Full professor
Department of Medicine
Faculty of Medicine

Professor Jean-François Bilodeau, PhD, is a professor at Université Laval, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medicine and a regular researcher at the CHU of Quebec- Université Laval Research Center. His research focuses on the physiological and pathological roles of oxidative stress and lipids. He is also responsible for multiple biobanks in perinatology and a lipidomic service.

Early detection of hypertension in pregnancy

Hypertensive disorders complicate 5-8% of all pregnancies. In particular, preeclampsia is a complex pathology of the second half of pregnancy, with an estimated prevalence of 3%. Preeclampsia is a major health concern for the newborn and the mother, as it can lead to premature births associated with high perinatal mortality and long-term cardiovascular/metabolic complications for the child and the mother. Oxidative stress in preeclampsia can alter the biosynthesis of bioactive lipids affecting vascular tone (hypertension) and inflammatory response. Prof. Bilodeau’s research objectives are to understand the physiopathology in relation to oxidative stress, and to develop a method of early detection of this syndrome.

Targeted lipidomics of oxidized derivatives of polyunsaturated fatty acids

Prof. Bilodeau’s laboratory has developed a unique expertise in the determination of hundreds of isomers of oxidized polyunsaturated fatty acids, by mass spectrometry. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are susceptible to oxidation, and are also the substrate for the eicosanoids involved in inflammation and vascular tone control. Specifically, his team uses LC-MS /MS and GC /MS methodology, in addition to other complementary methodologies derived from transcriptomics and proteomics.