News & Activities: 2023-Present

"A snapshot of recent milestones, scientific progress, and collaborations shaping the current trajectory of our research program."

Prior to 2023

📄✨ May 11, 2026: Our Organoids4TB Study was oficially published in Microbiology Spectrum

Our study on advanced human lung models for Tuberculosis was officially published in Microbiology Spectrum (ASM Press).

This work, developed within the Organoids4TB program, represents a collaborative effort between the teams of Celine Cougoule, Etienne Meunier, Christel Vérollet, and Olivier Neyrolles at Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS-CNRS/Université de Toulouse).

The study establishes complementary human lung models of epithelial and macrophage compartments that reveal compartment-specific responses to anti-tuberculosis therapies and host-directed interventions, highlighting the importance of integrating multiple tissue compartments to better understand pulmonary infection biology and therapeutic activity.

Congratulations to all collaborators involved in this collective effort, particularly Caio César Barbosa Bomfim and Natacha Faivre, for their major contributions to this project.

🎤 April 29, 2026: Invited to Deliver a Virtual Talk in REMEX-TB

On this new opportunity, I had the pleasure of participating virtually in REMEX-TB, an important scientific initiative dedicated to advancing tuberculosis research and collaboration across Mexico and internationally.

I am sincerely grateful to Mayra Silva-Miranda for the excellent coordination and support throughout the event, as well as to Rogelio Hernández-Pando, Ángel D. Caamal Ley, and the entire organizing committee for the kind invitation.

During this seminar, I presented our most recent findings on perivascular niche remodeling during Tuberculosis infection. This work is part of an ongoing collaborative effort between the teams of Olivier Neyrolles and Christel Vérollet at IPBS and has been driven in large part by the outstanding contributions of our PhD students, Sarah Monard and Maxime Pingret.

I was also very encouraged by the interest generated around our complementary work using human lung organoids as experimental platforms to study mycobacterial infections. These studies are being developed in collaboration with the Etienne Meunier Research Group, under the leadership of Celine Cougoule, to establish more human-relevant systems for investigating lung infection biology and therapeutic responses.

Participating in REMEX-TB was both scientifically stimulating and personally meaningful. I look forward to maintaining strong interactions with this growing network and contributing, directly and indirectly, to its important mission in tuberculosis research, translational science, and international scientific collaboration.

🎤 April 22, 2026: Invited Talk the UC San Diego HUMANOID Center of Excellence in Human Organoid Research

I had the pleasure of visiting the UC San Diego HUMANOID Center of Excellence in Human Organoid Research, where I was invited to present our current research activities focused on pulmonary niche remodeling, tuberculosis, and human organoid-based models of infection.

I am deeply grateful to Courtney Tindle and Pradipta Ghosh for their warm welcome, generosity, and the time they dedicated throughout the visit. From the thoughtful tour of the center to the engaging scientific discussions, the experience highlighted the highly collaborative and innovative environment fostered within HUMANOID.

During this visit, I had the opportunity to present ongoing work developed at the Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS-CNRS/Université de Toulouse), including collaborative efforts with the Etienne Meunier Research Group, led by Celine Cougoule. The discussions that followed evolved into a stimulating brainstorming session centered on the future integration of advanced human organoid technologies to better understand respiratory infections, lung tissue biology, and the development and benchmarking of pharmacological interventions.

It was also a great pleasure to interact with the talented students, postdoctoral fellows, and project leaders whose work is driving innovation across multiple research areas within the HUMANOID Center. The energy and creativity within the center were truly inspiring.

This visit represents an important step toward establishing a strong and lasting collaboration between our institutes, with the shared objective of advancing translational and human-relevant approaches at the interface of tissue biology, infection, and regenerative medicine.

I sincerely thank the entire HUMANOID community for this inspiring and memorable visit.

📄✨ March 18, 2026: Our Organoids4TB Study Accepted in Microbiology Spectrum

Some news are particularly satisfying to share: this is one of them.

On March 18, 2026, we received confirmation that our study, previously available as a preprint (https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.11.10.685269) has been accepted for publication in Microbiology Spectrum (ASM Press).

This work is the result of a sustained and truly collective effort, led by Dr. Céline Cougoule, whose vision and leadership have been instrumental in shaping the Organoids4TB program. I had the pleasure to co-supervise this project alongside her, working closely with Caio and Natacha, who carried this study forward with remarkable commitment and rigor.

At its core, this study reflects several years of work to build more human-relevant lung models of TB, integrating epithelial and macrophage compartments to better capture the complexity of infection. One key insight is that therapeutic responses are not uniform across these compartments, a concept that becomes evident only when such systems are developed and studied side by side.

This work was also made possible by the support of the iTHEMIC European program, which provided a strong framework for developing innovative, translational approaches that bridge fundamental biology and therapeutic evaluation.

