Leukocyte migration in three dimensions, from cellular mechnisms to therapies.

Cell migration is a hallmark of every immune response. Neutrophils exit the circulation to reach pathogens, dendritic cells migrate from the infected the tissues to lymph nodes, and T cells from lymph nodes to inflamed tissues, establishing a cell trafficking circuit that is essential to the maintenance of tissue integrity and life. In this seminar, I will show the research of the Leukomotion lab, in which we investigate cellular mechanisms that allow leukocyte trafficking in the body. This work is focused on live imaging of single-cell dynamics in three-dimensional microenvironments created to recreate tissue structures in vitro taking advantage of original microfabricated tools. In addition, I will show our efforts to use cell motility as a tool to identify new modulators of immune responses.

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From 24 Apr 2024 11:30
Until 24 Apr 2024 12:30
Location FSVMI building, seminar room

Speaker Pablo Vargas
Affiliation Group leader « Leukomotion Lab ». Institut Necker Enfants Malades (INEM). INSERM U1151 - CNRS UMR 8253 - Université Paris Cité
Host Sophie Janssens

Stream View stream
Stream ID 869 5993 4189
Stream Password 366796

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About the speaker

Pablo VARGAS did his PhD at the University of Chile and the institute Curie, in France, where he discovered the coordination of antigen processing and cell migration in dendritic cells (Faure-André*, Vargas* et al, Science, 2008). In 2009 he moved to the Curie Institute, in France, where as postdoc he studied how dendritic cells modulate their cytoskeleton to migrate efficiently in vivo in response to bacterial products (Vargas* et al, NCB). Since then, Vargas et al. have participated to more than 30 publications describing leukocyte migration in health and disease. In 2015 he was tenured (CR1, INSERM), in 2021 he was promoted to research director (DR2), and since 2022 he leads the Leukomotion Lab, at the Institut Necker Enfants Malades (INEM), in Paris, aiming at identifying cellular mechanisms that facilitate immune cell migration in tissues. This work is performed at the single cell level by taking advantage of customized micro-fabricated devices, which allow the control of the microenvironment in which cells move. In this seminar, he will talk about specific mechanisms that leukocytes use to migrate in tissues. He will also discuss on how cell migration can contribute to the physiopathology of immune disorders. Finally, he will show that leukocyte motility can be a powerful tool to identify new specific immunomodulators.