Name:
Pathophysiology and immunotherapy of inflammatory disorders
Leader:
- Florence APPARAILLY
Research axis :
Our team aims at increasing knowledge on the control of inflammation/immunity and developing new therapeutic strategies. Combining fundamental studies of immune cells in mouse models with translational studies of immunological and genetic status in patients, our ultimate objectives are to improve disease diagnosis and classification because a delay in proper diagnosis delays optimal treatment and leads to irreversible organ damages, and to provide insight into biological mechanisms to design new immuno-intervention strategies. Gathering skills for genetics, functional genomics, molecular and cellular immunology, gene and cell therapy, experimental animal models (arthritis, cancer and viral infections), biobanking and cutting-edge technologies, we follow 2 main axis:
- Study the pathophysiological mechanisms of chronic joint inflammation
Here, we aim at identifying molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in the triggering, chronicity and resolution of the inflammatory response by focusing on genetic factors and immune cell subsets displaying homeostatic functions (Treg and myeloid cells) in autoimmune and autoinflammatory disorders characterized by chronic joint inflammation.
- Understand the development of physiological antibody-mediated immunomodulation to develop targeted immuno-therapies
Here, we aim at addressing fundamental issues related to mechanisms of antibody-mediated immunomodulation in different pathogenic situations and to develop Ab-based innovative targeted therapeutic strategies. We particularly focus on Ab-FcγR interactions and the role of different FcγR-expressing cells in the modulation of immune responses.
Expertise / know-how:
Next generation sequencing – Exome sequencing – miRNome – (sc)RNAseq – Image Mass Cytometry – Functional genomics – Multi-parametric flow cytometry – Cell sorting – Human and mouse immuno-monitoring – Experimental models of inflammation, cancer and viral Infections (monitoring of clinical, immunological, histopathological parameters) – Isolation, differentiation and in vitro functional characterization of mouse and human neutrophils, T cells, B cells, monocytes, dendritic cells, macrophages and osteoclasts – In vitro and in vivo RNAi – Gain and loss of function studies – Reporter systems for validation of miRNA targets – SeaHorse – Macrophage fate mapping – Parabiosis
Location:
INSERM U1183, CHU Saint Eloi, IRMB, 80 Avenue Augustin Fliche, 34295 Montpellier cedex 5