Checkpoint blockade immunotherapy is revolutionizing clinical oncology. However, it remains unclear why only a subset of patients exhibit durable clinical responses and new methods and technologies are urgently needed to enhance the overall efficiency of checkpoint therapy.
As principal investigator at the CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, the main goal of my laboratory is to develop and apply next-generation mass spectrometry technologies (i.e. SWATH or data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry) to advance the field of immuno-oncology and cancer immunotherapy. In particular, we use proteomics, immunopeptidomics and computational mass spectrometry approaches to better understand the mechanisms of tumor response and resistance to checkpoint therapy.
In collaboration with clinical investigators, we are also interested in identifying 1) protein biomarkers of response and relapse to checkpoint therapy, and 2) new forms of tumor-specific neoantigens to design innovative cancer vaccines for the treatment of refractory patients.
Finally, we are co-founders of the international Human Immuno-Peptidome Project and we develop the SysteMHC Atlas project to make an emerging field of research based on "Big Immuno-Peptidomic Data" accessible to the community. Our multidisciplinary research program is highly collaborative by nature and we aim to have a significant impact on patient care worldwide.
Career Summary
Etienne was born in Canada. He did his PhD in Claude Perreault’s laboratory at the Université de Montréal. By merging mass spectrometry and computational biology to a strong fundamental immunology background, he was able to elucidate novel mechanisms regulating antigen processing and presentation by MHC molecules. His PhD was supported by both the CIHR and FRQS and led to the publication of a total of 10 papers.
Etienne then pursued his training first in Luis Serrano’s laboratory in Spain, an expert in Systems Biology of Cancer, and then in Ruedi Aebersold’s laboratory in Switzerland, a world-leader and pioneer in proteomics and mass spectrometry. Etienne developed not only a profound expertise in the development of novel mass spectrometry approaches to study the complexity of the human immunopeptidome but also became a world-leader in the field, founding and chairing the Human Immuno-Peptidome Project, an international initiative reuniting top leaders in mass spectrometry and immunology.
His work led to the publication of 14 papers in high-impact journals (including Immunity, eLife, Cell Rep, Nucleic Acids Res, Nature). Supported by the most prestigious European grants (EMBO and Marie Curie), Etienne’s seminal postdoctoral work forms the foundation of his current research program.
As principal investigator at the CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, his research goal is to significantly impact the field of cancer immunotherapy and will do so by developing innovative mass spectrometry approaches to study the proteome and immunopeptidome in various cancer, melanoma and acute myeloid leukemia in particular.