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Imagerie cérébrale équipe Baulac

Genetics and pathophysiology of epilepsy

Eric LEGUERN
Éric LEGUERN

MD, PhD, Pr (PU-PH), Team Leader, PI

Stéphanie BAULAC
Stéphanie BAULAC

PhD, Team Leader, PI, INSERM

Team presentation

The team "Genetics and pathophysiology of epilepsy" is interested in focal epilepsies associated with the mTOR signaling pathway, malformations of cortical development linked to somatic mutations, epileptic encephalopathies and generalized genetic epilepsies.

The objective of the team is to elucidate the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying focal epilepsies with malformations of cortical development, developmental and epileptic encephalopathies, and generalized genetic epilepsies.

His research builds on the recently recognized concept that the human brain is a genetic mosaic resulting from somatic mutations during neurodevelopment. The team is using multidisciplinary approaches, from genetic and genomic studies on postoperative epileptic brain tissue, to in vitro functional tests using brain organoids, to in vivo approaches using mouse models.

The research program has three main objectives:

  1. elucidate the genetic etiology of epileptogenic cortical malformations (in particular focal cortical dysplasia);
  2. to unravel the pathogenic mechanisms and neurodevelopmental events underlying focal epilepsies by determining specific determinants of cell type in cortical organoids and mouse models;
  3. study new targeted therapeutics that are innovative and ultra-precise.
Main publications

Main publications

  • Chung C, Yang X, Bae T , Vong K, Mittal S , Conti V, Guerrini R, Devinsky O, Wilson A. Silva Jr 18, Helio R. Machado 7, Mathern G , Abyzov A, Baldassari S, Baulac S, Focal Cortical Dysplasia Neurogenetics Consortium &, Brain Somatic Mosaicism Network  and Gleeson J. (2023) Comprehensive multiomic profiling of somatic mutations in malformations of cortical development.Nat Genet. 2023 Feb;55(2):209-220.
  • Bacq A, Roussel D, Bonduelle T, Zagaglia S, Maletic M, Ribierre T, Adle-Biassette H, Marchal C, Jennesson M, An I, Picard F, Navarro V, Sisodiya S and Baulac. (2022) Cardiac investigations in sudden unexpected death in DEPDC5-related epilepsy.Annals of Neurology 2022 Jan;91(1):101-116.
  • Lee WS, Baldassari S, Stephenson S, Lockhart P, Baulac S * and Leventer RJ*. (2022) Cortical dysplasia and the mTOR pathway: how the study of human brain tissue has led to insights into epileptogenesis.International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2022 Jan 25;23(3):1344 doi: 10.3390/ijms23031344.
  • Baldassari S and Baulac S. (2022). Genetics of FCD: an emerging scenario; Book Chapter in « Focal Cortical Dysplasias: New Advances for Curing Epilepsy”, edited by Francine Chassoux and Andres Luis Fernandes Palmini (2022). John Libbey edition.
  • Blümcke I, Budday S, Poduri A, Lal D, Kobow K and Baulac S. (2021) Neocortical development and epilepsy: insights from focal cortical dysplasia and brain tumours.Lancet Neurology 2021 Nov;20(11):943-955.
  • Kim S*, Baldassari S*, Sim NS, Chipaux M, Dorfmüller G, Kim DS, Chang WS, Taly V, Lee JH and Baulac S. (2021) Detection of Brain Somatic Mutations in Cerebrospinal Fluid from Refractory Epilepsy Patients.Annals of Neurology Jun;89(6):1248-1252.
  • De Fusco A, Cerullo MS, Marte A, Michetti C, Romei A, Castroflorio E, Baulac S, Benfenati F (2020). Acute knockdown of Depdc5 leads to synaptic defects in mTOR-related epileptogenesis.Neurobiol of Disease. 2020;104822. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.104822.
  • Baldassari S, Ribierre T, Marsan E, Adle-Biassette H, Ferrand-Sorbets S, Bulteau C, Dorison N, Fohlen M, Polivka M, Weckhuysen S, Dorfmüller G, Chipaux M, and Baulac S. (2019) Dissecting the genetic basis of focal cortical dysplasia: a large cohort study.Acta Neuropathol 2019 Dec;138(6):885-900.
  • Ribierre T, Deleuze C, Bacq A, Baldassari S, Marsan E, Chipaux M, Muraca G, Roussel D, Navarro V, Leguern E, Miles R and Baulac S (2018). Second-hit mosaic mutation in mTORC1 repressor DEPDC5 causes focal cortical dysplasia-associated epilepsy.Journal of Clinical Investigation, Jun 1;128(6):2452-2458.
  • Baulac S, Ishida S, Marsan E, Miquel C, Biraben A, Nguyen DK, Nordli D, Cossette P, Nguyen S, Lambrecq V, Vlaicu M, Daniau M, Bielle F, Andermann E, Andermann F, Leguern E, Chassoux F, Picard F (2015). Familial focal epilepsy with focal cortical dysplasia due to DEPDC5 mutations.Ann Neurol. Apr; 77(4): 675-83. Highlighted as Best Advances of 2015 by the Neurology Today Editorial Advisory Board.
  • Nava C, Dalle C, Rastetter A, Striano P, de Kovel CG, Nabbout R, Cancès C, Ville D, Brilstra EH, Gobbi G, Raffo E, Bouteiller D, Marie Y, Trouillard O, Robbiano A, Keren B, Agher D, Roze E, Lesage S, Nicolas A, Brice A, Baulac M, Vogt C, El Hajj N, Schneider E, Suls A, Weckhuysen S, Gormley P, Lehesjoki AE, De Jonghe P, Helbig I, Baulac S, Zara F, Koeleman BP; EuroEPINOMICS RES Consortium, Haaf T, Leguern E, Depienne C (2014). De novo mutations in HCN1 cause early infantile epileptic encephalopathy. Nat Genet, 2014 Jun; 46(6): 640-5.
  • Ishida S, Picard F, Rudolf G, Noé E, Achaz G, Thomas P, Genton P, Mundwiller E, Wolff M, Marescaux C, Miles R, Baulac M, Hirsch E, Leguern E and Baulac S (2013). Mutations of DEPDC5 cause autosomal dominant focal epilepsies. Nat Genet,Apr 26; 45(5): 552-5.

