Stéphanie Chevalier

Biography

EDUCATION B.Sc. Nutrition, Registered Dietitian (1986-1989), M.Sc. (1990-1992), Ph.D. Nutrition (1992-1997), Université de Montréal. Postdoctoral Fellowship (1998-2004) McGill University, Nutrition & Food Science Centre. DISTINCTIONS AND AWARDS FRSQ-Chercheur-boursier Junior 2 (2011-2015) and Junior 1 (2007-2011) Helen McCall Hutchison Award in Geriatric Medicine (2010) CDA and FRSQ Postdoctoral Fellowships

Research Interest

My research program focuses on studying the alterations of protein metabolism that lead to muscle loss and strength in aging, cancer cachexia, and type 2 diabetes. These conditions share a common feature, insulin resistance, which may contribute to muscle loss. Metabolic studies using isotopic tracer methodology to quantify whole body protein and glucose kinetics and muscle protein synthesis and degradation are conducted in healthy subjects and in patients, in the fasting state and in response to postprandial stimuli, i.e. insulin and amino acids. The hyperinsulinemic clamp method is used to measure the magnitude of insulin resistance for glucose and protein metabolism concurrently. The regulation of protein synthesis through the Akt/mTOR pathway and proteolysis pathways are investigated in muscle tissue obtained from biopsies. Ongoing studies are testing the effect of added leucine to a complete meal on postprandial metabolic responses and muscle protein synthesis, in sarcopenic elderly women. We are also developing a non-invasive surrogate approach to measure muscle protein degradation for use in frail patients, in place of muscle biopsies. Our lab is equipped with gas and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry instruments to provide comprehensive metabolic profiling.