Bacterial systemic infections are a major public health issue worldwide. Even in Western countries where antibiotics and vaccines are readily available, bacterial infections remain a major cause of death. They occur both in the community context and in the context of medical care.
Our long term goal is a better understanding of the pathogenesis of bacterial systemic infections in order to identify new targets for prevention and treatment. We focus on three pathogens, which are model organisms allowing us to address many facets of bacteria-host interactions: Neisseria meningitidis, Staphylococcus aureus and Francisella tularensis.
Our Lab is part of the Necker-Enfants Malades Institute (INEM) on the Necker campus that also hosts the Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital and the Imagine Institute. In addition to the amazing location we enjoy in the center of Paris near the Invalides and the Eiffel Tower, we benefit from the cutting edge technological platforms of the campus (cytometry, cell imaging, proteomic…).
One of the main features of our Institute is the close interaction between the research labs and the clinical departments of the Necker children hospital which is one of the leading pediatric hospitals in Europe. Our research projects are highly translational and dedicated to “bench to bedside” concept. Many researchers in our team have joint appointments in research labs and medical departments. The Necker-Enfants Malades Institute comprises today 19 research teams grouped in two departments. Our team belongs to the department of Immunology, Infectiology and Haematology (I2H) and has developed many national and international collaborations.