What made this moment even more rewarding was the tone of the reviews. The manuscript was received with enthusiasm, and the reviewers acknowledged both the quality of the revisions and the value of the work, with no further major concerns; always a gratifying outcome after a long and demanding process.

Beyond the publication itself, this acceptance reflects something deeper: the strength of collaborative science, the importance of shared mentorship, and the persistence required to build new experimental platforms from the ground up.

We are very proud of everyone involved in this project and look forward to seeing it officially published soon.

🔬 March 11th, 2026: Maxime Pingret Presents His Work at the Jacobs Lab Meeting Series

Maxime Pingret recently had the opportunity to present his research as part of the lab meeting rotation hosted by Dr. William Jacobs at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The Jacobs Laboratory, widely recognized for its pioneering work on the “death-defying” pathogen M. tuberculosis, provides a stimulating and highly interactive environment for scientific exchange.

On this occasion, Maxime introduced our work on TUBB3⁺pericyte-like cells within tuberculosis granulomas, sharing the conceptual and experimental advances that have led us to reinterpret these cells as part of a perivascular stromal niche. His presentation sparked engaging discussions around the role of vascular-associated cells in shaping the granuloma microenvironment and their potential contribution to host–pathogen dynamics.

This invitation reflects both the growing interest in this emerging research direction and Maxime’s ability to communicate complex ideas with clarity and depth. It also highlights the value of connecting our work with leading international groups tackling fundamental questions in tuberculosis biology.

A great moment of scientific exchange... and a well-deserved spotlight on Maxime’s work!

🧠 March 3rd, 2026: From Peer Review to Nature Immunology Research Briefing

Following our recent contribution to Rapid Reviews: Infectious Diseases (see entry on April 28, 2025), we were initially invited to serve as reviewers for a study examining how hypoxia shapes immune organization and bacterial control in TB granulomas.

Upon acceptance of this work, we were invited by Nick Bernard (Senior Editor) to contribute as opinion experts to a Research Briefing in Nature Immunology: https://www-nature-com.insb.bib.cnrs.fr/articles/s41590-026-02466-x.

This progression stemmed from our joint evaluation of the study alongside Dr. Tejan Lodhiya and Dr. Olivier Neyrolles. Based on our assessment, we encouraged the editorial team to highlight the work, given its strong relevance to the evolving understanding of tissue microenvironments in tuberculosis.

The study advances a compelling concept: hypoxia is not merely a consequence of granuloma structure, but an active driver of immune cell positioning, function, and bacterial control. These findings align closely with our own research framework, which emphasizes how local tissue conditions (including vascularization, metabolic gradients, and niche-specific signals) shape host–pathogen interactions.

This experience reflects a continuum of scientific engagement, from peer review to editorial contributions, illustrating how critical evaluation can also help advance work that reshapes perspectives in the field.

💰✨ 2026: A Double Recognition for Elizabeth Bautista in securing Postdoctoral funding

Following her recent selection as an ANRS Postdoctoral Fellow, we are delighted to share that Elizabeth Bautista has also been awarded a prestigious international postdoctoral fellowship from SECIHTI (Mexico).

This complementary recognition further underscores the strength, originality, and international relevance of her scientific trajectory. The SECIHTI fellowship will support her project on spatiotemporal transcriptomic profiling of nerve remodeling and neuroimmune communication during M. tuberculosis infection, conducted at IPBS under my supervision and co-supervision of Dr. Vérollet.

What makes this dual award particularly meaningful is not only the scientific validation from two major funding agencies, but also the convergence of national and international support toward a truly interdisciplinary research program. At the intersection of neurobiology and infectious disease, Elizabeth’s work exemplifies the kind of bold, integrative science needed to address complex global health challenges.

This achievement reflects both her individual excellence and the growing recognition of neuro–immune research as a transformative frontier in TB biology.

We congratulate Elizabeth on this exceptional accomplishment, a trajectory that continues to gain momentum across borders.

🧪📄 February 2026: Our Work on TB–HIV Co-infection Published in Life Science Alliance

Together with Drs. Olivier Neyrolles and Christel Vérollet, we are delighted to share the publication of our latest work in Life Science Alliance (EMBO/CSH/Rockefeller U. Press):

🔗 https://doi.org/10.26508/lsa.202503333

“Glycolysis inhibition in tuberculosis-driven metabolic rewiring reduces HIV-1 spread in macrophages.”

This study represents a key milestone in our research program on TB–HIV co-infection, uncovering how metabolic rewiring of macrophages in tuberculosis shapes HIV-1 dissemination. By targeting glycolysis, we demonstrate that it is possible to disrupt tunneling nanotube formation and reduce viral spread between macrophages, highlighting metabolism as a critical regulator of host–pathogen interactions.

Beyond the science, this publication is truly the result of teamwork at its best. A special recognition goes to Dr. Zoï Vahlas, who led this project with remarkable dedication, creativity, and resilience. Her work was instrumental in bringing this study to completion.

