GUY SAUVAGEAU, M.D., Ph.D., F.R.C.P.(C)
- Scientific Director, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC)
- Principal Investigator, Molecular Genetics of Stem Cells Laboratory, IRIC
- Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal
- Adjunct Professor, Department of Experimental Medicine, McGill University
- Hematologist, Bone Marrow Transplant Centre, Department of Hematology, Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital
- Founding Co-Director, Quebec Leukemia Cell Bank
AWARDS & HONOURS
- Canada Research Chair in the Molecular Genetics of Stem Cells, 2004–
- Scholar, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 2002-2007
TRAINING
- Postdoctoral training with Keith R. Humphries, Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer Research Centre, 1996
- Residencies in internal medicine and hematology, 1992
- Ph.D. in experimental medicine, University of British Columbia, 1995
- M.Sc. in immunovirology, Université de Montréal, 1989
- Ph.D. in medicine, Université de Montréal, 1987
RESEARCH SUPPORT
- Canadian Institute for Health Research
- Génome Québec
- National Cancer Institute of Canada
- National Institutes of Health
- Stem Cell Network
- The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
Guy Sauvageau is the Founding Scientific Director of the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC). He also holds the Canada Research Chair in the Molecular Genetics of Stem Cells and is Associate Professor with the Université de Montréal Department of Medicine.
Dr. Sauvageau is a researcher and clinical practitioner, specializing in the transplantation of bone marrow-derived stem cells, called hematopoietic stem cells, and in the study of the molecular mechanism involved in their self-renewal.
A disruption of the production mechanism of these cells is responsible for a large variety of human illnesses and clinical problems. For example, uncontrolled growth of bone marrow stem cells causes leukemia; our current inability to stimulate their renewal is a serious impediment to successful human bone marrow transplants.
Over the last ten years, Mr. Sauvageau’s work has led to ground-breaking discoveries in understanding the production of hematopoietic stem cells. With his research team, he identified the potential of the HOXB4 and Bmi1 genes which are instrumental in regulating the self-renewal of these cells.
He went on to develop the recombinant HOXB4 protein that leads to the expansion of the hematopoietic stem cells. Clinical phases I and II of this work will soon begin, with umbilical cord blood as a source of essential stem cells for patients requiring a transplant when there is no compatible donor. These discoveries are a significant advance in the field of blood stem cell transplantation.
Dr. Sauvageau’s research on the Bmi1 gene may lead to new ways to destroy tumour cells. In tandem with his research and training activities at the IRIC, Dr. Sauvageau does bone marrow transplants at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital (MRH). His success with the expansion of stem cells paved the way for a major project conducted jointly by the IRIC and MRH to establish a cell therapy centre.
Before joining IRIC in 2002, Dr. Sauvageau worked as principal investigator at the Clinical Research Institute of Montreal for seven years. Dr. Sauvageau holds numerous patents on applications that are under development for industrial and clinical use.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Martin NL, Saba-El-Leil MK, Sadekova S, Meloche S, Sauvageau G. (2005) EN2 is a candidate oncogene in human breast cancer. Oncogene.
Bijl J, Sauvageau M, Thompson A, Sauvageau G. (2005) High incidence of proviral integrations in the Hoxa locus in a new model of E2a-PBX1-induced B-cell leukemia. Genes & Development, 19(2):224-33.
Beslu N, Krosl J, Laurin M, Mayotte N, Humphries KR, Sauvageau G. (2004) Molecular interactions involved in HOXB4-induced activation of HSC self-renewal. Blood, 104(8):2307-14.
Krosl J, Austin P, Beslu N, Kroon E, Humphries RK, Sauvageau G. (2003) In vitro expansion of hematopoietic stem cells by recombinant TAT-HOXB4protein. Nature Medicine, 9(11):1428-32.
Lessard J, Sauvageau G. (2003) Bmi-1 determines the proliferative capacity of normal and leukaemic stem cells. Nature, 423(6937):255-60.
Krosl J, Beslu N, Mayotte N, Humphries RK, Sauvageau G. (2003) The competitive nature of HOXB4-transduced HSC is limited by PBX1: the generation of ultra-competitive stem cells retaining full differentiation potential. Immunity, 18(4):561-71.
Antonchuk J, Sauvageau G, Humphries RK. (2002) HOXB4-induced expansion of adult hematopoietic stem cells ex vivo. Cell, 109(1):39-45.
Kroon E, Thorsteinsdottir U, Mayotte N, Nakamura T, Sauvageau G. (2001) NUP98-HOXA9 expression in hemopoietic stem cells induces chronic and acute myeloid leukemias in mice. EMBO Journal, 20(3):350-61.
Thorsteinsdottir U, Kroon E, Jerome L, Blasi F, Sauvageau G. (2001) Defining roles for HOX and MEIS1 genes in induction of acute myeloid leukemia. Molecular Cell Biology, 21(1):224-34.
Lessard J, Schumacher A, Thorsteinsdottir U, van Lohuizen M, Magnuson T, Sauvageau G. (1999) Functional antagonism of the Polycomb-Group genes eed and Bmi1 in hemopoietic cell proliferation. Genes & Development, 13(20):2691-703.
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