Training/Positions held

2024-present Senior Lecturer

Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine

School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences

Queen's University Belfast, UK

2021-2024 Lecturer

Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine

School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences

Queen's University Belfast, UK

2018-2021 Vice-Chancellor's Fellow

Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine

School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences

Queen's University Belfast, UK

2012-2018 Postdoctoral Fellow

Supervisor: Prof Michel Bouvier

Research Focus: Investigation of GPCR bias and signalling using BRET-based technology

Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer

University of Montreal, Canada

2006-2011 PhD Neuroscience

Supervisor: Prof Mario Tiberi

Project Title: Comprehensive model of G protein-coupled receptor regulation by Protein Kinase C: insight from dopamine D1 and D5 receptor studies.

Brain and Mind Research Institute

University of Ottawa, Canada

2003-2005 MSc Physiology

Supervisor: Prof Nicole Gallo-Payet

Project Title: Role of TrkA receptor in Angiotensin II AT₂ receptor signalling.

Department of Medicine

University of Sherbrooke, Canada

2000-2003 BSc Biochemistry (Coop program)

Department of Biochemistry

University of Sherbrooke, Canada

Research Interests

Dr Plouffe's research focuses on the pharmacology and signalling of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). GPCRs represent the largest family of cell surface proteins (∼800 members) and participate in the control of virtually all physiological functions by mediating most of our responses to hormones, neurotransmitters and environmental stimulants such as odorants, tastants and light. For this reason, GPCRs are the targets of ∼50% of all prescribed drugs worldwide and the most important target of current pharmaceutical development and industry.

The Plouffe group is primarily interested in 2 aspects of GPCR pharmacology and signalling:

1- The spatial properties of GPCR signalling. In other words, how does the subcellular location of these receptors shape their cellular response?

2- The structural determinants of allostery and biased GPCR signalling. In other words, which residues tune the receptor response up or down or preferentially select a signalling pathway over another?

“Our central goal is to increase our understanding of these important aspects of GPCR signalling to propose new and better pharmacotherapeutic options (increased efficacy and reduced side effects) for a wide range of diseases”.

Dr Plouffe has published her work in respected and high impact journals and her research has been recognized worldwide in prestigious Awards including Fellowships from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research and Diabetes Canada, as well as Awards from Diabetes UK, the Wellcome Trust and the UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

Join the team!

The Plouffe group is welcoming applications from enthusiastic and ambitious students and postdoctoral researchers who wish to work at the cutting-edge of pharmacology and cellular signalling. Please contact Dr Bianca Plouffe for further information ([email protected]).

Current projects in the lab

1- To investigate the mechanisms translating Gq signalling from endosomes.

2- To unleash the neuroprotective function of the prostaglandin receptor EP2.

2- To delineate the role of secreted Frizzled related protein 2 in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. 

3- To investigate the role of US28 subcellular location in its oncomodulatory properties in the context of glioblastoma. 

4- To understand allosteric and biased GPCR signalling to design new therapeutic molecules.   

Past and present group members

Postdoctoral Research Fellows

- Dr Carole Daly (2023-present)

- Dr Kanhaya Lal (2021-2023; co-supervision)

Technicians

- Shane Houston (2019-2020)

PhD Students

- Samantha Collister (2024-present;  BBSRC/NorthWestBio DTP) 

- Olivia Lucianno (2024-present; co-supervision, BBSRC/NorthWestBio DTP) 

- Adam Wright (2023-present; DfE Studentship) 

- Enyu Jin (2023-present; co-supervision)

- Kara Gizmul (2022-present; co-supervision, Turkish Ministry of Education Studentship)

- Akim Guseynov (2021-present; co-supervision, Horizon 2020 CITI-GENS Marie Curie studentship)

- Tianyi Ding (2019-2024; co-supervision)

- Carole Daly (2019-2022; DfE Studentship)

MSc Students

- Adam Wright (MSc in Exp Medicine 2022-2023)

- Stephen Copeland (MSc in Exp Medicine 2019-2020)

