
RESEARCH SCIENTIST
PhD
Tel: +33(0)1.80.00.63.40
Bibliography
- 30 publications indexed Pubmed, 47 publications indexed Web of Science, 2 book chapters, 11 published poster, 18 invited presentation, 1 US patent.
- H-index Scopus: 17
Area of Research
Neurogenesis and behavioral effects of antidepressants.
After 12 years working as research assistant in Rene Hen’s lab (Columbia University, USA), Indira David obtained her Ph.D. in Neuropsychopharmacology in 2013 at the University of Paris-Saclay in France mentored by Pr. Alain Gardier and Co-mentored by Pr. René Hen at Columbia University. Her research, as a graduate student and later as a postdoctoral fellow, focused on the role of the adult hippocampal neurogenesis on the anxiolytic/antidepressant-like activity induced by 5-HT4 receptor activation.
Her academic training in neuropsychopharmacology and extensive research background in behavioral study and in neurochemistry has provided her with a solid technical knowledge in immunochemistry, behavior and neurochemistry couples to optogenetic and fiber photometry principles. She also gained a broad knowledge in biomarker development, mouse models, and human preclinical studies.
She continues to investigate the 5-HT4 receptor modulation that underlie mood-related behavior and eventually use this insight for translational research in anxiety and depression disorders with new approaches such as in vivo optogenetic and fiber photometry.
Current funded projects
- Title: Synaptogenesis as a readout of antidepressant response in major depression: a translational approach.
- Major Goals: The current project proposes a translational program to provide in-depth monitoring of synaptogenesis associated with efficacy of conventional antidepressant treatment with venlafaxine (VENLA) alone or associated with KET as a booster of efficacy.
- Status of Support: current
- Project Number: Synaptomood
- Name of PI: Romain Colle/ Claire Leroy/Denis David/ Nicolas Tournier
- Co-investigator:: Indira Mendez-David
- Source of Support: French National Agency for Research
- Primary Place of Performance: Universite Paris-Saclay
- Project/Proposal Start and End Date: (MM/YYYY) (if available): 01/11/22 – 30/10/26
- Total Award Amount (including Indirect Costs): 795 000€
- Major Goals: The current project proposes a translational program to provide in-depth monitoring of synaptogenesis associated with efficacy of conventional antidepressant treatment with venlafaxine (VENLA) alone or associated with KET as a booster of efficacy.
- Title: Relevance of [11C]UCB-J Positron Emission Tomography imaging to non-invasively monitor the role of synaptic plasticity in relation to antidepressant therapeutic efficacy
- Major Goals: This proposal is an exploratory preclinical project aiming to profile the in vivo dynamics of changes in synaptic density in response to antidepressant treatment.
- Status of Support: current
- Project Number: Graduate School Health and Drug Sciences-2021
- Name of PI: Denis David/ Indira Mendez-David/Nicolas Tournier/Claire Leroy
- Source of Support: Platform collaboration call
- Primary Place of Performance: Universite Paris-Saclay
- Project/Proposal Start and End Date: 01/01/22 – 31/12/22
- Total Award Amount (including Indirect Costs): 10 000€
- Major Goals: This proposal is an exploratory preclinical project aiming to profile the in vivo dynamics of changes in synaptic density in response to antidepressant treatment.
- Title: Serotonin 4 ligands to treat anxiety
- Major Goals: The current project has the dual objective of fully characterizing the anxiolytic properties of this new class of 5-HT4R agonists and pursuing their optimization to improve their efficacy and selectivity.
- Status of Support: current
- Project Number: Healthi-2022
- Name of PI: Denis David/ Indira Mendez-David/Delphine Joseph/Emmanuelle Drege
- Source of Support: Emergence call_Interdisciplinary Action Health and Therapeutic Innovation
- Primary Place of Performance: Universite Paris-Saclay
- Project/Proposal Start and End Date: 01/09/22 – 31/08/23
- Total Award Amount (including Indirect Costs): 50 000€
- Major Goals: The current project has the dual objective of fully characterizing the anxiolytic properties of this new class of 5-HT4R agonists and pursuing their optimization to improve their efficacy and selectivity.
- Title: Novel insights into mechanisms underlying rapid anxiolytic-like activity after 5-HT4 receptor activation.
- Major Goals: The general goal of this proposal, using genetic and pharmacological approaches, is to study the contribution of 5-HT4 receptors located on mPFC-raphe projections to fast anxiolytic effects.
