Platform
EpiMed

Medical Epigenetics and Bioinformatics

Presentation

The EpiMed platform's activities are aimed at linking fundamental research in the field of epigenetics with translational medical research, especially in the areas of cancer and chronic diseases. Its expertise is based on the development of bioinformatics and machine learning approaches to analyze large volumes of molecular data, such as omics data (gene expression data from high-throughput sequencing, single cell data, methylation data, proteome, ChIP-Seq, etc.), with the goal of addressing concrete scientific questions posed by medical doctors and researchers.

The EpiMed group brings together bioinformatics experts, biologists and medical professionals. It has developed numerous national and international collaborations, for example with biomedical teams at the CHU of Grenoble Alpes (France) and Ruijin Hospital in Shanghai (China). EpiMed is leading several research projects dedicated to the discovery of new prognostic biomarkers in cancers, exploring the functional significance of histone modifications, and understanding the links between epigenetic dysregulations, metabolism, and cancer.

Managers

Saadi KHOCHBIN

Team leader, Platform manager

Sophie ROUSSEAUX-PISON

Platform manager, Inserm / DR2

Centers of expertise

The EpiMed group conducts research projects aimed at identifying new prognostic biomarkers in various types of cancers. This axis explores the phenomenon of out-of-context expression of specific tissue genes, which represents a novel source of potential biomarkers. To achieve this goal, EpiMed develops innovative machine learning approaches that enable the definition of robust, effective, and reproducible biomarkers across a large number of cohorts.

This research axis of EpiMed involves exploring, through in silico approaches, the link between metabolism and epigenetic regulations, and the role of this link in the oncogenic process.

EpiMed develops bioinformatics and biostatistical tools for omics data analysis dedicated to research projects (epimedtools, ectopy). EpiMed also designs information systems for the management of genomic and bio-clinical data, as well as interoperable databases (EpiMed Database).

EpiMed contributes to teaching in statistics and artificial intelligence at the Université Grenoble Alpes and at the IAB. Some of these courses are publicly available (EpiMed Open Course).

Our major publications

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Aberrant activation of five embryonic stem cell-specific genes robustly predicts a high risk of relapse in breast cancers

Jacquet E, Chuffart F, Vitte AL, Nika E, Mousseau M, Khochbin S, Rousseaux S, Bourova-Flin…

BMC Genomics 2023 Aug 17;24(1):463. doi: 10.1186/s12864-023-09571-3. PMID: 37592220; PMCID:PMC10436393

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Ectopic expression of a combination of 5 genes detects high risk forms of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Peng LJ, Zhou YB, Geng M, Bourova-Flin E, Chuffart F, Zhang WN, Wang T, Gao…

BMC Genomics 2022 Jun 24;23(1):467. doi:10.1186/s12864-022-08688-1. PMID: 35751016; PMCID: PMC9233359.

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NUT Is a Driver of p300-Mediated Histone Hyperacetylation: From Spermatogenesis to Cancer

Rousseaux S, Reynoird N, Khochbin S.

Cancers (Basel) 2022 Apr 29;14(9):2234. doi: 10.3390/cancers14092234. PMID: 35565363; PMCID:PMC9103113

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The combined detection of Amphiregulin, Cyclin A1 and DDX20/Gemin3 expression predicts aggressive forms of oral squamous cell carcinoma

Bourova-Flin E, Derakhshan S, Goudarzi A, Wang T, Vitte AL, Chuffart F, Khochbin S, Rousseaux…

Br J Cancer 2021 Oct;125(8):1122-1134. doi:10.1038/s41416-021-01491-x. Epub 2021 Jul 21. PMID: 34290392; PMCID: PMC8505643.

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EDEN Mother-Child Cohort Study Group. Immediate and durable effects of maternal tobacco consumption alter placental DNA methylation in enhancer and imprinted gene-containing regions

Rousseaux S, Seyve E, Chuffart F, Bourova-Flin E, Benmerad M, Charles MA, Forhan A, Heude…

BMC Med 2020 Oct 7;18(1):306. doi:10.1186/s12916-020-01736-1. PMID: 33023569; PMCID: PMC7542140.

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A six gene expression signature defines aggressive subtypes and predicts outcome in childhood and adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Wang J, Mi JQ, Debernardi A, Vitte AL, Emadali A, Meyer JA, Charmpi K, Ycart…

Oncotarget 2015 Jun 30;6(18):16527-42. doi:10.18632/oncotarget.4113. PMID: 26001296; PMCID: PMC4599287

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Receptor-Independent Ectopic Activity of Prolactin Predicts Aggressive Lung Tumors and Indicates HDACi-Based Therapeutic Strategies

Le Bescont A, Vitte AL, Debernardi A, Curtet S, Buchou T, Vayr J, de Reyniès…

Antioxid Redox Signal 2015 Jul 1;23(1):1-14. doi: 10.1089/ars.2013.5581. Epub 2014 Mar 6. PMID: 24512221; PMCID: PMC4492736

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Sustaining cancer through addictive ectopic gene activation

Wang J, Rousseaux S, Khochbin S.

Curr Opin Oncol 2014 Jan;26(1):73-7. doi:10.1097/CCO.0000000000000032. PMID: 24275853

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Cancer hallmarks sustained by ectopic activations of placenta/male germline genes

Rousseaux S, Wang J, Khochbin S.

Cell Cycle 2013 Aug 1;12(15):2331-2. doi: 10.4161/cc.25545. Epub 2013 Jul 11. PMID: 23856584; PMCID:PMC3841303

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Ectopic activation of germline and placental genes identifies aggressive metastasis-prone lung cancers

Rousseaux S, Debernardi A, Jacquiau B, Vitte AL, Vesin A, Nagy-Mignotte H, Moro-Sibilot D, Brichon…

Sci Transl Med 2013 May 22;5(186):186ra66. doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.3005723. PMID: 23698379; PMCID: PMC4818008.

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Our activities in pictures

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