Emmanuelle Cordat

Area of Study / Keywords

renal physiology membrane transporters bicarbonate transporters claudins polarized epithelium collecting duct tight junctions calcium homeostasis acid-base homeostasis paracellular and transcelllar transport

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About

Dr. Cordat joined the Department of Physiology at the University of Alberta in 2007 after completing a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Toronto and a Ph.D. degree at the University of Nice/Sophia-Antipolis (France). She is a member of the American Society of Nephrology, the American Society of Cell Biology and the Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences. She regularly reviews manuscripts, seats on several editorial panels and reviews grant applications for the Kidney Foundation of Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and other funding agencies.

The Cordat’s lab is looking for a highly motivated, hard-working and well-organized graduate student to join the team!

Website: https://sites.google.com/ualberta.ca/cordat/

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Research

Research in the Cordat’s lab is focused on renal handling of ions, with a particular emphasis on the physiological role of bicarbonate transporters in the renal collecting duct. These transporters are expressed in many organs where they participate in acid-base homeostasis and electrolyte balance. Any imbalance of plasma bicarbonate homeostasis alters a number of physiological processes, including homeostasis of oxalate, a component of 80 % of kidney stones, indirect regulation of water reabsorption, plasma pH homeostasis, bile duct function, spermatogenesis, vision, hearing or cardiovascular function.

The Cordat’s lab works on the physiology and pathophysiology of renal intercalated cells and the specific role of the kidney anion exchanger 1 (kAE1) protein in these cells. Inherited kAE1 mutations can induce a kidney disease called distal renal tubular acidosis (dRTA). This disease causes failure to thrive, muscle weakness and kidney stones.

Our laboratory has 3 main research topics: the first focuses on the pathophysiology of the renal intercalated cell loss in dRTA patients, the second investigates the persistence of kidney stone development in dRTA patients even after their acidosis is corrected and the third one aims at understanding the role of intercalated cells in innate immunity.

Our research will have an impact on our understanding of (1) kidney stone formation, a painful condition that affects one in ten Canadians throughout their lifetime, and (2) urinary tract infections, a common condition that causes roughly 500,000 visits per year to physicians in Canada.

Techniques used in Dr. Cordat's lab: a variety of cell biology and biochemical techniques including immunoblotting, immunoprecipitations, immunofluorescence coupled with confocal microscopy, primary and immortalized cell culture and electrophysiological approaches.

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Teaching

Co-coordinator of PHYSL 461, 466, 467, 468/469 courses

Lecturer for PHYSL 407

Teacher for PHYSL 310

PHYSL 461 - Undergraduate Research Project

Individual study, open to undergraduate students who have identified a supervisor in the Department of Physiology. Co-supervisors from other Departments are permitted. Students will spend one term in the laboratory of a faculty member and carry out a laboratory research project. Registration package and further information are available. Prerequisites: PHYSL 210 or PHYSL 212/214 and consent from the course coordinator.

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PHYSL 467A - Undergraduate Research Project

Individual study, open to undergraduate students who have identified a supervisor in the department of Physiology. Co-supervision with Professors from other Departments is possible, provided that a supervisor from the department of Physiology is identified. Students will spend two terms in the laboratory of a faculty member and carry out a laboratory research project. Prerequisites: PHYSL 210 or PHYSL 212/214 and consent from the course coordinator.

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PHYSL 467B - Undergraduate Research Project

Individual study, open to undergraduate students who have identified a supervisor in the department of Physiology. Co-supervision with Professors from other Departments is possible, provided that a supervisor from the department of Physiology is identified. Students will spend two terms in the laboratory of a faculty member and carry out a laboratory research project. Prerequisites: PHYSL 210 or PHYSL 212/214 and consent from the course coordinator.

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PHYSL 468 - Undergraduate Research Thesis I

Individual study, open to undergraduate students who have identified a supervisor in the Department of Physiology. Taken in conjunction with PHYSL 469, this 6-credit course is the first part of a 12-credit program in two terms resulting in an honours research thesis in physiology. Students will spend the Fall term in the laboratory of a supervisor and carry out a research project to be continued in the second term as PHYSL 469. Co-supervision with Professors from other Departments is possible, provided that a supervisor from the Department of Physiology is identified. Students will be evaluated on an oral presentation, a written research proposal and performance in the laboratory. Prerequisites: PHYSL 210 or PHYSL 212/214 and consent from the course coordinator.

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PHYSL 469 - Undergraduate Research Thesis II

Taken in conjunction with PHYSL 468, this 6-credit course is the second part of a 12-credit program in two terms resulting in an honours research thesis in Physiology. Upon satisfactory progress in first-term PHYSL 468, students will continue their research and produce an honours thesis on their project. Students will be evaluated on a final oral presentation, a written research Thesis and performance in the laboratory. Prerequisites: PHYSL 210 or PHYSL 212/214 and consent from the course coordinator.

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Browse more courses taught by Emmanuelle Cordat

65th Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences . 2022 April;

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65th Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences . 2022 April;

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65th Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences . 2022 April;

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Beggs M.R., Young K., Pan W., O'Neill D.D., Saurette M., Plain A., Rievaj J., Doschak M.R., Cordat E., Dimke H., Alexander R.T.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2021 November; 118 (48) 10.1073/pnas.2111247118

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Li X., Cordat E., Schmitt M.J., Becker B.

Yeast. 2021 September; 38 (9):521-534 10.1002/yea.3652