Biography
Pr Marie-Paule Gonthier
Diabète athérothrombose Thérapies Réunion Océan Indien (UMR DéTROI U1188) – Université de La Réunion-UFR SANTE- Terre Saint- 77 Avenue du docteur Jean Marie Dambreville 97410 Saint Pierre – La Réunion – France
Tel : (262) 262 93 82 01 Fax : (262) 262 93 82 37
marie-paule.gonthier@univ-reunion.fr
Marie-Paule Gonthier has received her PhD degree from the Faculty of Medicine of Clermont-Ferrand, France in 2003. Her work consisted on exploring the bioavailability and microbial metabolic fate of dietary antioxidant polyphenols in humans. Then from 2003 to 2005, she has been assistant professor at the University of La Réunion, France, and contributed to teaching activities in biochemistry and nutrition fields. From 2005 to 2006, Marie-Paule Gonthier spent a postdoctoral period with Pr. Vincenzo Di Marzo, in the Endocannabinoid Research Group based at the National Research Center of Naples, Italy. In 2007, the University of La Réunion, France, hired her as assistant professor and habilitation was achieved in 2010. She has been the academic supervisor for students preparing a first degree level in Biology and Food Sciences at the Institute of Technology, for 5 years. In 2013, she became full Professor at the Medicine Faculty of University of La Réunion and has supervised students from the 3rd year of Medicine school. She is a member and the assistant director of the Chronic Inflammation and Obesity Research Group. Her work aims to explore the molecular mechanism involved in the dysregulation of the metabolic function of adipose cells during obesity and to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of polyphenol-rich plant extracts (tropical fruits, medicinal plants) as new nutritional and phytopharmacological strategies which could help to reduce obesity-related disorders such as type 2 diabetes. Three clinical trials have been conducted with clinicians from La Réunion University Hospital to explore the impact of an individual physical activity associated with a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables in the improvement of anthropometric, metabolic and inflammatory profiles of obese subjects. This work is mainly based on the contribution of post-doctoral researchers as well as PhD and Master degree students.