- Status of Support: current
- Project Number: Pending
- Name of PI: Indira Mendez-David/
- Source of Support: Young Investigator Award 2022, Brain & Behavior Research Foundation
- Primary Place of Performance: Universite Paris-Saclay
- Project/Proposal Start and End Date: (MM/YYYY) (if available), 15/01/23 – 14/01/25
- Total Award Amount (including Indirect Costs): 70 000$
- Major Goals: The general goal of this proposal, using genetic and pharmacological approaches, is to study the contribution of 5-HT4 receptors located on mPFC-raphe projections to fast anxiolytic effects.
Past funded projects
- Brain and Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) (PI: I Mendez-David) 02/01/18 – 01/31/20
- Prefrontal cortex/Dorsal Raphe nucleus and fast anxiolytic effects after 5-HT4 receptor activation.
- Deniker Foundation (PI: Indira Mendez-David) 01/01/18 – 31/12/18
- Role of 5-HT4 in fast anxiolytic/antidepressant action
Honors
- 2023-2025 NARSAD Young Investigator Award, The Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, USA).
- 2022-2023: Visiting Scientist, Division of Integrative Neurosciences, Dpt of Psychiatry, Columbia University
- 2019 Call Research Network Paris-Saclay Mobilité, University Paris-Saclay.
2017-2019 NARSAD Young Investigator Award, The Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, USA).
2018 Audience Prize, Deniker Foundation. - 2018 Research grant Award, Deniker Foundation
- 2015 Award for the best innovation in basic science: CORT model (shared with Pr Denis DAVID. Deniker Foundation.
- 2014 Award of the best publication in Psychiatry (doi: 10.1038/npp.2013.332), French Psychiatry meeting.
Travel Awards
- 2022 American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) Under Represent Minority Past Travel Award.
- 2020 American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) travel Award.
Selected Publications
hang, W. L., K. Tegang, B. A. Samuels, M. Saxe, J. Wichmann, D. J. David, I. M. David, A. Augustin, H. Fischer, S. Golling, J. Lamerz, D. Roth, M. Graf, S. Zoffmann, L. Santarelli, R. Jagasia and R. Hen (2024). « Pharmacological Enhancement of Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis Improves Behavioral Pattern Separation in Young and Aged Mice. » bioRxiv.
Nguyen, T. M. L., J.-P. Guilloux, C. Defaix, I. Mendez-David, I. Etting, J.-C. Alvarez, J. C. McGowan, J. N. Highland, P. Zanos, J. Lovett, R. Moaddel, E. Corruble, D. J. David, T. D. Gould, C. A. Denny and A. M. Gardier (2024). « Ketamine metabolism via hepatic CYP450 isoforms contributes to its sustained antidepressant actions. » bioRxiv.
Nguyen, T. M. L., C. Defaix, I. Mendez-David, L. Tritschler, I. Etting, J. C. Alvarez, W. Choucha, R. Colle, E. Corruble, D. J. David and A. M. Gardier (2023). « Intranasal (R, S)-ketamine delivery induces sustained antidepressant effects associated with changes in cortical balance of excitatory/inhibitory synaptic activity. » Neuropharmacology 225: 109357.
Mendez-David, I., D. J. David, C. Delomenie, L. Tritchler, J. M. Beaulieu, R. Colle, E. Corruble, A. M. Gardier and R. Hen (2023). « A complex relation between levels of adult hippocampal neurogenesis and expression of the immature neuron marker doublecortin. » Hippocampus.
Doan, J., C. Defaix, I. Mendez-David, A. M. Gardier, R. Colle, E. Corruble, J. C. McGowan, D. J. David, J. P. Guilloux and L. Tritschler (2023). « Intrahippocampal injection of a selective blocker of NMDA receptors containing the GluN2B subunit, Ro25-6981, increases glutamate neurotransmission and induces antidepressant-like effects. » Fundam Clin Pharmacol.
Chen, B. K., V. M. Luna, M. Jin, A. Shah, M. E. Shannon, M. Pauers, B. L. Williams, V. Pham, H. C. Hunsberger, A. M. Gardier, I. Mendez-David, D. J. David and C. A. Denny (2023). « A tale of two receptors: simultaneous targeting of NMDARs and 5-HT (4) Rs exerts additive effects against stress. » bioRxiv.
Poinsignon, V., R. Colle, K. E. Asmar, I. Mendez-David, D. J. David, A. E. K. Ait Tayeb, K. Chappell, F. Gressier, H. Herrero, B. Feve, L. Becquemont, E. Corruble and C. Verstuyft (2022). « The GG genotype of the serotonin 4 receptor genetic polymorphism, rs1345697, is associated with lower remission rates after antidepressant treatment: Findings from the METADAP cohort. » J Affect Disord 299: 335-343.
