After having pioneered the cloning by homology of rhodopsin-like GPCRs in the late eighties, the Institute has built expertise in
the study of a variety of GPCR subfamilies. These include mainly the glycoprotein hormone receptors, receptors for chemokines and
other leucocyte chemoattractants, adenosine receptors, P2Y nucleotide receptors, cannabinoid receptors. Studies include
structure-function relationships (glycoprotein hormone receptors, chemokine receptors, purinergic receptors), regulation of downstream
cascades and gene expression by microarrays (leucocyte receptors), in vivo phenotypic studies of mice with invalidated receptor genes
(adenosine A2a receptor, cannabinoid CB1 receptor, prolactin-releasing peptide receptor, P2Y4, P2Y6 and P2Y13 receptors, orphan
receptors). The group studies also GPCR dimerization and the pharmacological and functional consequences of this process. In
addition, a strong emphasis is put on the identification of the natural agonists of a wide diversity of orphan GPCRs, and the functional
characterization of these receptors in physiology, human diseases and animal models.