We also warmly thank our students, engineers, and collaborators whose collective efforts made this project possible. In particular, we acknowledge our long-standing collaboration with Luciana Balboa and her team in Argentina, whose expertise and partnership have been essential throughout this journey. This publication also stands as a strong example of the CNRS IRP program's impact in fostering meaningful international scientific collaborations.

This work represents an important step forward in understanding how immunometabolism shapes infectious disease outcomes, and we are proud of what has been achieved together.

🎤 February 2, 2026: Invited Talk on Neuro–Immune Niches at the TB Research Conference

I was honored to be invited to deliver an oral presentation at the International Conference on Tuberculosis Research, organized by United Scientific Group:

🔗 https://tbresearch.unitedscientificgroup.org/

During this meeting, I presented one of our most recent and exciting findings: the identification of the long-enigmatic TUBB3⁺ cell population in TB granulomas as mural cells, specifically a distinct pericyte state.

This presentation came with both a particular challenge and a privilege, as it followed Bill Jacobs's plenary lecture, a leading figure in TB research. This occasion provided a valuable opportunity to engage in direct, stimulating discussions with him, opening perspectives for future collaboration on this emerging research axis.

Scientifically, this work marks potentially a turning point in our understanding of granuloma biology. By integrating spatial transcriptomics, proteomics, and cross-species analyses, we demonstrate that these cells are not neuronal but instead correspond to infection-induced pericytes with unique transcriptional and functional properties. This discovery reveals a previously unrecognized perivascular–immune axis in which stromal cells actively shape immune responses within the infected lung.

On a more personal note, this presentation also marked my first international oral presentation since 2019, when I last presented at the 33rd Conference of the EMDS Society in Marseille. Returning to the stage after this period was both meaningful and energizing, reflecting a renewed momentum in our research program.

The presentation generated engaging discussions and highlighted the growing interest in tissue niches as key regulators of infectious disease outcomes. It was a pleasure to share this work with the international TB community and to help shape new conceptual frameworks in the field.

🌍 January 16, 2026: Closing Meeting of the CNRS IRP MAC-TB/HIV Program

On January 16, 2026, we held the final meeting of the CNRS International Research Project (IRP MAC-TB/HIV, 2021–2025) at IPBS in Toulouse, marking the culmination of more than a decade of scientific collaboration between France and Argentina.

This event brought together key institutional representatives from CNRS and the University of Toulouse, as well as the French and Argentinian coordinators of the program, to reflect on the achievements of this international partnership. The scientific sessions highlighted major advances in understanding how tuberculosis-associated microenvironments shape macrophage function and drive HIV–TB co-pathogenesis, including contributions from both senior investigators and early-career researchers.

The program featured presentations from Dr. Olivier Neyrolles, Dr. Luciana Balboa, Dr. Chritel Vérollet, and me, alongside a dynamic session led by PhD students and postdoctoral fellows, illustrating the strong training dimension of the IRP. Topics ranged from immunometabolism and host-directed therapies to emerging concepts in neuro–immune and perivascular niches in tuberculosis. The day concluded with a strategic discussion on future directions, reinforcing the continuity and expansion of this collaboration.

This final meeting not only celebrated the scientific achievements of the MAC-TB/HIV program but also highlighted its broader impact in fostering international mobility, training, and long-term partnerships across institutions.

More information on this long-standing collaboration can be found here:

🔗 https://www.ipbs.fr/10-years-of-france-argentina-scientific-collaboration-on-tuberculosis-hiv-co-infection/

💰 January 12, 2026: Elizabeth Bautista Awarded ANRS Postdoctoral Fellowship

Some trajectories feel inevitable, not because they are easy, but because they are built with clarity, depth, and purpose. Elizabeth Bautista’s journey is one of them.

Together with Dr. Neyrolles and Vérollet, we are therefore especially proud to celebrate her selection as an ANRS Postdoctoral Fellow (2026). This distinction recognizes not only an outstanding scientific record but also a rare ability to bridge disciplines, from neurobiology to immunology, and to transform that intersection into meaningful, forward-looking science.

Elizabeth’s work addresses a question that has remained largely unexplored: how neural and immune systems interact within TB granulomas. By focusing on nerve-associated macrophages (NAM) and neuroimmune networks, her project moves beyond conventional paradigms and opens a new conceptual space at the interface of neuroscience and infectious disease.

What makes this achievement particularly meaningful for us is how naturally Elizabeth’s expertise complements and strengthens our program. Her arrival does not simply add a new skill set; it helps consolidate an emerging research direction, bringing the level of rigor and independence required to transform a promising idea into a structured scientific axis.

Beyond her scientific accomplishments, Elizabeth embodies the qualities that define exceptional researchers: intellectual curiosity, methodological precision, generosity in collaboration, and a deep commitment to mentoring and knowledge transmission.