Mesdom, P., R. Colle, L. Becquemont, K. Chappell, D. J. David, I. Mendez-David, E. Corruble and C. Verstuyft (2022). « Tobacco use is associated with low peripheral beta-arrestin 1 levels in major depression: A preliminary report. » Drug Alcohol Depend 240: 109653.
Mendez-David, I., R. Schofield, L. Tritschler, R. Colle, J. P. Guilloux, A. M. Gardier, E. Corruble, R. Hen and D. J. David (2022). « Reviving through human hippocampal newborn neurons. » Encephale 48(2): 179-187.
Lebeau, R. H., I. Mendez-David, L. Kucynski-Noyau, C. Henry, D. Attali, M. Plaze, R. Colle, E. Corruble, A. M. Gardier, R. Gaillard, J. P. Guilloux and D. J. David (2022). « Peripheral proteomic changes after electroconvulsive seizures in a rodent model of non-response to chronic fluoxetine. » Front Pharmacol 13: 993449.
Mendez-David I, Schofield R, Tritschler L, Colle R, Guilloux JP, Gardier AM, Corruble E, Hen R, David DJ. Reviving through human hippocampal newborn neurons. Encephale. 2021 Oct 11;. doi: 10.1016/j.encep.2021.09.001. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 34649711.
Chen BK, Luna VM, LaGamma CT, Xu X, Deng SX, Suckow RF, Cooper TB, Shah A, Brachman RA, Mendez-David I, David DJ, Gardier AM, Landry DW, Denny CA. Sex-specific neurobiological actions of prophylactic (R,S)-ketamine, (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine, and (2S,6S)-hydroxynorketamine. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2020 Aug;45(9):1545-1556. doi: 10.1038/s41386-020-0714-z. Epub 2020 May 17. PubMed PMID: 32417852; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7360766.
Agasse F, Mendez-David I, Christaller W, Carpentier R, Braz BY, David DJ, Saudou F, Humbert S. Chronic Corticosterone Elevation Suppresses Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis by Hyperphosphorylating Huntingtin. Cell Rep. 2020 Jul 7;32(1):107865. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107865. PubMed PMID: 32640230.
Pham TH, Defaix C, Nguyen TML, Mendez-David I, Tritschler L, David DJ, Gardier AM. Cortical and raphe GABAA, AMPA receptors and glial GLT-1 glutamate transporter contribute to the sustained antidepressant activity of ketamine. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2020 May;192:172913. doi: 10.1016/j.pbb.2020.172913. Epub 2020 Mar 20. PubMed PMID: 32201299.
Faye C, Hen R, Guiard BP, Denny CA, Gardier AM, Mendez-David I, David DJ. Rapid Anxiolytic Effects of RS67333, a Serotonin Type 4 Receptor Agonist, and Diazepam, a Benzodiazepine, Are Mediated by Projections From the Prefrontal Cortex to the Dorsal Raphe Nucleus. Biol Psychiatry. 2020 Mar 15;87(6):514-525. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.08.009. Epub 2019 Aug 23. PubMed PMID: 31623825.
Chen, B. K., I. Mendez-David, V. M. Luna, C. Faye, A. M. Gardier, D. J. David and C. A. Denny (2019). « Prophylactic efficacy of 5-HT4R agonists against stress. » Neuropsychopharmacology.
Faye, C., R. Hen, B. P. Guiard, C. A. Denny, A. M. Gardier, I. Mendez-David and D. J. David (2019). « Rapid anxiolytic effects of RS67333, a serotonin type 4 receptor agonist, and diazepam, a benzodiazepine, are mediated by projections from the prefrontal cortex to the dorsal raphe nucleus. » Biol Psychiatry. In Press
Felice, D., J. P. Guilloux, A. Pehrson, Y. Li, I. Mendez-David, A. M. Gardier, C. Sanchez and D. J. David (2018). « Vortioxetine Improves Context Discrimination in Mice Through a Neurogenesis Independent Mechanism. » Front Pharmacol 9: 204.
Tritschler, L., M. A. Kheirbek, Y. L. Dantec, I. Mendez-David, J. P. Guilloux, C. Faye, J. Doan, T. H. Pham, R. Hen, D. J. David and A. M. Gardier (2017). « Optogenetic activation of granule cells in the dorsal dentate gyrus enhances dopaminergic neurotransmission in the Nucleus Accumbens. » Neurosci Res.
