Jean Bergeron

In addition to being a clinician-researcher at the CHU de Québec–Université Laval Research Center and a professor in the Department of Molecular Biology, Medical Biochemistry and Pathology at the Faculty of Medicine of Université Laval for over 30 years, Dr. Bergeron is also a member of the Medical Biochemistry Service (Department of Laboratory Medicine) and Head of the Lipidology Service (Department of Specialized Medicine) at CHU de Québec–Université Laval. For many years, he served as Secretary of the Société Québécoise de Lipidologie, Nutrition et Métabolisme (SQLNM), a scholarly society in lipidology, from which he received in 2012 the Jean Davignon and Paul-J. Lupien Founders’ Award for his lifetime achievements. As a medical specialist in medical biochemistry, he continues to oversee the clinical laboratory component related to lipoproteins and the genetics of dyslipidemias at CHU de Québec–Université Laval.

Clinical Research Interests
For many years, he has focused on the biochemical and clinical expression of primary and secondary hyperlipidemias, the development and appropriate clinical use of practice guidelines for dyslipidemias, and the practical utility of new blood markers associated with atherosclerosis. He has participated in numerous clinical trials involving statins and other pharmacological agents regulating lipoprotein metabolism, body weight, and type 2 diabetes.

Current Clinical Research Interests
More recently, he has been involved in understanding statin-induced myopathy. He participates in the Canadian registry on heterozygous and homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). He is the principal investigator in several clinical trials using PCSK9 inhibitors in the form of monoclonal antibodies, interfering RNA, or oral agents to lower cholesterol; antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) or interfering RNAs (iRNAs); and ANGPTL-3 inhibitors (monoclonal antibodies or iRNAs) to treat severe hypertriglyceridemia or mixed hyperlipidemia. He is also involved in trials using iRNAs to reduce elevated blood levels of Lp(a) in the context of cardiovascular event intervention studies. Finally, gene therapy is gradually being developed to treat FH and elevated Lp(a).