Nicolas Pillon

Nicolas Pillon

Assistant Senior Lecturer | Research team leader | Docent
Visiting address: Solnavägen 9, Biomedicum C4, 17165 Solna
Postal address: C3 Fysiologi och farmakologi, C3 FyFa IF Inflammation och metabolism, 171 77 Stockholm
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About me

  • Docent and team leader for the team inflammation and metabolism, Nicolas Pillon is interested in understanding how the immune system regulates skeletal muscle function and metabolism.

    Born in the French Alps, Nicolas moved to Lyon (France) to do his PhD in the laboratory of Dr. Hubert Vidal. In 2011, he joined Prof. Amira Klip's laboratory in Toronto (Canada), where he started working on immunometabolism using /in vitro/ models of inflammation and insulin resistance. Nicolas joined the Karolinska Institutet in 2015 and has been a team leader since 2022.

Research

  • Imagine your body as a complex system where the immune system is the security team. They need to work in synergy with all other organs for everything to run smoothly, especially when it comes to using energy from food. This balance is key to preventing and managing metabolic diseases, like type 2 diabetes. Our project dives into how these two vital components interact, particularly during exercise or when our body faces challenges like too much sugar. Our goal is to uncover new knowledge that could point us toward better ways to prevent or treat metabolic diseases. This project is about blending detailed scientific research with the bigger picture of improving health. By studying how the immune system and muscles talk to each other, we're hoping to find new strategies to keep everyone healthier.

Teaching

  • As a dedicated educator in physiology, cellular biology and biomedicine, Nicolas has significantly contributed to both undergraduate and graduate education in Sweden and France. His international experience is highlighted by previous teaching roles at Stockholm University, Université de Lyon, and INSA, emphasizing his commitment to the internationalization of education. He currently leads physiology courses at Karolinska Institutet and KTH Royal Institute of Technology. 

