Granted since 1984 by the Clinical Research Club of Quebec (CRCQ), the André-Dupont prize recognizes the excellence of the work of young researchers in the field of biomedical research. For the 2024 vintage, the CRCQ has selected the Dr Nicolas Dumont, who received his prize on the occasion of the 65e annual meeting of the Club.
Associate professor at the School of Rehabilitation at the University of Montreal and researcher at the Azrieli Research Center at CHU Sainte-Justine, Dr.r Dumont is a leader because of its unique translational expertise, its innovative projects in biomedical sciences and its international reach.
His work on muscle stem cells (also called satellite cells) revolutionized the understanding of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The Dr Dumont demonstrated that the progressive and irreversible muscle weakness caused by this genetic disease is due not only to muscle degeneration, but also to a lack of healing, thus opening new therapeutic perspectives.
Pioneer in research into neuromuscular diseases
Neuromuscular diseases represent a group of heterogeneous conditions that can be caused by more than 150 genetic mutations. They cause various symptoms such as ambulatory, functional or respiratory difficulties which limit the quality and expectancy of life. More than a third of children with neuromuscular diseases have not received a diagnosis, making it difficult to predict the course of the disease and implement an appropriate care plan. The Dr Dumont is working to fill this knowledge gap with the goal of improving the diagnosis and treatment of neuromuscular diseases in children. He is thus a pioneer in understanding the role of muscle stem cells, which are responsible for the growth and healing of muscles.