Mendez-David, I., C. Boursier, V. Domergue, R. Colle, B. Falissard, E. Corruble, A. M. Gardier, J. P. Guilloux and D. J. David (2017). « Differential Peripheral Proteomic Biosignature of Fluoxetine Response in a Mouse Model of Anxiety/Depression. » Front Cell Neurosci 11: 237.
Mendez-David, I., J. P. Guilloux, M. Papp, L. Tritschler, E. Mocaer, A. M. Gardier, S. Bretin and D. J. David (2017). « S 47445 Produces Antidepressant- and Anxiolytic-Like Effects through Neurogenesis Dependent and Independent Mechanisms. » Front Pharmacol 8: 462.
Lugert, S., T. Kremer, R. Jagasia, A. Herrmann, S. Aigner, C. Giachino, I. Mendez-David, A. M. Gardier, J. P. Carralot, H. Meistermann, A. Augustin, M. D. Saxe, J. Lamerz, G. Duran-Pacheco, A. Ducret, V. Taylor, D. J. David and C. Czech (2017). « Glypican-2 levels in cerebrospinal fluid predict the status of adult hippocampal neurogenesis. » Sci Rep 7: 46543.
Guilloux, J. P., B. A. Samuels, I. Mendez-David, A. Hu, M. Levinstein, C. Faye, M. Mekiri, E. Mocaer, A. M. Gardier, R. Hen, A. Sors and D. J. David (2017). « S 38093, a histamine H3 antagonist/inverse agonist, promotes hippocampal neurogenesis and improves context discrimination task in aged mice. » Sci Rep 7: 42946.
Pham, T. H., I. Mendez-David, C. Defaix, B. P. Guiard, L. Tritschler, D. J. David and A. M. Gardier (2017). « Ketamine treatment involves medial prefrontal cortex serotonin to induce a rapid antidepressant-like activity in BALB/cJ mice. » Neuropharmacology 112(Pt A): 198-209.
Samuels, B. A., I. Mendez-David, C. Faye, S. A. David, K. A. Pierz, A. M. Gardier, R. Hen and D. J. David (2016). « Serotonin 1A and Serotonin 4 Receptors: Essential Mediators of the Neurogenic and Behavioral Actions of Antidepressants. » Neuroscientist 22(1): 26-45.
Brachman, R. A., J. C. MCGowan, J. N. Perusini, S. C. Lim, T. H. Pham, C. Faye, A. M. Gardier, I. Mendez-David, D. J. David, R. Hen and C. A. Denny (2015). « Ketamine as a prophylactic against stress-induced depressive-like behavior. » Biological Psychiatry In Press.
Mendez-David, I., L. Tritschler, Z. E. Ali, M. H. Damiens, M. Pallardy, D. J. David, S. Kerdine-Romer and A. M. Gardier (2015). « Nrf2-signaling and BDNF: A new target for the antidepressant-like activity of chronic fluoxetine treatment in a mouse model of anxiety/depression. » Neurosci Lett 597: 121-126.
Samuels, B. A., I. Mendez-David, C. Faye, S. A. David, K. A. Pierz, A. M. Gardier, R. Hen and D. J. David (2014). « Serotonin 1A and Serotonin 4 Receptors: Essential Mediators of the Neurogenic and Behavioral Actions of Antidepressants. » Neuroscientist. In press.
Darcet, F., I. Mendez-David, L. Tritschler, A. M. Gardier, J. P. Guilloux and D. J. David (2014). « Learning and memory impairments in a neuroendocrine mouse model of anxiety/depression. » Front Behav Neurosci 8: 136.
Mendez-David, I., D. J. David, F. Darcet, M. V. Wu, S. Kerdine-Romer, A. M. Gardier and R. Hen (2014). « Rapid Anxiolytic Effects of a 5-HT Receptor Agonist Are Mediated by a Neurogenesis-Independent Mechanism. » Neuropsychopharmacology. In Press
Mendez-David, I., Z. El-Ali, R. Hen, B. Falissard, E. Corruble, A. M. Gardier, S. Kerdine-Romer and D. J. David (2013). « A method for biomarker measurements in peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from anxious and depressed mice: beta-arrestin 1 protein levels in depression and treatment. » Front Pharmacol 4: 124.
Guilloux, J. P., I. Mendez-David, A. Pehrson, B. P. Guiard, C. Reperant, S. Orvoen, A. M. Gardier, R. Hen, B. Ebert, S. Miller, C. Sanchez and D. J. David (2013). « Antidepressant and anxiolytic potential of the multimodal antidepressant vortioxetine (Lu AA21004) assessed by behavioural and neurogenesis outcomes in mice. » Neuropharmacology 73: 147-159.
