Full professor
Department of Molecular Biology, Medical Biochemistry, and Pathology
Faculty of Medicine

Professor Michel Lebel, Ph.D., is a full professor in the Department of Molecular Biology, Medical Biochemistry, and Pathology at Université Laval. He obtained his doctoral degree from the University of Montreal and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School. He has been an independent researcher at the CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center since 2000. His research focuses on understanding the molecular and cellular events involved in premature aging in mouse models. He is also interested in the effects of diet and vitamin C on metabolic diseases in the context of aging. The results of his work have been featured in Science Daily News, The National Post, Medical News Today, The Montreal Gazette, and Nutraceuticals World Online Magazine. His work has also been presented on CBC Radio (107.7 FM; interview on January 11, 2010) and in the Journal de Québec (“Aging, More Than Just a Matter of Genes”; published on September 30, 2012).

Aging, Genetics, and Nutrition

We are currently facing an aging population susceptible of developing many diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disorders, neurological problems, or the onset of several cancers. It is now clear that each person’s genetic code has a significant influence on the aging process. The main goal of Prof. Lebel’s research is to understand why a slight modification of certain genes precipitates the onset of age-related diseases, and thus identify key biological factors leading to the onset of these diseases. Additionally, using cutting-edge technologies, his team is investigating how vitamin C and other natural products could prevent the onset of age-related diseases in humans. To do this, Prof. Lebel studies a murine model of a human genetic disorder called Werner syndrome, characterized by premature aging in affected patients. Furthermore, Prof. Lebel studies the effect of vitamin C and different diets on metabolic diseases in a mouse model deficient in vitamin C. Prof. Lebel’s team uses mass spectrometry data to understand the proteomic profile of various tissues in these different mouse models. The proteome helps uncover the biological processes that are altered during aging and can lead to metabolic abnormalities, thereby reducing life expectancy.