The team led by Christel Vérollet and Renaud Poincloux is awarded the “Equipe FRM” label to launch its research project on the biology of macrophages

Macrophages are innate immune cells that are present in all tissues to maintain immune surveillance and tissue homeostasis. However, in several pathological conditions, such as cancer and HIV-1 infection, these usually protective cells can also participate in disease progression. By combining cutting-edge techniques in optical and electron imaging, cell mechanics and intravital imaging, the team led by C. Verollet & R. Poincloux focuses on the mechanisms used by macrophages to interact with their cellular and extracellular environments, in order to reveal mechanisms that could be usefully targeted to limit their deleterious action in pathological contexts. In the long term, this project will allow the identification of new targets to control macrophages, which will be valuable to combat cancer and infection diseases.

The team has received three years’ funding from the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (FRM label “Equipe 2023”) to develop this project at the IPBS.