Alain Lacampagne: Ionic Channels at the Heart of It All

A career honored with the CNRS Silver Medal—what a recognition for someone who admits to having suffered, not so long ago, from imposter syndrome.“My background didn’t exactly set me up for this,” explains Alain Lacampagne. “This” refers to his roles as research director at the CNRS and director of the Laboratory of Physiology and Experimental Medicine of the Heart and Muscles (PhyMedExp).“At 18, I could have gone down the wrong path,” the medalist remarks with a half-smile.

As a physiologist, Alain Lacampagne has contributed to our understanding of the role of ion channels—proteins found in our cell membranes that play a key role in regulating calcium levels (calcium homeostasis)—in various conditions such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy and heart failure. This is a public health issue, given that heart failure affects more than 10% of people over the age of 70.

The novelty of his work also lies in demonstrating the consequences of ion channel dysfunction on the entire body.“Heart failure is linked to impaired calcium homeostasis in the heart, which prevents cells from contracting properly. But the problem isn’t limited to this organ.  Effects are also observable in other muscle cells, as well as in the brain, leading to cognitive impairments,” explains the researcher. It is this holistic approach that has been recognized with the CNRS Silver Medal,“a challenging approach that truly reflects the work of a physiologist, as it relies on an understanding of integrated biological processes.”

Multiple medalist

The researcher has also worked on the design and evaluation of patented therapeutic strategies targeting these ion channels. His partners—both French and American—identify drug candidates, and his team provides methodological expertise to test the molecules.“By extending life expectancy, current treatments targeting the heart lead to the emergence of other disorders in patients due to effects on other organs,” adds Alain Lacampagne. The therapeutic benefit of a comprehensive treatment helps prevent the spread of the disease.

After earning a Ph.D. in physiology in 1995, he went on to complete a postdoc in Baltimore, during which he developed sophisticated techniques to analyze the mechanisms of calcium homeostasis. He then completed a second postdoc at theInserm in Montpellier, which led to a comparison between the physiology of the heart and that of skeletal muscles.“I already believed that a comparative approach offered valuable insights for better understanding a system,” the scientist emphasizes. It was there that he was hired by the CNRS in 1999, after four applications:“I like to recall today just how difficult it was for me to secure that position,” says the man for whom recognition would not be long in coming. As early as 2004, he received the CNRS Bronze Medal. Then, ten years later, an American distinction this time, with the Schaefer Research Award from Columbia University, where he was on a one-year secondment.

“Take a risk again”

A key aspect of his work involves experimentation.“It cannot be limited to the cellular level if we want to understand the mechanisms at the organismal level and the overall effects of a treatment,” explains the researcher, who may resort to animal testing. Aware of the ethical issues surrounding the subject, he leaves it up to society to decide where its priorities lie. The creation of organoids—complex cellular systems that replicate mini-organs in culture dishes—also allows him to partially move away from animal experimentation.

In addition to his achievements as a researcher, Alain Lacampagne has contributed to the development of the PhyMedExp laboratory, which he has headed for nearly three years. From a handful of researchers when he arrived as a postdoc in 1998, the lab now has 120 permanent staff members, in addition to the students.“Several members of my team, who have since become research directors, have chosen to stay, which to me is a testament to the quality of our professional relationships,” the director notes with satisfaction.

After a career dedicated to calcium homeostasis—from identifying mechanisms to exploring therapeutic avenues, including the identification of pathophysiological processes—the next step is clear: supporting the development of treatments. “Today, I can afford to take a risk again,” explains Lacampagne, who plans to bridge the gap between his research and medical entrepreneurship.  “Several patents have been filed, but it’s difficult to find pharmaceutical partners willing to commit to new treatments,”explains Alain Lacampagne. He believes in a new treatment he helped develop with his colleagues to counter the harmful effects of mechanical ventilation, which causes respiratory muscle cell dysfunction in intensive care patients.