BSc Students

- Niamh Jonston (Biomedical Sciences 2023-2024)

- Connor McGill (Biological Sciences 2023-2024)

- Curtis Buchanan (Biological Sciences 2023)

- Padhraig McNicoll (Biomedical Sciences 2022-2023)

- Adam McShane (Biomedical Sciences 2019-2020)

Summer Students

- Lee Orr 2024 (Nuffield Research Placement)

- Helena Lalwani 2024 (Pharmacy, Indonesia International Institute for Life Sciences, Indonesia)

- Ashraf Mahmoud 2023 (Medical School, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College, Tanzania)

- Éloise Heulet 2019 (Advanced Biology, Université de Nantes, France)

- Lenka Toderova 2019 (Nuffield Research Placement)

- Cole Roberts 2019 (Medical School, University of Dundee, UK)

Selected Awards

• 2022 BBSRC New Investigator Award
• 2019 Diabetes UK Early-Career Small Grant for Basic Scientists
• 2019 Wellcome Trust Seed Award in Science
• 2016 Étudiant-Chercheurs Étoiles Award from Fonds de la Recherche du Québec en Santé
• 2016 Diabetes Canada Postdoctoral Fellowship
• 2012 Canadian Institutes for Health Research Postdoctoral Fellowship
• 2007 Fonds de la Recherche du Québec en Santé Doctoral Award

Recent conference presentations and institutional seminars

2024

Gordon Research Conference 2024 - Phosphorylation and G Protein-Mediated Signaling Networks (June 9-14, Waterville Valley, USA)

Seminar - Department of Pharmacology-Physiology Seminar Series, Université de Sherbrooke (June 6th, Sherbrooke - Canada).

Endocrine Metabolic GPCRs Conference 2024 - From molecules and mechanisms to medicine (April 22-23, Birmingham - UK)

2023

Seminar - Imperial Membrane Receptor Network Seminar Series, Imperial College London (June 6th, London - UK).

Seminar - School of Molecular Biosciences, University of Glasgow (March 8th, Glasgow - UK).

2022

iGPCRnet 2nd Annual Meeting (Sept 30^th, Würzburg - Germany)

6th European Research Network on Signal Transduction (online) (March 28-31).

2021

Seminar - Department of Molecular Pathobiology, NYU College of Dentistry (May 26^th, New York, USA).

2020

Seminar - Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Biology, Baha'I Institute for Higher Education (November 19^th, Teheran - Iran).

2019

Trafficking in Cancer Biology: Interplay, Targeting and Therapy (October 21-24, Turin - Italy).

2018

Seminar - Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps-Universität Marburg (June 12^th, Marburg - Germany).

Seminar -  Medical School, University of Nottingham (June 4^th, Nottingham - UK).

Seminar - Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University (May 24^th, Richmond - USA).

2017

Seminar - Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, University of Montreal (September 22^nd, Montreal - Canada).

7th Scientific Day, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, University of Montreal (May 26^th, Montreal - Canada).

Molecular Pharmacology Gordon Research Seminars (March 12^th, Barga - Italy).

Biomedical Sciences

BMS2117 Advanced Neuroscience

BMS3112 BSc Honours project

Biological Sciences

BIO3308 Research project

Foundation Biological Sciences

FDR1301 Work Based Learning 1

Medicine

MED1012 Personal Development Portfolio Tutor (Y1)

MED1028: Foundations for Practice 1 (Y1)

• Fundamentals of Clinical Sciences (FoCS) unit
• Cardiovacular, Respiratory and Haematology (CRH) unit

MED2022: Foundations for Practice 2 (Y2)

• Gastrointestinal, Endocrine, Renal, Reproductive (GERR) unit
• Neurology unit

• WWIEM REF committee member (07/2024 - present)
• BBSRC Pool of Experts member (01/2024 - 12/2026)
• WWIEM Undergraduate Committee member (02/2022 - present)
• WWIEM Equipment Committee member (02/2023 - 02/2024)
• QUB Wellcome Trust Funder Liaison Group Committee member (01/2020 - present)