members of their family. Furthermore, a lack of appropriate support for certain needs or patient groups, such as adolescents, has been raised.

Thus, our team is interested in the experience and use of therapies among young patients with leukemia, their families, and healthcare teams. Our first target is oral chemotherapy taken at home over a period of about two years. By rigorously documenting the experience and needs associated with these oral treatments from the perspective of stakeholders, our work contributes to gaining a deep understanding of this reality, which is poorly described in the literature. The knowledge gained is used in the development and evaluation of interventions and tools aimed at improving support provided to families, with the aim of promoting therapy success, the well-being of patients and their families, as well as enriching clinical practices in leukemia. This work is conducted in collaboration with an interdisciplinary team and adopts a participatory research approach (parents, patients, and healthcare/social services professionals partners). It uses qualitative, quantitative, and intervention development methodologies.