Véronic Bézaire
Associate Professor, Director of the Institute of Biochemistry, Co-op Coordinator (Food Science)
| Degrees: | Ph.D. (Guelph University) |
| Phone: | 613-520-2600 x 5012 |
| Email: | veronic.bezaire@carleton.ca |
| Office: | 319 SC |
BIOGRAPHY
Compliance Specialist, Foreign Residue Data Analysis
2009-2010, Chemical Evaluation, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ottawa
Post-doctoral Fellow (Biochemistry)
2006 – 2008, Institut de médecine moléculaire, Toulouse, France
Post-doctoral Fellow (Biochemistry)
2005 – 2006, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa
Ph.D. (Human Biology and Nutritional Sciences)
2001 – 2005,College of Biological Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph
Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Biochemistry)
1996 – 2000,Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa
Véronic got her first taste of research as an honours student in biochemistry at the University of Ottawa. She worked with Dr. Mary-Ellen Harper, elucidating the role of uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) in skeletal muscle. Using UPC3 overexpressing and ablated mice, Véronic`s findings supported a role for UCP3 in fatty acid metabolism.
Véronic moved to Guelph to pursue an NSERC-funded doctorate in Human Health and Nutritional Sciences with Dr. Lawrence Spriet. Her research focused on fatty acid transport across the cellular and mitochondrial membranes of human skeletal muscle. She worked primarily with healthy and obese human subjects. Using muscle biopsies, she explored fatty acid fates under various nutritional and exercise conditions. Upon completion of her doctorate, Véronic returned to her home in Ottawa for a short post-doctoral fellowship with her former honours supervisor, Dr. Mary-Ellen Harper. She had to opportunity to apply her skills in fatty acid transport and metabolism to several projects relating to UCP3.
With funding from NSERC, Véronic moved to Toulouse, France to pursue a two year postdoctoral fellowship. Her focus shifted from skeletal muscle to adipose tissue. Using primary adipocytes and a unique adipocyte cell line, Véronic continued her work on fatty acid fates by examining the roles of lipases in lipolysis. Using gene silencing and adenoviral transduction approaches, Véronic`s findings identified adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) and its coactivator CGI-48 as essential to human adipose tissue lipolysis.
Upon her return to Canada, Véronic joined the Chemical Evaluation group at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. She used her biochemical research skills to gather and evaluate the literature pertaining to prevalence, toxicity, and levels of chemical contaminants in food. She participated to the design and development of sampling plans relating to novel food-chemical hazard combinations. She analyzed data from targeted surveys, identified trends and made recommendations to senior management with regards to regulatory guidelines of chemical food safety issues.
In July 2010, Véronic was hired by the Chemistry department at Carleton University as an Instructor in the Food Science and Nutrition program where she teaches courses in Chemistry and in Food Science and Nutrition.
PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
1. Aguer C, Fiehn O, Seifert EL, Bézaire V, Meissen JK, Daniels A, Scott K, Renaud JM, Padilla M, Bickel DR, Dysart M, Adams SH, Harper ME. Muscle uncoupling protein 3 overexpression mimics endurance training and reduces circulating biomarkers of incomplete β-oxidation. (2013) FASEB J. 10:4213-25.
2. Girousse A, Tavernier G, Valle C, Moro C, Mejhert N, Dinel AL, Houssier M, Roussel B, Besse-Patin A, Combes M, Mir L, Monbrun L, Bézaire V, Prunet-Marcassus B, Waget A, Vila I, Caspar-Bauguil S, Louche K, Marques MA, Mairal A, Renoud ML, Galitzky J, Holm C, Mouisel E, Thalamas C, Viguerie N, Sulpice T, Burcelin R, Arner P, Langin D. Partial inhibition of adipose tissue lipolysis improves glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity without alteration of fat mass. (2013) PLoS Biol 11(2):e1001485.
3. Attané C, Foussal C, Le Gonidec S, Benani A, Daviaud D, Wanecq E, Guzmán-Ruiz R, Dray C, Bézaire V, Rancoule C, Kuba K, Ruiz-Gayo M, Levade T, Penninger J, Burcelin R, Pénicaud L, Valet P, Castan-Laurell I. Apelin treatment increases complete Fatty Acid oxidation, mitochondrial oxidative capacity, and biogenesis in muscle of insulin-resistant mice. (2012) Diabetes 61(2):310-20.
4. Seifert EL, Fiehn O, Bézaire V, Bickel DR, Wohlgemuth G, Adams SH, Harper ME. Long-chain fatty acid combustion rate is associated with unique metabolite profiles in skeletal muscle mitochondria. (2010) PLoS One 5(3):e9834.