We are thrilled to continue this journey together and look forward to the discoveries that will emerge from this new chapter.

💰 January 12, 2026: ANRS Grant Awarded for the NINe-TB Project

We are pleased to announce that our project “Defining the Pulmonary Neuroimmune Niche in Tuberculosis (NINe-TB)” has been awarded funding by the Agence nationale de recherche sur le sida et les hépatites virales (ANRS).

Project details

Grant ID: ECTZ385779
Duration: 2026–2029
Principal Investigator: Geanncarlo Lugo-Villarino
Partner: Dr. Christel Vérollet (IPBS/CNRS)

Scientific vision:

This project explores an emerging dimension of tuberculosis biology: the pulmonary neuroimmune niche. Moving beyond classical immune-centric views, NINe-TB focuses on how Schwann cells and nerve-associated macrophages shape immune responses within granulomas. By combining advanced imaging, spatial transcriptomics, and functional immunology, we aim to uncover how neural-associated stromal elements influence host–pathogen interactions in the infected lung.

Why it matters

Tuberculosis research has long centered on immune cells, yet increasing evidence suggests that tissue-resident stromal and neural components play critical regulatory roles. By defining this neuro–immune interface, NINe-TB seeks to:

Reveal previously unrecognized regulatory mechanisms within granulomas
Identify novel host-directed therapeutic targets
Expand the conceptual framework of TB pathogenesis toward a tissue-integrated perspective

This award represents an important milestone for our team and reinforces our commitment to exploring how tissue niches shape immunity in infectious diseases.

📝 January 2026: Clara Deyts Leads Her First Peer-Reviewed Commentary in eBioMedicine

A meaningful milestone for Clara Deyts: her first peer-reviewed editorial article has been published in eBioMedicine: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2025.106077

“Alveolar macrophage dysfunction as an early determinant of tuberculosis susceptibility in individuals with type 2 diabetes”

In this commentary, Clara takes the lead as first author, offering a thoughtful perspective on recent work by Kleynhans and colleagues exploring how type 2 diabetes alters early immune responses in TB. The article focuses on the central role of alveolar macrophage dysfunction as a key determinant of increased susceptibility to infection in individuals with diabetes.

This contribution resonates directly with our earlier DiabTB research program, developed in collaboration with Dr. Carmen Serrano in Mexico, where we investigated how metabolic dysregulation reshapes macrophage function and immune communication. Building on this background, the commentary situates new findings within a broader conceptual framework that links metabolism, innate immunity, and disease progression.

Our participation in this piece also reflects the recognition of our expertise in TB–diabetes comorbidity, as we were invited to contribute to the evaluation and interpretation of this work.

For Clara, this publication marks an important step, not only as her first editorial article but also as a clear sign of her ability to engage critically with the literature and help shape discussions in the field.

🌍 November 2025: Welcome Dr. Elizabeth Bautista Rodriguez for a Campus France Research Stay at IPBS

We are delighted to welcome Dr. Elizabeth Bautista Rodríguez to IPBS-CNRS for a short-term research stay supported by a French Government fellowship through Campus France. Her visit, scheduled from November 19, 2025, to March 18, 2026, will take place within our teams as part of an international collaboration focused on neuro–immune interactions in tuberculosis.

Dr. Bautista is an accomplished neuroscientist and professor-researcher from Mexico, with expertise in cellular and molecular neurobiology, epigenetics, and neurodevelopment, and a strong track record of international awards and research leadership. Her interdisciplinary background brings a unique perspective to our research program at the interface of neuroscience and infectious diseases.

During her stay, she will lead a project entitled “Spatiotemporal Transcriptomic Profiling of Nerve Remodeling and Neuroimmune Crosstalk During Mtb Infection”, which aims to characterize how pulmonary innervation is dynamically remodeled during M. tuberculosis infection and how these changes influence immune responses within granulomas. Using cutting-edge spatial transcriptomics (Xenium HD) combined with advanced imaging and bioinformatics approaches, this work will map neuro–immune interactions across different stages of infection and identify key signaling pathways involved in inflammation, neuronal remodeling, and tissue repair.

This collaboration represents an important step in strengthening our international partnerships and advancing our research axis on neuro-immune niches in tuberculosis. It also highlights IPBS's role as a host institution in global training and mobility programs dedicated to emerging infectious diseases.

We warmly welcome Elizabeth to Toulouse and look forward to a productive and inspiring collaboration.

📄 November 2025: BioRxiv Preprint on the Organoids4TB Program and Human Lung Models

We are pleased to announce the release of our preprint:

🔗 https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.11.10.685269

This work represents a major milestone in the Organoids4TB program, an ongoing effort to develop human-relevant lung models to study M. tuberculosis infection and evaluate innovative therapeutic and vaccine strategies. Conducted in close collaboration with Dr. Céline Cougoule (co-PI), this project reflects a multi-year initiative integrating epithelial biology, immunology, and bioengineering approaches.

