France-Isabelle Auzanneau

Education and Employment Background

Dr. France-Isabelle Auzanneau received her PhD from the University of Paris—XI in 1989. She went on to work as a Research Associate and Scientist at several institutions including the Natural Research Council of Canada, the Carlsberg Foundation in Denmark, Simon Fraser University, and Aventis-Pasteur. She joined the University of Guelph’s Department of Chemistry in 2000, where she is now a full professor.

Research Themes

Specific carbohydrate antigens are expressed at the surface of tumor cells, non-host cells (i.e. red blood cells in transfusions) or bacteria and can be involved in antigen specific immune responses. Such immune reactions mostly result in the production of antibodies that bind specifically to a three-dimensional Carbohydrate Epitope displayed within the antigen by a di- or tri- saccharide fragment of the antigen. In that context, Auzanneau is interested in the identification of such Epitopes displayed at the surface of tumor cells (TACEs) or bacteria and their use as immunotherapeutics in the fight against cancer or bacterial infection.

Highlights

• NSERC Discovery Grant, 2015-2020
• Network Centres of Excellence Grant, 2014-2019
• Member of the Canadian Glycomics Network, 2015

Media Coverage

Research Highlights

• CEPS News: On the Surface

Canadian Glycomics Network

• Guelph Mercury: Six Guelph scientists selected for national research network