Team members

Eric LEGUERN
Éric LEGUERN

MD, PhD, Pr (PU-PH), Team Leader, PI

Stéphanie BAULAC
Stéphanie BAULAC

PhD, Team Leader, PI, INSERM

Portrait Sara BALDASSARI
Sara BALDASSARI

PhD, PI

Sara BIZZOTO
Sara BIZZOTTO

PhD, PI

News from the team

erc
Three researchers from Paris Brain Institute awarded in 2023 an ERC STARTING GRANT
The European Research Council (ERC) has just published the list of recipients of “Starting grants” funding for 2023. The three candidates from Paris Brain Institute who applied to this highly competitive call for proposals have been awarded this ...
09.05.2023 Institutional
image
Cardiac investigations in genetic epilepsy
A rare and tragic consequence of epilepsy is Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), which occurs after a seizure. The mechanisms involved, whether respiratory, cardiac or cerebral, are not yet fully understood. However, this risk is very low ...
11.24.2021 Research, science & health
Logo L’Oréal-UNESCO
the L'Oréal-UNESCO Foundation rewards Maha DAHAWI, doctoral student at the Paris Brain Institute
The 2020 “Young Talents for Women and Science in Sub-Saharan Africa” prize from the L'Oréal-UNESCO Foundation rewards Maha DAHAWI, doctoral student at the Paris Brain Institute for her research carried out as a collaboration between France (Paris ...
12.11.2020 Events
Stéphanie Baulac
Stéphanie Baulac receives the international epileptology award from the Michael foundation
Stéphanie Baulac, head of the “Genetics and physiopathology of epilepsy” at Institut du Cerveau - ICM, receives the international “Michael Prize” award for her research in the field of epilepsy. ...
04.17.2019 Institutional
Journée mondiale de l’épilepsie
National epilepsy day: research at the ICM
On the occasion of National Epilepsy Day, Vincent Navarro, neurologist and Institut du Cerveau - ICM researcher, and Stéphanie Baulac, co-leader of the team “Genetics and physiology of hereditary epilepsy,” and the start-up Bioserenity led a ...
11.27.2015 Research, science & health