In this study, we establish advanced human lung platforms combining airway organoids, air–liquid interface (ALI) cultures, and alveolar macrophage-like cells to recapitulate key pulmonary niches targeted by M. tuberculosis. These complementary systems enable both mechanistic investigation of host–pathogen interactions and translational evaluation of anti-TB compounds. Notably, we demonstrate that frontline antibiotics exhibit compartment-specific activity, while host-directed therapies selectively modulate inflammatory responses without directly affecting bacterial burden.

By integrating epithelial and immune components into physiologically relevant 3D systems, this work moves beyond proof-of-concept organoid infection toward a robust preclinical platform capable of distinguishing between antimicrobial and immunomodulatory effects. These findings provide a strong framework for the development and testing of next-generation TB therapies and vaccines in human-based models.

This project highlights the major contributions of our trainees and early-career researchers, including our PhD candidate, Natacha Faivre, and our postdoc, Dr. Caio César Barbosa Bomfim.

We are particularly proud of this work as it consolidates a key translational axis of our research program and reinforces the potential of organoid and microphysiological systems to bridge the gap between basic research and clinical application in TB.

🎓 November 2025: Congratulations to Dr. Natacha Faivre on Her PhD Defense

On November 6, 2025, Natacha Faivre successfully defended her PhD at the Université de Toulouse, earning the title of Doctor. Her defense was met with strong praise from the jury, who highlighted the clarity of her presentation, the quality of her written thesis, and her intellectual rigor in analyzing and discussing her results.

Natacha’s doctoral work focused on macrophages as therapeutic targets in the context of HIV-1 infection and TB. Her research was structured around two complementary axes: the development of a human in vitro model of alveolar macrophages to study M. tuberculosis infection and evaluate therapeutic strategies, and the investigation of lipid-derived compounds with antiviral activity against HIV-1. Together, these studies provided important insights into host-directed approaches targeting macrophage function in complex infectious settings.

During the scientific discussion, Natacha demonstrated a strong and comprehensive mastery of her research projects, reflecting her dedication, scientific maturity, and commitment throughout her PhD journey.

Along with her colleagues, friends, and family members, we congratulate Dr. Faivre on this outstanding achievement and are proud of her contributions to our research program. We wish her every success in the next steps of her scientific career.

🏆 Nov 4-5, 2025: Maxime Pingret Awarded Best Poster at the 10th IPBS Student Symposium

We proudly congratulate Maxime Pingret for being awarded Best Poster Presentation at the 10th IPBS Student Symposium, a key annual event showcasing the scientific excellence and creativity of young researchers at IPBS, held on November 4-5, 2025.

During the symposium, Maxime presented his work on the characterization of TUBB3⁺ stromal cells within TB granulomas, an emerging research axis in our team focusing on neuro–immune and perivascular niches in the infected lung. His poster stood out for its scientific rigor, clarity of presentation, and originality, earning recognition from both peers and the evaluation committee.

More information about the event can be found here:

🔗 https://www.ipbs.fr/tenth-ipbs-student-symposium/

This distinction highlights Maxime’s strong engagement, growing scientific maturity, and the impact of his work within the IPBS community. Again, we are very proud of this achievement and congratulate him on this well-deserved recognition!

📚✨ November 2025: Review Article in Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine

Our review article has been published in Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine: https://doi.org/10.1101/cshperspect.a041819

“From Phagosomes to Niches: Macrophage Biology in Tuberculosis Revisited”

This piece brings together ideas that have progressively shaped our work, shifting from a strictly intracellular view of M. tuberculosis infection toward a broader perspective that integrates cellular origin and tissue context.

A special mention goes to Dr. Sarah Monard, who shares co–first authorship on this article with our recently promoted Dr. Pierre Dupuy (CRCN/CNRS). This distinction reflects her key role in developing the conceptual bridge between macrophage biology and lung microenvironments, including the emerging importance of neuro–immune and perivascular niches.

In this review, we revisit how Mtb manipulates intracellular pathways, arguing that these mechanisms cannot be fully understood without considering where macrophages originate and where they reside. We discuss differences between alveolar and interstitial macrophages and highlight newly described subsets associated with nerve and vascular niches, pointing toward directions that remain largely unexplored.

Altogether, this work contributes to a growing shift in the field; one that places tissue organization and niche-specific regulation at the center of host–pathogen interactions in tuberculosis.

🇦🇺🇫🇷 October–November 2025: Visit of Samantha Cronin (University of Sydney) to IPBS within the FASIC Program

Together with Dr. Christel Vérollet, we were delighted to welcome Samantha Cronin, PhD candidate from Dr. Gabriel Duette’s team (University of Sydney, Westmead Institute for Medical Research), for a research exchange at IPBS in autumn 2025. This visit was supported by a bilateral FASIC collaborative program, reinforcing the long-standing scientific partnership between the Australian and French teams.

