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Pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases

Pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases

DEPARTMENT

Functional genomics and cancer

TEAM LEADER

Mei LI

The conceptual focus of inflammatory diseases has shifted to epithelium (e.g. skin, airway and gut), which besides provides a physical barrier, also plays active roles in initiating and maintaining the inflammatory responses. Our studies from the last years have established the key role of epithelium-derived cytokine thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in pathogenesis of atopic diseases including atopic dermatitis and asthma. Moreover, TSLP also emerges as a critical player widely implicated in various inflammatory pathologies, such as inflammatory bowel diseases, autoimmunity and cancer. The goals of our research are to investigate how TSLP expression is dysregulated in pathogenic contexts, to decode the complex cellular and molecular networks driven by TSLP in the inflammatory response, and to explore how such networks are implicated in pathogenesis of a variety of inflammatory diseases notably atopic diseases and cancer. To achieve these goals, we utilize integrated approaches of mouse genetic, pathophysiology-relevant mouse models, cellular and molecular biology, as well as systems biology. Based on the acquired knowledge, we also conduct collaborative studies with clinical researchers, with the ultimate goal to develop new biomarkers and therapeutic/prevention strategies for human inflammatory diseases.

 

 

 

 

Members

Researchers

Post-doctoral fellows

PhD students

Engineers

Current projects

  • Cellular and molecular networks driven by TSLP in skin immunity
  • TSLP-driven immune networks in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis and the atopic march
  • Regulation of inflammatory microenvironment associated with cutaneous melanoma

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

News

Uncovering a new immune tolorogenic axis in the skin across inflammation and cancer

In this study newly published in the journal Nature Immunology, the Mei Li's team delineated a previously unknown immunoregulatory axis in which the…

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Awards and recognitions

  • Prize for EFIS-EJI Registration Grant in World Immune Regulation Meeting XV (2021) - Justine Segaud
  • PhD thesis prize of Foundation of the University of Strasbourg (2021) – Beatriz Germán Falcón
  • PhD thesis prize of Strasbourg Biology Society (2021) – Beatriz Germán Falcón
  • Prix Charles Grupper - LEO Pharma (2019) – Beatriz Germán Falcón for the publication “Disrupting IL-36 and IL-23/IL-17 loop underlies the efficacy of calcipotriol and corticosteroid therapy for psoriasis. German, B.*, Wei, R.*, Hener, P., Martins, C, Ye, T., Gottwick, C, Yang, J, Seneschal, J., Boniface, K and Li, M. JCI Insight doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.123390.”
  • Poster Prize (2018) in “15th International Symposium on Dendritic Cells” (Aachen, Germany) – Pierre Marschall
  • IdEx Excellence Prize for "Poster Walk" (2018) in “ 35e Congrès Annuel de la Recherche Dermatologique” (Bordeaux, France) – Wenjin Yao
  • Poster Prize (2017) in “11th World Immune Regulation Meeting” (Davos,Switzerland) – Mei Li
  • Joint USIAS/FRIAS Fellowship - USIAS (Institut d'études Avancées de l'Université de Strasbourg) and FRIAS (l'Institut d’Études Avancées de Fribourg) (2013) – Mei Li
  • Prix de Fondation Simone et Cino del Duca de l’Institut de France (2012) – Mei Li
  • Prix de Recherche de la Société Française d'Allergologie (2012) – Mei Li

Publications

Functional genomics and cancer - Cancer research - Rare diseases