Josée Hébert

TITLE

• Hematologist and Cytogeneticist
• Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Montreal
• Director, Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital’s Cytogenetics Laboratory 
• Director, Quebec Leukemia Cell Bank, CRHMR
• Director, Molecular Cytogenetics Facility, IRIC-HMR
• Holder of the Research Chair in leukemia supported by Industrial Alliance 

EDUCATION

• M.D., University of Montreal (1984).
• Internal Medicine, University of Montreal (1990).
• Hematology, FRCP(c), University of Montreal (1991).
• INSERM University Fellowship 301, Molecular Hematology Laboratory, St-Louis Hospital, Paris, (1992 to 1994).

RESEARCH INTERESTS

The Quebec Leukemia Cell Bank’s laboratory conducts research studies mainly on two types of leukemia with the aim of finding new genes linked to leukemogenesis: acute myeloid leukemia without maturation and chronic myeloid leukemia in blastic transformation.

We used standard high resolution cytogenetic techniques and molecular cytogenetic techniques (spectral karyotyping or SKY, BACs/PACs kits) to enhance chromosomal analysis of leukemia. This strategy serves to identify new chromosome rearrangements, often not detected by standard cytogenetics.

These rearrangements will then be characterized on a molecular level, and studied on a functional level thereafter. Using this approach, we expect to identify new molecular targets for treating leukemia.
We are also collaborating in two research areas: study on molecular mechanisms linked to leukemogenesis and evaluation of new approaches for treating leukemia.

The Quebec Leukemia Cell Bank also offers a training program in two following areas:
1. Advanced training in morphological diagnostics and cytogenetics of blood cancers.
2. Study of genetic mechanisms linked to leukemia.

The Molecular Cytogenetic Facility (HMR-IRIC) provides investigators with cytogenetic analysis services (standard and molecular cytogenetics) for human and mouse specimens. It is the only facility that offers spectral karyotyping services (SKY) in Quebec. It also provides specialized professional training in this field.

RESEARCH TEAM

Administrative Coordinator

• Claude Rondeau

Technical Coordinator

• Sylvie Lavallée

Morphology and Immunophenotyping

• Giovanni D'Angelo

Technicians

• Marie-Claude Frenette
• Annie Bilodeau
• Lorraine Forest

Clinical Research Nurses

• Suzanne Nadeau
• Francine Habel

Databases

• Ginette Trottier

Ph.D. Students

• Sawcène Hazourli
• Amélie Giguère

Master Students

• Marie-Noelle Séguin-Grignon
• Lucie Pécheux

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Selected papers

Yu Z, Chen T, Hébert J, Li E, Richard A mouse PRMT1 null allele defines an essential role for arginine methylation in genome   maintenance and cell proliferation. Mol Cell Biol. 2009 Jun;29(11):2982-96

Samassekou O., Ntwari A., Hébert J., Yan J. Individual telomere lengths in chronic myeloid leukemia. Neoplasia, 2009;11 (11):1146-1154.

Tremblay M, Tremblay CS, Herblot S, Aplan PD, Hébert J, Perreault C., Hoang T. Modeling T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia induced by the SCL and LMO1 oncogenes. Genes and Dev 2010, 24(11):1093-105.

Hosein AN, Wu M, Arcand SL, Lavallée S, Hébert J, Tonin PN, Basik M. Breast carcinoma-associated fibroblasts rarely contain p53 mutations or chromosomal aberrations.  Cancer Res. 2010;70(14):5770-7. 

Giguère A, Hébert J. CLCA2, a novel RUNX1 partner gene in a therapy-related leukemia with t(1;21)(p22;q22). Cancer Genet Cytogenet. 2010;202(2):94-100

Khandanpour C, Kosan C., Gaudreau MC, Dührsen U., Hébert  J., Zeng H., and Möröy T. Growth factor independence 1 (Gfi1) protects hematopoietic stem cells against apoptosis but also prevents the development of a myeloproliferative-like disease. Stem Cells 2010, Dec 9., Prepublished online.

Fortier S, Bilodeau M, MacRaeT, Laverdure J-P, Azcoitia V, Girard S, Chagraoui J, Ringuette N, Hébert J, Krosl J, Mayotte N and Sauvageau G. Genome-Wide Interrogation of Mammalian Stem Cell Fate Determinants by Nested Chromosome Deletions. PLoS Genetics 2010;6(12):e1001241.

Giguère A, Hébert J. Microhomologies and topoisomerase II consensus sequences
identified near the breakpoint junctions of the recurrent t(7;21)(p22;q22) translocation in acute myeloid leukemia. Genes, Chromosomes and Cancer 2011 Jan 14, Prepublished online.

Wilhelm BT, Briau M, Austin P, Faubert A, Boucher G, Chagnon P, Hope K, Girard S, Mayotte N, Landry JR,  Hébert J, Sauvageau G. RNA-seq analysis of two closely related leukemia clones that differ in their self-renewal capacity. Blood. 2011 Jan 13;117(2):e27-38. Epub 2010 Oct 27.

Complete list of Dr. Hébert's publications (PubMed)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Grants

• Réseau-Cancer FRSQ 2007-2011 (QLCB).
• COLE Foundation 2010-2013 (QLCB)
• Genome Quebec (April 2010 competition)

QLCB and the Cytogenetics Facility IRIC-HMR are part of the Centre of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR in treatment discoveries, Network of Centres of Excellence of Canada(bringing together the IRIC, HMR and the Groupe de Recherche Universitaire sur le Médicament (GRUM)).

Awards

• Amélie Giguère : COLE Foundation (2008 competition)
• Sawcène Hazourli : FRSQ (2007 competition)
• Marie-Noelle Séguin-Grignon: FRSQ (2009 competition) CIHR (2010 competition)

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