Samantha’s research focuses on elucidating the immune mechanisms underlying HIV persistence during HIV/M. tuberculosis (Mtb). Coinfection with these two pathogens is a major global health challenge affecting millions of individuals worldwide. Her work builds on recent findings demonstrating that TB-associated microenvironments promote HIV latency and impair antiviral immune responses.

During her stay, Samantha developed and implemented advanced experimental approaches combining the expertise of both laboratories. In particular, she established models of alveolar macrophage-like cells and applied innovative HIV latency reporter systems to investigate how the TB microenvironment shapes viral persistence. She also explored how this environment alters CD8⁺T cell–mediated clearance of HIV-infected macrophages, integrating cutting-edge imaging techniques to visualize immune cell interactions at high resolution.

This exchange represents a key step in advancing our collaborative efforts to understand how tissue-specific immune microenvironments regulate HIV persistence in the context of TB. By bridging complementary expertise in macrophage biology, HIV latency, and advanced imaging, this project contributes to identifying novel therapeutic targets to achieve HIV remission in co-infected individuals.

Beyond scientific outcomes, Samantha’s visit exemplifies the importance of international mobility and hands-on collaboration in fostering innovation, knowledge transfer, and the training of the next generation of scientists.

We thank Samantha for her enthusiasm and scientific contributions, and we look forward to continuing this highly productive collaboration.

🌍 October–December 2025: Visit of Dr. Leandro Ferrini at IPBS within the CNRS IRP Program

Together with Dr. Neyrolles and Vérollet, we were pleased to welcome Dr. Leandro A. Ferrini to IPBS-CNRS for a short-term research visit from October 13 to December 13, 2025, within the framework of our CNRS–CONICET International Research Project (IRP MAC-TB/HIV).

Dr. Ferrini, a CONICET-funded postdoctoral researcher at INBIRS (Buenos Aires), brings strong expertise in macrophage biology, immunometabolism, and immunopharmacology, with a particular focus on bioactive compounds derived from natural products. His interdisciplinary background, bridging molecular immunology and pharmacognosy, provides a valuable perspective for our research program on host-directed therapies in tuberculosis.

During his stay, Dr. Ferrini developed a research project entitled “Deciphering the Role of 18-HEPE in Immunometabolic Reprogramming of Macrophages: A Novel Host-Directed Strategy for Pleural TB”. This work investigates how lipid mediators present in the pleural microenvironment of TB alter macrophage metabolism and impair their microbicidal function. In particular, the project explores the role of the ALOX5/GPR32 axis and the lipid mediator 18-HEPE in regulating glycolysis and immune responses.

Combining lipidomic profiling (in collaboration with the MetaTOUL platform and Dr. Emilie Layre), advanced imaging, and functional immunometabolic assays, this project aims to identify novel therapeutic targets to restore macrophage function and improve host control of M. tuberculosis.

Dr. Ferrini’s visit represents an important step in strengthening our collaboration with INBIRS and highlights the dynamic exchange of expertise within the IRP program. It also reinforces our shared commitment to developing innovative host-directed strategies to combat tuberculosis.

We sincerely thank Leandro for his scientific engagement and contributions, and we look forward to continued collaboration.

🚀 October 2025: Clara Deyts Begins Her PhD on Neuro–Immune Niches in TB (EUR UNITED Fellow)

A new chapter begins in our team with the start of Clara Deyts’ PhD within the Doctoral Program of the Université de Toulouse. Her project is conducted under my supervision, with co-supervision by Dr. Christel Vérollet, and is supported by the EUR UNITEID doctoral fellowship (2025–2028).

Clara’s research explores how the nervous system interfaces with immunity during M. tuberculosis infection. Focusing on peribronchial axonogenesis and Schwann cell reprogramming, her work aims to decipher how neural structures are remodeled in the infected lung and how these changes influence immune responses within granulomas. By combining advanced imaging, spatial multi-omics, and single-cell approaches, this project seeks to map the organization and function of lung innervation in unprecedented detail. It also addresses a broader question that is becoming increasingly central to our work: how tissue-resident stromal and neural elements actively shape disease progression.

This PhD marks an important step in consolidating our research axis on neuro–immune niches in TB, building on earlier discoveries and opening new directions toward understanding how nerve–immune interactions regulate infection outcomes.

We are very pleased to welcome Clara into this next stage of her scientific journey and look forward to the discoveries ahead!

📄 July 2025: BioRxiv Preprint on TB–HIV Co-infection and Macrophage Metabolic Reprogramming

We are pleased to announce the publication of our preprint:

🔗 https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.07.07.663524

This work, developed within our CNRS International Research Project (IRP MAC-TB/HIV, 2020–2025), provides a comprehensive framework for understanding how tuberculosis-associated microenvironments render human macrophages susceptible to HIV-1 infection through metabolic and activation-dependent mechanisms.

