Faculté de médecine Faculté de médecine

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Maintaining physical activity and preserving the function of our skeletal muscles determine our life quality, autonomy and life expectancy. Skeletal muscle dysfunction and lack of movement have emerged as pressing public health challenges over the past decades. Aging, shifts in lifestyle, as well as pathological conditions, including musculoskeletal and neuromuscular disorders, chronic diseases or prolonged immobilization, are associated with skeletal muscle alterations, decreased mobility and decline in individual’s well-being. There is an emergent need to understand the underlying mechanisms, in order to develop targeted, and potentially personalized, therapeutic strategies that can mitigate these effects, improve recovery outcomes, and ultimately enhance the quality of life of patients and their caregivers. 

How do skeletal muscles function from single molecules to movement? What are the mechanisms underlying neuromuscular disorders? What are the aging factors affecting the muscular system? How can exercise delay muscle wasting and weakness? How can we optimize individual motor capacity throughout life? How can therapeutic strategies cancel or at least minimise skeletal muscle deterioration? 

 

The CR2M apprehend these questions through integrative approaches involving: 

  • Fundamental research on the neuromuscular system: muscle development, homeostasis maintenance, metabolism, plasticity and regeneration, environment…

>> LEARN MORE about Skeletal Muscle Function

  • Translational studies on pathological conditions threatening muscle integrity: sarcopenia, musculoskeletal and neuromuscular disorders, cachexia, disuse, inflammation…

>> LEARN MORE about Skeletal Muscle Disorders

  • Mobility and interventions on the locomotor apparatus: orthopaedic surgery, rehabilitation, functional evaluation, sport, nutrition, cell and gene therapies… 

>> LEARN MORE about Movement and Mobility

Discover CR2M's focus areas and the researchers and clinicians behind the work:

Several groups of the CR2M have strong expertise in muscle physiology and are actively investigating key aspects of skeletal muscle development, regeneration, function and homeostasis. This fundamental knowledge is an absolute prerequisite for the design of effective therapeutic strategies to support patients affected by neuromotor disorders. The following teams are currently conducting fondamental research projects:

  • Developmental Genomics - Prof. Guillaume Andrey, Department of Genetic Medicine and Development. 
    • Research focus: Regulatory genes involved in skeletal muscle development during limb formation ​​​​​
    • Visit the group website
  • Muscle and NeuroMuscular Junction - Prof. Perrine Castets, Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism.
    • Research focus: Mechanisms sustaining skeletal muscle homeostasis (maintenance of innervation, response to nerve injury, proteostasis regulation).
    • Visit the group website
  • Translational Chronobiology and Chronomedicine - Prof. Charna Dibner, Department of Surgery.
  • Skeletal muscle regeneration - Prof. Maud Frieden, Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism.
    • Research focus: Calcium fluxes and signaling pathways regulating the myogenic capacity of skeletal muscle cells
    • Visit the group website
  • Cell Therapy and Musculoskeletal Disorders - Project led by Dr. Thomas Laumonier, Department of Surgery.
  • Cell adhesion, migration and extracellular matrix remodeling - Prof. Bernhard Wehrle-Haller, Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism.
    • Research focus: Mechanisms ensuring the anchoring of skeletal muscle cells to basement membranes and tendon.
    • Visit the group website

Many diseases impair skeletal muscle function, ultimately compromising the health of the entire organism. At the CR2M, several teams address these challenges through clinical expertise, focusing on diagnosis and patient care, as well as through fundamental research, aiming to unravel the pathogenesis of muscle disorders. 

  • Pathology of facial muscles - Prof. G. Antonarakis, Department of orofacial rehabilitation 
    • Research focus: Impact of neuromuscular disorders on masticatory muscles, the tongue and the craniofacial morphology.
    • Visit the group website
  • Kinesiology - Prof. S. Armand, Department of Surgery
    • Research focus: Muscle development and movement in high-risk infants of cerebral palsy; gait outcomes in conditions with muscle impairment (contracture, spasticity, weakness).
    • Visit the group website
  • Muscle and NeuroMuscular Junction - Prof. P. Castets, Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism
  • Translational Chronobiology and Chronomedicine - Prof. Charna Dibner, Department of Surgery
    • Research focus: Impact of circadian perturbations on skeletal muscle dysfunction in metabolic disorders.
    • Visit the group website
  • Vaccinology and translational research in immunology - Prof. A. Diderlaurent, Department of Pathology and Immunology
    • Research focus: Inflammatory response in skeletal muscle following vaccination or muscle injuries.
    • Visit the group website
  • Nutrition and Chronobiology - Prof. L. Genton Graf, Department of Medicine
  • Biomechanics (B-Lab) - Dr. N. Holzer and Dr. F. Moissenet, Department of Surgery
  • Unit of Neuromuscular Disorders - Dre. A. Lascano, Department of Clinical Neurosciences
  • Cell Therapy and Musculoskeletal Disorders - Project led by Dr. T. Laumonier, Department of Surgery
  • Clinical Pathology - Prof. J. Lobrinus
  • Bioengineering and neuroregeneration - Prof. S. Madduri
    • Research focus: Development of therapeutic approaches for neuromuscular tissue regeneration 
    • Visit the group website
  • Autoimmunity and xenotransplant rejection - Prof. J. Seebach, Department of Medicine
  • Developmental brain injury - Prof. S. Sizonenko, Department of Pediatrics, Gynecology and Obstetrics
  • Sarcopenia, Mobility Disorders and Falls - Prof. A. Trombetti, Department of Medicine
  • Cell adhesion, migration and extracellular matrix remodeling - Prof. Bernhard Wehrle-Haller, Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism

  • Pathology of facial muscles - Prof. G. Antonarakis, Department of orofacial rehabilitation 
  • Kinesiology - Prof. S. Armand, Department of Surgery
  • Pediatric neurorehabilitation - Dre. M. Cacioppo, Women, children and adolescent department
  • Pediatric neuro-orthopedics - Dr. G. De Coulon, Women, children and adolescent department
  • Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit - Dr. M.A. Demaret, Department of Rehabilitation
  • Nutrition and Chronobiology - Prof. L. Genton Graf, Department of Medicine, 
  • Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit - Dr. E.A. Hernandez Corzo, Department of Rehabilitation
  • Biomechanics Laboratory - Dr. N. Holzer, Department of Surgery
  • Unit of Neuromuscular Disorders - Dre. A. Lascano, Department of Clinical Neurosciences
  • Centre of obesity and bariatric surgery - Dre. A. Maggio, Women, children and adolescent department 
  • Biomechanics Laboratory - Dr. F. Moissenet, Department of Surgery
  • Physiotherapy, Respiratory and Critical Care - Dr. I. Neto-Silva, Department of Acute Medicine
  • Developmental brain injury - Prof. S. Sizonenko, Department of Pediatrics, Gynecology and Obstetrics
  • Sarcopenia, Mobility Disorders and Falls - Prof. A. Trombetti, Department of Medicine
  • Orthopedic surgery and trauma - Prof. P. Tscholl, Department of Surgery