Cyr Daniel G

Biography

Dr. Cyr holds a Master's degree in Environmental Toxicology from Concordia University and a Doctorate in Endocrinology from the University of Manitoba. He then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at McGill University. He then worked in the federal public service for a short period of time before embarking on a professorial career at INRS in 1997, becoming full professor in 2003. Her research aims to better understand environmental factors related to male infertility. They address both the role and regulation of intercellular interactions and the influence of environmental pollutants, including endocrine disrupters. His laboratory is known for his work on the blood-brain barrier, which protects spermatozoa against attacks of the immune system. The work of his laboratory has made many fundamental scientific discoveries. They showed that contaminants in sediments altered sperm quality in fish and thus caused increased mortality of fertilized embryos. They then became one of the first laboratories to demonstrate the transgenerational effects of environmental pollutants. His work marks the beginning of his research on endocrine disruptors long before these substances became a concern for the scientific community and the general population. The laboratory's pioneering work on intercellular interactions in male reproduction has contributed to a better understanding of spermatogenesis, maturation of spermatozoa and several pathologies not only with animal models but also in humans.

Research Interest

Our laboratory is interested in understanding the role of cell-cell interactions in the epididymis and their importance in creating an environment in the light of the epididymis that is conducive to sperm maturation. We are also interested in the effects of environmental contaminants on intercellular interactions and on male reproductive development and function. Regulation of intercellular communication Gap junctions are essential structures that allow direct communication between neighboring cells. Intercellular communication is therefore a critical element in order to coordinate cellular functions within a complex epithelium. In the male reproductive tract, gap junctions are essential to exchange intracellular messengers necessary for spermatogenesis in the testis and coordination of sperm maturation in the epididymis. A crucial aspect in sperm maturation is the epithelial epithelium that must coordinate the functions of the different segments of the epididymis in order to modify the environment of light conducive to sperm maturation. Our research objectives are to understand the role and regulation of intercellular communication in the epididymis and to clarify the role of this intercellular communication in the maturation process of spermatozoa. Our research focuses on the regulation of proteins responsible for the formation of lacunar junctions, connexins, and their regulation in the epididymis.