In this study, we demonstrate that lipid mediators present in TB-associated environments, particularly resolvin D5 (RvD5), reprogram macrophage metabolism by activating the GPR32 receptor. This signaling pathway suppresses glycolysis by inhibiting HIF-1α activity, thereby impairing microbicidal function and reducing the capacity to control M. tuberculosis. At the same time, this altered metabolic state contributes to macrophage dysfunction in the context of HIV-1 infection, highlighting a critical intersection between metabolism, immune activation, and viral susceptibility. These findings identify the RvD5–GPR32 axis as a key regulator of macrophage behavior in TB and suggest that targeting lipid-mediated metabolic pathways may represent a promising host-directed therapeutic strategy in TB and TB–HIV co-infection.

This work was conducted under my direction as Principal Investigator of the IRP, in close collaboration with Dr. Christel Vérollet (co-PI), Dr. Olivier Neyrolles, and our partner Dr. Luciana Balboa at INBIRS (Argentina), and reflects the contributions of a highly collaborative and international team. Joaquina Barros is currently being supervised by Dr. Balboa.

We are particularly proud of this study, as it represents the culmination of a multi-year effort to integrate metabolic, immunological, and translational approaches to better understand host–pathogen interactions in complex disease settings.

🏅 June 2025: Clara Deyts Awarded the EUR UNITEID PhD Fellowship

We are very proud to announce that Clara Deyts has been awarded a prestigious PhD fellowship from the EUR UNITEID Graduate School (Université de Toulouse), following the selection process confirmed on June 25, 2025. Her application was selected for the final evaluation stage, recognizing both the excellence of her academic trajectory and the strength of her proposed research project.

Clara was also awarded a competitive PhD fellowship from ANRS; however, she chose to pursue the EUR UNITEID program, which offers a highly interdisciplinary and international training environment dedicated to emerging infectious diseases. This initiative, supported by the France 2030 plan, brings together academic institutions, research centers, hospitals, and industrial partners to train future experts capable of addressing major global health challenges. More information on the program and IPBS involvement can be found here:

🔗 https://www.ipbs.fr/ipbs-takes-part-in-the-newly-created-uniteid-graduate-school-training-future-experts-in-emerging-infectious-diseases/

🔗 https://www.univ-tlse3.fr/grands-projets/eur-uniteid

Her PhD project, AXONO-TB: Axonogenesis in Pulmonary TB, will be conducted under my supervision and co-supervision with Dr. Christel Vérollet. This work investigates how the peripheral nervous system, and in particular Schwann cells, contributes to the regulation of immune responses and granuloma organization during M. tuberculosis infection. By integrating advanced approaches such as spatial transcriptomics, single-cell RNA sequencing, and cross-species analyses, the project explores a novel neuro–immune axis in TB pathogenesis with strong potential for host-directed therapeutic strategies. This PhD will officially begin in October 2025 and represents a key step in consolidating our research program on neuro-immune niches in TB.

We warmly congratulate Clara on this outstanding achievement and look forward to the exciting scientific journey ahead.

🎤 May 2025: Maxime Pingret Presents His Work at the MIRA Workshop

We congratulate Maxime Pingret for his successful presentation at the Workshop on Infectious Diseases and Antibiotic Resistance (MIRA), held in Toulouse, France, from May 26 to 28, 2025.

During this international meeting, Maxime presented his research on the identification and characterization of a neuro-associated stromal niche in tuberculous granulomas, showcasing results from our recent preprint:

🔗 https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.03.04.641465

His presentation highlighted the discovery of TUBB3⁺stromal cells emerging within the granuloma microenvironment and their potential role in shaping neuro–immune interactions during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. The work attracted strong interest from the community and reflects the growing recognition of this emerging research axis.

We are proud of Maxime’s engagement and scientific maturity, and we congratulate him on representing the team with clarity and enthusiasm at this important scientific event.

📄 April 28, 2025: Contribution to Rapid Reviews--Infectious Diseases

In collaboration with Dr. Tejan Lodhiya, we contributed an expert evaluation to Rapid Reviews: Infectious Diseases (MIT Press), a platform dedicated to accelerating the critical assessment of emerging research: https://rrid.mitpress.mit.edu/pub/gqvj1kd2/release/1

This work was carried out in close interaction with Dr. Lodhiya, a recently recruited and highly promising postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Olivier Neyrolles’ team, working under the supervision of Dr. Fabien Letisse. The review provided an opportunity to engage in a rigorousy contributing to the rapid dissemination and contextualization of new scientific findings.

Beyond the review itself, this collaboration reflects the value of cross-expertise dialogue within the institute, bringing together complementary perspectives in microbiology, immunology, and systems biology. It also highlights the importance of participating in emerging editorial formats that promote timely, transparent, and high-quality scientific evaluation.

