Michel Bouvier: a "school" for medicine

Philippe Marin is full of praise for Michel Bouvier. This is to be expected, given that he sponsored the professor from the Faculty of Medicine at the Université de Montréal for the title of honorary doctor of the Université de Montpellier, which he received at a ceremony held at Genopolys on April 13. The 1990s were a fabulous time for discoveries on G proteins, with promising therapeutic prospects," recalls Philippe Marin, Director of the Institut de génomique fonctionnelle(IGF). For students like me working in this field, among the three signatures we were expecting in publications was Michel Bouvier's. "

This world-renowned researcher in the field of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), proteins with a major physiological role, is one of the most prolific of his generation. Author of more than 360 publications in major biomedical journals such as Cell, Nature and PNAS, his work on understanding the mechanisms of action of these receptors is contributing to valuable knowledge for the treatment of numerous pathologies. Indeed, GPCRs are the target of over 30% of the drugs on the market.

"A certain way of doing science".

Also Director General of the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) in Montreal, Michel Bouvier combines fundamental discoveries with the development of new therapeutic compounds. For example, his team has developed molecules capable of correcting the deformation of GPCR proteins caused by genetic mutations. This deformation is responsible for certain forms of early-onset obesity and type 2 diabetes. By restoring the protein's shape, these molecules offer an effective treatment for these pathologies.

Michel Bouvier has registered fifteen patents in the course of his career. Some of these are dedicated to the technologies he has developed, in particular bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET), which uses biosensors (created by genetic engineering) capable of emitting a light signal when in close proximity. This technique enables real-time monitoring of cellular communication, thanks to the luminescence emitted when hormones or neurotransmitters bind to GPCRs. BRET is now widely used. Laboratories that agree to share the techniques they develop are not that common in a world as competitive as biomedical research", points out Philippe Marin. This sharing reflects a certain way of doing science, and illustrates Michel's intellectual generosity.

A real "school

It was also for the human qualities of his Canadian colleague that Philippe Marin sponsored him: " I met him for the first time at a conference and I was charmed by this very didactic professor, who took the time to take an interest in the work of young students like myself at the time." Unlike other " stars of science who produce magnificent research, but after their show go off without paying any attention to their colleagues ", Michel Bouvier was able to create a veritable "school" around his work. "This is how a researcher leaves his mark: through his discoveries, but also by training people who perpetuate knowledge," continues Philippe Marin.

And this " school " is particularly well represented in Montpellier, where GPCRs are a flagship theme for several institutes, including the IGF, the Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron(IBMM) and the Centre de biologie structurale(CBS). The directors of some of these institutes' teams trained in Michel Bouvier's laboratory: to name but a few, Bernard Mouillac, Julie Perroy and Sébastien Granier, who today head teams at the IGF. And future CBS director Emmanuel Margeat has just returned from a year there. Not to mention the many Montpellier students who continue to train with the Montreal team.

Michel Bouvier is also a frequent visitor to France, " regularly invited to take part in seminars and thesis juries in Montpellier. I've counted at least six juries, and I have to say that he has always enthusiastically accepted these invitations ", points out Philippe Marin. The Quebecer's Francophilia is no small part of his close collaboration with France!