Nicolas Doucet obtained his B.Sc. in Biochemistry from Laval University (2000), followed by an M.Sc. (2004) and a Ph.D. in enzyme engineering (2007) at the University of Montreal under the supervision of Joelle N. Pelletier. He then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in protein NMR spectroscopy at Yale University with J. Patrick Loria (2007–2010), where he developed expertise in biomolecular dynamics and NMR-based mechanistic analysis. He joined the faculty of the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) in 2010, where he is now Professor of Structural Biology and Protein Engineering.
His research program focuses on understanding how protein structure, dynamics and molecular recognition shape biological function, and on leveraging these principles to design new enzymes, nanobodies and biomolecular tools. His group integrates high-resolution NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, biophysics, computational modeling, and AI-guided protein engineering, notably through the webserver SPASE (Soluble Protein Analog Selection Engine), an in-house molecular design platform developed by his group to accelerate protein sequence redesign, stability prediction and structure analysis.
At INRS, Nick is deeply involved in research infrastructure. He is a core contributor to the IMCM/MIMC (Molecular Interactions and Materials Characterization) platform, supporting advanced structural and biophysical analyses for academic and industrial partners. He also plays key roles in provincial and national networks such as PROTEO, GlycoNet, and collaborative programs in food chemistry and biomolecular characterization. His team co-leads major interdisciplinary initiatives, including projects on maple syrup molecular fingerprinting, food and biomolecular systems chemistry, and collaborative research on RNase biology, galectins, enzyme mechanics, and nanobody design with partners from academia, industry and municipalities.
Nick has received substantial research support from agencies including NSERC, Mitacs, FRQNT, CIHR, NIH, institutional platforms, foundations, etc., and he has acted as co-chair of the NSERC Discovery Grant Evaluation Committee (Genes, Cells and Molecules, 1501) since 2023, as well as a jury member for Québec Science’s “Découvertes de l’année” since 2025. He maintains active collaborations with colleagues across the molecular biosciences community — including structural biology, microbiology, analytical chemistry, and biophysics — and his trainees have received numerous competitive awards (CIHR, NSERC, FRQNT, international travel fellowships, etc.).
His lab continues to advance fundamental and applied protein science by combining mechanistic understanding with intelligent molecular design, with applications ranging from therapeutic protein engineering to nanobody development, food chemistry, and biotechnological innovation.