The award-winning contribution

The benefits of marine polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) on cardiovascular disease mortality have long been recognized. Indeed, a low rate of coronary heart disease was found in Greenland Eskimo and Japanese population who are exposed to a diet rich in fish oil. Epidemiological, clinical and experimental studies suggested that the cardio-protective effect of fish intake is mainly due to anti-arrhythmic properties of PUFAs, modulating specific ion channels at the cellular level. Moreover, the protective effect of the marine n-3 PUFAs against brain ischemic stroke and epileptic seizures has also been demonstrated. As a consequence it is currently generally accepted that eating (fat) fish twice a week is beneficial for human health.

The work of Dr. Honoré has now demonstrated how PUFAs affects the molecular gating mechanisms at the cellular levelthus providing a better understanding of how to make use of PUFAs in our daily lifes. Indeed he has shown that the fish oil PUFA docosahexaenoic acid (DOHA; C22:6 omega 3) inhibits specific voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels. By contrast, the mechano-gated TREK-1 K2P channel is directly opened by DOHA, resulting in cell hyperpolarization and decreased excitability.

Societal benefit of this scientific work

The research performed by Dr. Eric Honoré on ‘Marine lipids and cellular excitability’ has great value in identifying the mechanisms responsible for potassium channel regulation by fish oil PUFAs. It helps to understand how consumption of fat fish can prevent cardiovascular disease. As additional K2P channel transgenic animals become available the role of other members of this intriguing family of ion channels sensitive to fish oil PUFAs in physiology, pharmacology and pathology will lead to innovative discoveries. The group of Dr. Honoré is currently investigating the protective role of the K2P channels controlled by fish oil PUFAS in the autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, the most frequent human monogenic disease.

Carreer of the laureate

Dr. Eric Honoré (°1961, France) is Director of Research at the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology of the ‘Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique’ (CNRS) in Valbonne (France). In 1986, he received a PhD in Physiology from the University of Lille (France). During his doctoral work, performed in part at the University of Calgary (Canada), he studied cardiac electrophysiology. During his postdoctoral work at the University of Bordeaux (France), he focused on smooth muscle ion channels. After moving to the University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis (France) in 1989, he studied molecular physiology and pharmacology of K+ channels in the laboratory of Prof. Michel Lazdunski. Eric Honoré was a visiting scientist for two years (1995-1996) at the laboratory of molecular embryology directed by Dr. Ali Hemmati-Brivanlou, Rockefeller University (NY, USA). Dr. Honoré is currently the head of the renovascular physiopathology group at the IPMC-CNRS (Valbonne, France).

As laureate of five awards, invited speaker at many national and international fora, editor-in-chief of Pflügers Archiv.Eur.J.Physiol and as an author of many scientific articles, reviews and book chapters, he is one of the most respected French biomedical researchers.

Prize Dr. Edouard Delcroix 2010

The prize ‘Dr. Edouard Delcroix’ has been awarded for the first time in 1997 by the non profit organization Hydro as a tribute to this famous Belgian orthopedic surgeon and pioneer in the thalassotherapy (1891-1973) who inspired this award. The latest winner (2007) of the award was Professor Jan Tytgat of the Catholic University Leuven, who explored the intoxication mechanisms caused by jelly-fish. The award worth 25.000 € is organized every three years by vzw Hydro and the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ).

Venue of the press conference and the prize-giving ceremony

Health Centre Royal Residence, Centre for Oncological Rehabilitation
Koningsstraat 79, 8400 Ostend

Programme

The formal presentation of the ‘Prize Dr. Delcroix 2010’ will take place during the evening programme (start 19:00h, see programme). The laureate, Dr. E. Honoré, can be interviewed by the press from 18:30h onwards.

Press contact