Simon Tual-Chalot, Newcastle University, UK
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Le 07 June 2024Amphi DEfalse false
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11h30
m6A RNA methylation in vascular health and disease
m6A RNA methylation in vascular health and disease
Simon Tual-Chalot, PhD
Group Leader at Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University
Abstract
Since more than half a century, it is known that RNA molecules may undergo >170 different types of chemical modifications by dedicated RNA enzymes. However, only recently, technological advancements allowed us to identify and characterize these modifications across the species. RNA modifications control all aspects of RNA life and are thus involved in several cellular processes and functions. RNA modifications are not only important for the maintenance of health, but may also affect the development and progression of human disease. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation is the most prevalent, abundant and conserved internal cotranscriptional modification in eukaryotic RNAs. m6A RNA modification is added by the m6A methyltransferase core complex, METTL3/14 and WTAP. Whether m6A RNA methylation controls endothelial homeostatic processes remain yet elusive. Understanding the exact molecular mechanisms that orchestrate endothelial cell function and response to environmental stimuli is, thus, essential for the discovery and development of novel biomarkers and therapeutic strategies in vascular disease.
Biography
Dr Simon Tual-Chalot (@SimonTualChalot) received his PhD in Cardiovascular Physiology in 2011 from the University of Angers, France, and revealed the importance of extracellular vesicles in driving endothelial dysfunction in hypoxia-related diseases. He joined Newcastle University in 2012, supported by a Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship to work on the cardioprotective role of endoglin. In 2015 he became a joint investigator on a British Heart Foundation grant, and gained a ‘Young Investigator Award’ from Cure HHT, to continue investigations on how endothelial endoglin regulates cardiovascular integrity. Between 2018-2023, Dr Tual-Chalot has been a member of the Stellos lab, working on the role of RNA-based mechanisms in endothelial cells. In 2024, Dr Tual-Chalot started his own group, funded by the British Heart Foundation and the Royal Society, studying the epitranscriptomic control of endothelial function during vascular ageing. He is an active member of society relevant to Ageing, Cardiovascular Research and ECR development. In 2021, he was appointed as the nucleus member of the working group ‘Small Vessels’ of the European Society of Hypertension, a research network that promotes cooperative research projects and generates position papers and educational material.