Selected publications

  • Article: CELL REPORTS MEDICINE. 2024;5(1):101348
    Dollet L; Lundell LS; Chibalin AV; Pendergrast LA; Pillon NJ; Lansbury EL; Elmastas M; Frendo-Cumbo S; Jalkanen J; Barbosa TDC; Cervone DT; Caidahl K; Dmytriyeva O; Deshmukh AS; Barres R; Ryden M; Wallberg-Henriksson H; Zierath JR; Krook A
  • Article: AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY - ENDOCRINOLOGY AND METABOLISM. 2023;324(4):E289-E298
    Abdelmoez AM; Dmytriyeva O; Zurke Y-X; Trauelsen M; Marica AA; Savikj M; Smith JAB; Monaco C; Schwartz TW; Krook A; Pillon NJ
  • Article: SCIENCE ADVANCES. 2022;8(36):eabo3192
    Pillon NJ; Smith JAB; Alm PS; Chibalin AV; Alhusen J; Arner E; Carninci P; Fritz T; Otten J; Olsson T; de ten Ryen SVD; Deldicque L; Caidahl K; Wallberg-Henriksson H; Krook A; Zierath JR
  • Article: NATURE GENETICS. 2022;54(9):1332-1344
    Wang Z; Emmerich A; Pillon NJ; Moore T; Hemerich D; Cornelis MC; Mazzaferro E; Broos S; Ahluwalia TS; Bartz TM; Bentley AR; Bielak LF; Chong M; Chu AY; Berry D; Dorajoo R; Dueker ND; Kasbohm E; Feenstra B; Feitosa MF; Gieger C; Graff M; Hall LM; Haller T; Hartwig FP; Hillis DA; Huikari V; Heard-Costa N; Holzapfel C; Jackson AU; Johansson A; Jorgensen AM; Kaakinen MA; Karlsson R; Kerr KF; Kim B; Koolhaas CM; Kutalik Z; Lagou V; Lind PA; Lorentzon M; Lyytikainen L-P; Mangino M; Metzendorf C; Monroe KR; Pacolet A; Perusse L; Pool R; Richmond RC; Rivera NV; Robiou-Du-Pont S; Schraut KE; Schulz C-A; Stringham HM; Tanaka T; Teumer A; Turman C; Van der Most PJ; Vanmunster M; Van Rooij FJA; Van Vliet-Ostaptchouk JV; Zhang X; Zhao J-H; Zhao W; Balkhiyarova Z; Balslev-Harder MN; Baumeister SE; Beilby J; Blangero J; Boomsma DI; Brage S; Braund PS; Brody JA; Bruinenberg M; Ekelund U; Liu C-T; Cole JW; Collins FS; Cupples LA; Esko T; Enroth S; Faul JD; Fernandez-Rhodes L; Fohner AE; Franco OH; Galesloot TE; Gordon SD; Grarup N; Hartman CA; Heiss G; Hui J; Illig T; Jago R; James A; Joshi PK; Jung T; Kahonen M; Kilpelainen TO; Koh W-P; Kolcic I; Kraft PP; Kuusisto J; Launer LJ; Li A; Linneberg A; Luan J; Vidal PM; Medland SE; Milaneschi Y; Moscati A; Musk B; Nelson CP; Nolte IM; Pedersen NL; Peters A; Peyser PA; Power C; Raitakari OT; Reedik M; Reiner AP; Ridker PM; Rudan I; Ryan K; Sarzynski MA; Scott LJ; Scott RA; Sidney S; Siggeirsdottir K; Smith AV; Smith JA; Sonestedt E; Strom M; Tai ES; Teo KK; Thorand B; Toenjes A; Tremblay A; Uitterlinden AG; Vangipurapu J; Van Schoor N; Volker U; Willemsen G; Williams K; Wong Q; Xu H; Young KL; Yuan JM; Zillikens MC; Zonderman AB; Ameur A; Bandinelli S; Bis JC; Boehnke M; Bouchard C; Chasman DI; Smith GD; De Geus EJC; Deldicque L; Dorr M; Evans MK; Ferrucci L; Fornage M; Fox C; Garland TJ; Gudnason V; Gyllensten U; Hansen T; Hayward C; Horta BL; Hypponen E; Jarvelin M-R; Johnson WC; Kardia SLR; Kiemeney LA; Laakso M; Langenberg C; Lehtimaki T; Le Marchand L; Magnusson PKE; Martin NG; Melbye M; Metspalu A; Meyre D; North KE; Ohlsson C; Oldehinkel AJ; Orho-Melander M; Pare G; Park T; Pedersen O; Penninx BWJH; Pers TH; Polasek O; Prokopenko I; Rotimi CN; Samani NJ; Sim X; Snieder H; Sorensen TIA; Spector TD; Timpson NJ; Van Dam RM; Van der Velde N; Van Duijn CM; Vollenweider P; Volzke H; Voortman T; Waeber G; Wareham NJ; Weir DR; Wichmann H-E; Wilson JF; Hevener AL; Krook A; Zierath JR; Thomis MAI; Loos RJF; Den Hoed M
  • Article: DIABETES. 2022;71(4):624-636
    Dollet L; Kuefner M; Caria E; Rizo-Roca D; Pendergrast L; Abdelmoez AM; Karlsson HKR; Bjornholm M; Dalbram E; Treebak JT; Harada J; Naslund E; Ryden M; Zierath JR; Pillon NJ; Krook A
  • Review: CELL. 2021;184(6):1530-1544
    Pillon NJ; Loos RJF; Marshall SM; Zierath JR
  • Article: AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY - CELL PHYSIOLOGY. 2020;318(3):C615-C626
    Abdelmoez AM; Puig LS; Smith JAB; Gabriel BM; Savikj M; Dollet L; Chibalin AV; Krook A; Zierath JR; Pillon NJ
  • Article: NATURE COMMUNICATIONS. 2020;11(1):470
    Pillon NJ; Gabriel BM; Dollet L; Smith JAB; Puig LS; Botella J; Bishop DJ; Krook A; Zierath JR

Articles

All other publications

Grants

Employments

  • Assistant Senior Lecturer, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, 2022-
  • Postdoctoral Researcher, Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, 2011-2015
  • Lecturer, Biochemistry, Claude Bernard University Lyon 1, 2009-2010

Degrees and Education

  • Docent, Karolinska Institutet, 2021
  • PhD, Biochemistry, Bioscience, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon, 2011

Leadership and responsibility assignments

Distinction and awards

News from KI

Events from KI