Anavaj Sakuntabhai

Anavaj Sakuntabhai

Head, Functional Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute

Email: anavaj@pasteur.fr
Phone: 33 1 44 38 91 03

28 Rue du Docteur Roux, 75015 Paris, France

Website

Dr. Anavaj Sakuntabhai is a researcher specializing in human genetics of infectious diseases. He received his MD from Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand and completed post-doctoral training in Internal Medicine and Dermatology at the Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University. He also has a MD from the University of Newcastle in Tyne, UK.  Finally, he earned his PhD in Human Molecular Genetics from the University of Oxford. He joined the Institut Pasteur in Paris in 2000 as a Senior Scientist and in 2007 became the leader of the Laboratory of Genetics of Human Response to Infections. In 2010 he created and became the head of the Functional Genetics of Infectious Diseases Unit.

The Functional Genetics of Infectious Diseases unit studies the basis of human genetic susceptibility to major human pathogens. They currently focus on mosquito-borne infections (malaria and dengue). They aim to identify genes governing infection outcome and transmissibility, within two important contexts: 1) That of the pathogen exploitation of the host and maximization of onward transmission; 2) The environmental context, placing emphasis upon the exogenous factors that impact upon the within-host dynamic of the pathogen and thus influence the outcome of infection.

Recent Publications

• Ceruti, A, Dia, N, Bakarey, AS, Ssekitoleko, J, Andriamandimby, SF, Malwengo-Kasongo, P et al.. A multi-country phase 2 study to evaluate the suitcase lab for rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 in seven Sub-Saharan African countries: Lessons from the field. J Clin Virol. 2023;162 :105422. doi: 10.1016/j.jcv.2023.105422. PubMed PMID:36989731 PubMed Central PMC9981265.
• Chauvin, C, Levillayer, L, Roumier, M, Nielly, H, Roth, C, Karnam, A et al.. Tocilizumab-treated convalescent COVID-19 patients retain the cross-neutralization potential against SARS-CoV-2 variants. iScience. 2023;26 (3):106124. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106124. PubMed PMID:36776936 PubMed Central PMC9894676.
• Levillayer, L, Cassonnet, P, Declercq, M, Santos, MD, Lebreton, L, Danezi, K et al.. SKAP2 Modular Organization Differently Recognizes SRC Kinases Depending on Their Activation Status and Localization. Mol Cell Proteomics. 2023;22 (1):100451. doi: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2022.100451. PubMed PMID:36423812 PubMed Central PMC9792355.
• Bergstedt, J, Azzou, SAK, Tsuo, K, Jaquaniello, A, Urrutia, A, Rotival, M et al.. The immune factors driving DNA methylation variation in human blood. Nat Commun. 2022;13 (1):5895. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-33511-6. PubMed PMID:36202838 PubMed Central PMC9537159.
• Posseme, C, Llibre, A, Charbit, B, Bondet, V, Rouilly, V, Saint-André, V et al.. Early IFNβ secretion determines variable downstream IL-12p70 responses upon TLR4 activation. Cell Rep. 2022;39 (13):110989. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110989. PubMed PMID:35767946 PubMed Central PMC9237956.
• Trutschel, D, Bost, P, Mariette, X, Bondet, V, Llibre, A, Posseme, C et al.. Variability of Primary Sjögren's Syndrome Is Driven by Interferon-α and Interferon-α Blood Levels Are Associated With the Class II HLA-DQ Locus. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2022;74 (12):1991-2002. doi: 10.1002/art.42265. PubMed PMID:35726083 PubMed Central PMC10092541.
• Benfrid, S, Park, KH, Dellarole, M, Voss, JE, Tamietti, C, Pehau-Arnaudet, G et al.. Dengue virus NS1 protein conveys pro-inflammatory signals by docking onto high-density lipoproteins. EMBO Rep. 2022;23 (7):e53600. doi: 10.15252/embr.202153600. PubMed PMID:35607830 .
• Edillo, F, Ymbong, RR, Cabahug, MM, Labiros, D, Suycano, MW, Lambrechts, L et al.. Yearly variations of the genetic structure of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Philippines (2017-2019). Infect Genet Evol. 2022;102 :105296. doi: 10.1016/j.meegid.2022.105296. PubMed PMID:35526823 .
• Sugrue, JA, Smith, M, Posseme, C, Charbit, B, Milieu Interieur Consortium, Bourke, NM et al.. Rhesus negative males have an enhanced IFNγ-mediated immune response to influenza A virus. Genes Immun. 2022;23 (2):93-98. doi: 10.1038/s41435-022-00169-5. PubMed PMID:35428875 PubMed Central PMC9012157.
• Arora, JK, Opasawatchai, A, Poonpanichakul, T, Jiravejchakul, N, Sungnak, W, DENFREE Thailand et al.. Single-cell temporal analysis of natural dengue infection reveals skin-homing lymphocyte expansion one day before defervescence. iScience. 2022;25 (4):104034. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104034. PubMed PMID:35345453 PubMed Central PMC8957021.