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Dr. Nicolas Flamand's projects

Dr. Flamand and his team are elucidating the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing the anabolism and catabolism of endocannabinoidome. In other words, they want to know how it works!

A growing body of evidence points to the immunomodulatory roles of endocannabinoids. In this respect, we are seeking to understand how endocannabinoids are synthesized and transformed by leukocytes in order to validate how we could modulate their levels to promote their beneficial effects while limiting/eliminating their deleterious effects.

The endocannabinoidome is an ever-growing lipidoma. In this respect, and based on verifiable postulates, we synthesize new mediators and characterize them both chemically and biochemically. We then determine whether these new metabolites are found in vivo and try to understand their roles.

We are developing new analytical methods to quantify endocannabinoidome by mass spectrometry. This includes sample preparation and analysis by mass spectrometry (MALDI and triple quadrupole).

Asthma is an inflammatory disease affecting the bronchi. The sustained bronchial inflammation found in severe forms of the disease causes significant structural changes that greatly diminish the quality of life of asthmatics. We are investigating whether pharmacological targeting of endocannabinoidome effectors would allow the development of new therapeutic avenues to limit the inflammation associated with asthma and, ultimately, inflammatory diseases in general.

As with asthma, obesity is characterized by systemic inflammation. Moreover, there is growing evidence that intestinal inflammation could be deleterious. We are therefore evaluating the very close relationship between endocannabinoidome, leukocytes, the intestine and the microbiota. (This project is being carried out in close collaboration with Dr. Alain Veilleux's group.)

COVID-19 is a viral infection accompanied by a very strong inflammatory reaction. In association with the research groups of Dr. Louis Flamand, Dr. Marc Pouliot and Dr. Éric Boilard, we are evaluating how infection with SARS-Cov-2, the etiological agent of COVID-19, affects inflammatory lipidoma (including endocannabinoidome) in order to validate whether we could target these bioactive lipids in order to effectively limit the inflammatory storm associated with this infection.