5. Ribet C, Montastier E, Valle C, Bézaire V, Mazzucotelli A, Mairal A, Viguerie N, Langin D. PPARα control of lipid and glucose metabolism in human adipocytes. (2010) Endocrinology 151(1): 123-33.
6. Bézaire V, Mairal A, Anesia R, Lefort C, Langin D. Chronic TNFα and Dt-cAMP pre-treatment of human adipocytes alter HSL, ATGL and perilipin to regulate basal and stimulated lipolysis. (2009) FEBS Lett 583(18): 3045-9.
7. Bézaire V and Langin D. Regulation of adipose tissue revisited. (2009) Proc Nutr Soc 68(4): 350-60.
8. Holloway GP, Jain SS, Bézaire V, Han XX, Glatz JFC, Luiken JJFP, Harper ME, Bonen A. FAT/CD36 null mice reveal that mitochondrial FAT/CD36 is required to up-regulate mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation in contracting muscle. (2009) Am J Physiol (Endocrinol & Metab) 297(4): R960-7.
9. Bézaire V, Mairal A, Ribet C, Lefort C, Girousse A, Jocken J, Laurencikiene J, Anesia R, Rodriguez AM, Ryden M, Stenson BM, Dani C, Ailhaud G, Arner P, Langin D. Contribution of adipose triglyceride lipase and hormone-sensitive lipase to fatty acid metabolism in human hMADS adipocytes. (2009) J Biol Chem 284(27): 18282-91.
10. Seifert EL*, Bézaire V*, Estey C, Harper ME. Essential role for uncoupling protein-3 in mitochondrial adaptation to fasting but not in fatty acid oxidation or fatty acid anion export. (2008) J Biol Chem 283(37): 25124-31.
11. Costford SR, Seifert EL, Bézaire V, Gerritz M, Bevilacqua L, Gowing A, Harper ME. The energetic implications of uncoupling protein-3 in skeletal muscle. (2007) Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 32(5): 884-94.
12. Bézaire V, Seifert EL, Harper ME. Uncoupling protein 3: Clues in a mitochondrial mystery. (2007) FASEB J 21(2): 312-324.
13. Bruce CR, Thrush AB, Mertz VA, Bézaire V, Chabowski A, Heigenhauser GJ, Dyck DJ. Endurance training in obese humans improves glucose tolerance and mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and alters muscle lipid content. (2006) Am J Physiol (Endocrinol & Metab) 291(1): E99-107.
14. Holloway GP, Bézaire V, Heigenhauser GJ, Tandon NN, Glatz JFC, Luiken JJFL Bonen A, Spriet LL. Increased CPTI activity and mitochondrial FAT/CD36 content in human skeletal muscle during prolonged aerobic exercise. (2006) J Physiol 571(1): 201-210.
15. Bézaire V, Bruce CR, Heigenhauser GJ, Tandon NN, Glatz JFC, Joost JJFL, Bonen A, Spriet LL. Identification of fatty acid translocase on human skeletal muscle mitochondrial membranes: Essential role in fatty acid transport. (2006) Am J Physiol (Endocrinol & Metab) 290: E509-515.
16. Bézaire V, Spriet LL, Campbell S, Sabet N, Gerrits M, Bonen A and Harper M-E. UCP3 overexpression increases mouse skeletal muscle capacity for fatty acid transport and oxidation. (2005) FASEB J 19(8): 977-9.
17. Bézaire V, Heigenhauser GJ, Spriet LL. Regulation of CPT I activity in intermyofibrillar and subsarcolemmal mitochondria from human and rat skeletal muscle. (2004) Am J Physiol (Endocrinol & Metab) 286(1): E85-91.
18. Harper ME, Dent R, Monamdjou S, Bézaire V, Van Wyck L, Wells G, Kavaslar GN, Gauthier A, Tesson F, MacPherson R. Decreased mitochondrial proton leak and reduced expression of uncoupling protein 3 in skeletal muscle of obese diet-resistant women. (2002) Diabetes 51(8): 2459-66.
19. Bézaire V, Hoffman W, Kramer JG, Kozak LP, Harper ME. Effects of fasting on muscle mitochondrial energetics and fatty acid metabolism in Ucp3-/- and wild-type mice. (2001) Am J Physiol (Endocrinol & Metab) 281(5): E975-82.
20. Harper ME, Dent RM, Bézaire V, Antoniou A, Gauthier A, Monemdjou S, McPherson R. UCP3 and its putative functions: Consistencies and controversies. (2001) Biochem Soc Trans 29(Pt 6): 768-73.
TEACHING
FOOD 2004: Scientific Communication in Food Science
FOOD 3003: Food Packaging and Shelf Life
FOOD 4201: Advanced Nutrition and Metabolism
FOOD 4202: Micronutrients and Health
FOOD 4907: Honours Essay and Research Proposal