Benoit Hastoy

Research overview

I started my research in Professor Jochen Lang’s group in Bordeaux where my PhD project was on the molecular mechanisms promoting exocytosis of insulin, more precisely on the specific role of the transmembrane domain of the SNARE VAMP2 protein. This project provided me with experience in molecular cloning (mutagenesis, knock-down), microscopy (confocal and TIRF), and hormone secretion assays. Throughout this period, I enjoyed interacting closely with researchers from different scientific backgrounds (physical chemists, bioinformatics engineers).

In 2012 I moved to Oxford and joined Professor Patrik Rorsman’s team as a post-doc, where I had the chance to learn electrophysiology and to improve my TIRF and confocal microscopy skills on live cell imaging (i.e. calcium imaging).  During this post-doc I was involved in the electrophysiological and hormone secretion (exocytosis) characterisation of a human beta-cell line. In Jan 2015 I joined Anna Gloyn’s and Mark McCarthy’s teams as a post-doc working on a MRC Experimental Challenge Grant (DIVA) awarded to Professors McCarthy, Gloyn, Karpe and Rorsman to study the physiological impact of Type 2 diabetes risk variants on pancreatic beta-cell function in cellular models, human islets and in human carriers.

Selected publications

Gheni G, Ogura M, Iwasaki M et al. Glutamate Acts as a Key Signal Linking Glucose Metabolism to Incretin/cAMP Action to Amplify Insulin Secretion. Cell Reports 2014;9:661-73.

Latreille M, Hausser J, Stützer I et al. MicroRNA-7a regulates pancreatic b cell function. The Journal of Clinical Investigation 2014;124:2722–35.