The effect of nacre on the prevention of bone loss

• Work hypothesis: nacre or mother of pearl can be regarded as a natural source not only of calcium but also of active ingredients.
• These compounds affect both the stimulation of bone formation by osteoblasts and the inhibition of bone resorption activity by osteoclasts.
• Scientific and technological objectives:
  • To quantify the effect of nacre on bone loss models
  • To identify the nacre-derived metabolites
  • To specify the mechanism of action of nacre active compounds

While I was educated as an organic chemist with some industrial experience, I have since then acquired competencies in biology and in biochemistry and collaborated with physics and material scientists as my research work is multidisciplinary. Since my PhD in 2004, I focused my work on the characterization of nacre compounds active on bone, and am now the world expert on bioactivity of nacre. After acquiring a permanent research position in the CNRS in 2008, I worked at Nancy, in a biomedical laboratory on osteoarticular diseases. I focused my attention on the biological properties of nacre, which is a unique and pioneering research theme in France and, in fact, in Europe. There, I have carried out innovative research on nacre applications to treat osteoarticular injuries until 2013. Results on nacre powder led to potential applications that were transferred to the start-up StanSea in 2013. Since then, I have refocused my research on the fullest possible characterization of nacre compounds active on bone. I moved to Lyon/Saint Etienne to orientate my research on nacre and osteoporosis. Since September 2017, I have been assigned to the laboratory MATEIS in Lyon doing my research at SAINBIOSE in Saint Etienne.

• ORCID