CIML celebrates the International Day of Immunology 2025: When Brain Meets Immunity

On the occasion of the International Day of Immunology 2025, focused on the theme "Brain and Immunity," the Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy  highlights two of its eminent Inserm researchers whose work is revolutionizing our understanding of the interactions between the nervous system and the immune system.
Sophie Ugolini, Team Leader at CIML, has identified innovative mechanisms by which the sensory nervous system modulates immune responses. Her discoveries have notably revealed how certain sensory neurons limit excessive inflammation and promote tissue repair. Her work on Herpes simplex virus infection has shown how the sensory nervous system can orchestrate disease tolerance, preserving host function without necessarily reducing pathogen burden. These findings open promising therapeutic perspectives for inflammatory diseases.
Rejane Rua, Team Leader at CIML, reveals the crucial role of meningeal macrophages at the interface between the brain and the peripheral immune system. Her pioneering research has demonstrated their importance in perinatal brain development, their involvement in cognitive disorders linked to early-life stress, and their protective function against neuroinfections. Her innovative approaches to manipulate these cells represent a major hope in the fight against neurological disorders.
These two researchers exemplify the scientific excellence of CIML in the emerging field of neuroimmunology, where their fundamental discoveries are transforming our understanding of the body's defense mechanisms and paving the way for new therapeutic strategies for neurological and inflammatory diseases.

Dr. Anaïs Roger from CIML receives Aix-Marseille University's Thesis Award

CIML is proud to announce that Dr. Anaïs Roger, a young researcher trained at our institute in Sophie Ugolini's team as a doctoral student, has received the prestigious Aix-Marseille University Thesis Award for her remarkable work defended in 2023.
Each year, Aix-Marseille University grants this prestigious award to recognize the excellence of research conducted by its doctoral students, highlighting the most significant scientific contributions from its laboratories.
Anaïs Roger's thesis, entitled "Regulation of antiviral immune response by the sensory nervous system", was distinguished among the most exemplary works at the university, demonstrating the excellence and innovation of her research at the interface between immunology and neurobiology. Anaïs Roger investigated the complex interactions between the immune system and the sensory nervous system during viral infections. Her research highlighted how sensory neurons, in response to herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection in the skin, produce neuropeptides that regulate the recruitment of pro-inflammatory immune cells, particularly neutrophils.This fundamental discovery reveals a crucial mechanism: this neuronal control is essential both for the repair of damaged tissues and for the induction of a CD8+ T lymphocyte response capable of effectively eliminating virus-infected cells.