Tribute to Michel Fougereau on behalf of the Center for Immunology of Marseille-Luminy

Today, CIML loses its founding father. In 1976, together with François Kourilsky, Michel Fougereau gave birth to our institution with a revolutionary vision: bringing together research teams from across France on a single site. This international openness and culture of exchange still constitute the DNA of CIML today.
Michel Fougereau was not content with being an institution builder. He was the architect of immunology education in Marseille. He created from scratch the graduate and postgraduate teaching programs in immunology. He founded one of the first doctoral schools in life and health sciences.
How many generations of immunologists have been trained thanks to him? How many scientific careers have flourished thanks to the foundations he laid? This dimension of transmission was essential to him. He knew that science progresses only through the transmission of knowledge and the emergence of new talents.
Fifty years after its creation, CIML continues to shine. More than 200 people keep this excellence alive in the spirit of collegiality and curiosity he wanted from the very beginning. The research conducted in our institute bears his pioneering imprint.
We scientists are always "standing on the shoulders of giants" who preceded us. Michel Fougereau was undeniably one of these giants. He laid the foundations on which we continue to build. He traced paths we still follow today.

http://www.ciml.univ-mrs.fr/science/lab-michel-fougereau/eternal-pioneer

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.