Damien Thévenin

The research conducted in our group lies at the interface of cell biology, chemistry, biochemistry, and biophysics, with a particular focus on problems in cancer drug delivery and membrane protein cell signaling. As such, our work is applied, fundamental, and highly interdisciplinary. Current research programs are organized around two main areas: 1) Developing novel strategies to specifically target and deliver therapeutic to cancer cells and tumors. 2) Understanding how oligomerization affects membrane receptors activity and cell signaling.

More specifically, we are interested in the role of the transmembrane domains in this process. As such, our work is applied, fundamental, highly interdisciplinary, and draws upon areas such as peptide and protein chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics, molecular, cellular and structural biology, cell signaling, and oncology. Ongoing projects are aimed at developing targeted immuno anti-cancer therapies using the pH(Low) Insertion Peptide, and at identifying the structural requirements for the dimerization of an understudied, but essential family of membrane receptors, the receptor protein-tyrosine phosphatases (RPTPs).

Recent Publications:

Burns KE, Hensley HH, Robinson MK, Thévenin D* (2017) Therapeutic Efficacy of a Family of pHLIP-MMAF Conjugates in Cancer Cells and Mouse Models. Molecular Pharmaceutics. Feb 6;14(2):415-422.

Burns KE, McCleerey TP (UG), Thévenin D*. pH-Selective Cytotoxicity of pHLIP-Antimicrobial Peptide Conjugates. Scientific Reports. 2016;6:28465.

Burns KE, Thévenin D*. (2015). Down-regulation of PAR1 activity with a pHLIP-based allosteric antagonist induces cancer cell death. Biochemical Journal, 472(3), 287–95.

Janout V, Schell WA, Thévenin D, Yu Y, Perfect JR, Regen SL*. (2015). Taming Amphotericin B. Bioconjug Chem, 26(10), 2021–4.

Burns K, Robinson M, Thévenin D*. (2015) Inhibition of Cancer Cell Proliferation and Breast Tumor Targeting of pHLIP-Monomethyl Auristatin E Conjugates. Molecular Pharmaceutics, 12(4), 1250–8.