LEVEX microREGAL Project – CRNH-Ouest

The microREGAL project, funded through the LEVEX call of the CRNH-Ouest and running until the end of 2026, aims to elucidate the role of GLP-1 in the regulation of food reward, in interaction with the gut microbiota. Led by the Rennes-based laboratory NuMeCan (Adélie Salin, Gaëlle Boudry) in collaboration with PhAN (Vincent Paillé), this seed project investigates the neurobiological mechanisms underlying individual and sex-specific differences in responsiveness to GLP-1 analogues, which are increasingly used in clinical practice. PhAN's contribution focuses on identifying and characterizing the brain pathways and gut–brain circuits involved in GLP-1 signaling, with particular attention to vagal afferent pathways and reward-related neural networks. By integrating microbiota, endocrine and neuroscience approaches, microREGAL aims to generate robust preliminary data to support a future ANR proposal, with strong translational potential for understanding and managing eating behavior disorders.