Nguyen, H. T., B. P. Guiard, A. Bacq, D. J. David, I. David, G. Quesseveur, S. Gautron, C. Sanchez and A. M. Gardier (2013). « Blockade of the high-affinity noradrenaline transporter (NET) by the selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitor escitalopram: an in vivo microdialysis study in mice. » Br J Pharmacol 168(1): 103-116.
Quesseveur, G., D. J. David, M. C. Gaillard, P. Pla, M. V. Wu, H. T. Nguyen, V. Nicolas, G. Auregan, I. David, A. Dranovsky, P. Hantraye, R. Hen, A. M. Gardier, N. Deglon and B. P. Guiard (2013). « BDNF overexpression in mouse hippocampal astrocytes promotes local neurogenesis and elicits anxiolytic-like activities. » Transl Psychiatry 3: e253.
Mendez-David, I., R. Hen, A. M. Gardier and D. J. David (2013). « Adult hippocampal neurogenesis: an actor in the antidepressant-like action. » Ann Pharm Fr 71(3): 143-149.
Xia, L., C. Delomenie, I. David, Q. Rainer, M. Marouard, H. Delacroix, D. J. David, A. M. Gardier and J. P. Guilloux (2012). « Ventral hippocampal molecular pathways and impaired neurogenesis associated with 5-HT(1)A and 5-HT(1)B receptors disruption in mice. » Neuroscience letters 521(1): 20-25.
Nguyen, H. T., B. P. Guiard, A. Bacq, D. J. David, I. David, G. Quesseveur, S. Gautron, C. Sanchez and A. M. Gardier (2013). « Blockade of the high-affinity noradrenaline transporter (NET) by the selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitor escitalopram: an in vivo microdialysis study in mice. » Br J Pharmacol 168(1): 103-116.
David, D. J., J. Wang, B. A. Samuels, Q. Rainer, I. David, A. M. Gardier and R. Hen (2010). « Implications of the functional integration of adult-born hippocampal neurons in anxiety-depression disorders. » Neuroscientist 16(5): 578-591.
David, D. J., B. A. Samuels, Q. Rainer, J. W. Wang, D. Marsteller, I. Mendez, M. Drew, D. A. Craig, B. P. Guiard, J. P. Guilloux, R. P. Artymyshyn, A. M. Gardier, C. Gerald, I. A. Antonijevic, E. D. Leonardo and R. Hen (2009). « Neurogenesis-dependent and -independent effects of fluoxetine in an animal model of anxiety/depression. » Neuron 62(4): 479-493.
David, D.J., Klemenhagen, K.C., Holick, K.A., Saxe, M.D., Mendez I., Santarelli L., Craig, D.A., Swanson, C., Hedge, L.G., Ping, X.L., Dong, D., Marzabadi, M., Gerald, C., Hen, R. (2007). “Efficacy of the MCHR1 antagonist N-[3-(1-{[4-(3,4-difluorophenoxy)phenyl]methyl}(4-piperidyl))-4-methylphenyl]-2-methylpropanamide (SNAP 94847) in mouse models of anxiety and depression following acute and chronic administration is independent of hippocampal neurogenesis.” J Pharmacol Exp Ther., Jan 19 321(1):237-48.
Saxe MD, Malleret G, Vronskaya S, Mendez I, Garcia AD, Sofroniew MV, Kandel ER, Hen R. (2007) Paradoxical influence of hippocampal neurogenesis on working memory. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Mar 13;104(11):4642-6. Epub 2007 Mar 5.)
Book Chapters
Mendez-David, I., D. J. David, J.-P. Guilloux, R. Hen and A. M. Gardier (2015). « 5-HT4 Receptor Subtype, β-Arrestin Level, and Rapid-Onset Effects of Antidepressant Drugs. » 95: 101-121.
Samuels, B., I. David, D. J. David, A. M. Gardier and R. Hen (2014). Role of hippocampal neurogenesis in the mechanism of action of antidepressant/anxiolytic drugs in animal model of depression and anxiety. Neurobiology of mood disorders. B. P. Guiard and E. Dremencov, Bentham Science Publishers: 210-233.
Guilloux, J. P., D. J. David, B. A. Samuels, I. David, A. M. Gardier and B. P. Guiard (2012). Non-response to initial antidepressant therapy. Psychology. Rijeka, Croatia, InTech.