📄 March 2025: BioRxiv Preprint on Neuro-Associated Stromal Niches in TB Granulomas

We are pleased to announce the release of our preprint:

🔗 https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.03.04.641465

This study, led by Dr. Sarah Monard, presents the prospective characterization of a previously unrecognized neuro-associated stromal niche within tuberculous granulomas. Conducted within the framework of our research program on lung microenvironments, this work explores how infection-driven remodeling of the pulmonary nervous system contributes to granuloma organization during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.

Using a combination of immunohistology, tissue clearing, and cross-species analyses, we identify the emergence of elongated TUBB3⁺cells within granulomas and inducible bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (iBALT). While TUBB3 is classically associated with neuronal lineage, these cells display a distinct spatial organization and are positioned in close proximity to macrophages and T cells. Notably, this phenomenon is conserved across multiple models, including mice, guinea pigs, non-human primates, and human TB lesions.

These findings reveal that pulmonary TB is associated with the remodeling of neural-associated stromal elements and establish a new conceptual framework in which neuro–immune interactions contribute to the regulation of tissue-level immunity. This work lays the foundation for our ongoing research program investigating stromal and neuro-immune niches in the infected lung.

This project was conducted under my direction as Principal Investigator, in collaboration with Dr. Christel Vérollet (co-PI) and Dr. Olivier Neyrolles, and supported by ANRS funding (AO 2023-2 CSS11).

We are particularly proud to share this work as it represents a major milestone in the scientific journey of Dr. Sarah Monard and the emergence of a new research axis within our teams.

🎓 March 2025: Welcome Laura Decollard for Her Master 1 Internship

In March 2025, we were pleased to welcome Laura Decollard to the Neyrolles and VRP teams at IPBS-CNRS for her Master 1 research internship, under my supervision and co-supervision with Dr. Christel Vérollet and Clara Deyts.

Her project explored how tuberculosis-associated microenvironments affect neuronal function, building on our recent discoveries of increased peribronchial innervation and the emergence of TUBB3⁺neuron-like cells during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Using a combination of infection models, conditioned media from infected macrophages, and advanced imaging approaches, her work investigated how M. tuberculosis and its associated inflammatory milieu influence neuronal activation, differentiation, and survival. This project contributes to our growing research axis on neuro-immune interactions in tuberculosis, further expanding our understanding of how the nervous system shapes the lung microenvironment during infection.

We warmly welcome Laura to the team and thank her for her engagement in this emerging and exciting area of research.

🎓 January 2025: Welcome Back Clara Deyts for Her M2R Internship (FONROGA Fellow)

On January 13, 2025, we were delighted to welcome Clara Deyts back to the Neyrolles and VRP teams at IPBS-CNRS for her Master 2 Research (M2R) internship, under my supervision and co-supervision with Dr. Christel Vérollet. This internship is supported by the FONROGA scholarship awarded to Clara in late 2024, recognizing the scientific quality and potential of her project.

Her work focuses on the study of peribronchial axonogenesis in the context of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, aiming to understand how the peripheral nervous system is remodeled during pulmonary infection. Through a combination of immunohistology, comparative analyses across species, and in vitro approaches, her project explores the interactions between Schwann cells, nerve fibers, and the infected lung environment. Importantly, this internship builds directly on her previous training and establishes the conceptual and experimental foundation for our current research program investigating stromal-derived cells, including Schwann cells, within the lung neuro-immune niche during tuberculosis.

We warmly welcome Clara back to the team and look forward to the next steps of this promising and evolving line of research.

🎓 December 2024: Congratulations to Dr. Sarah C. Monard on Her PhD Defense

On December 2, 2024, Sarah Monard brilliantly defended her PhD thesis at the Université de Toulouse before a large audience of peers, colleagues, friends, and family. Her defense was an outstanding success, reflecting not only the scientific depth and originality of her work but also her clarity, confidence, and maturity as a young scientist.

Together with Christel Vérollet, I am immensely proud of Sarah’s journey over these past years. Her dedication, rigor, creativity, and unwavering commitment to her project have been truly remarkable. Beyond her scientific excellence, Sarah has been a deeply valued member of the team, recognized for her professionalism, generosity, and warm-hearted nature, which have left a lasting impact on everyone around her.

Her doctoral work led to the discovery of a previously unrecognized population of TUBB3⁺ stromal cells within tuberculous granulomas, opening an entirely new line of research in our teams on neuro–immune and stromal niches in the infected lung. This achievement stands as a testament to her scientific vision and perseverance.

We are especially proud to see Sarah continue her scientific journey as a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Scott Mueller at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Melbourne. We have no doubt that she will continue to thrive and contribute outstanding science in this new chapter.

Congratulations, Dr. Monard... this is only the beginning!

🌍 November 2024: Outstanding Evaluation of the CNRS IRP Program and International Visibility at ALACI

In 2024, our CNRS International Research Project (IRP, 2021–2025), focused on TB–HIV co-infection and immunometabolism, underwent external evaluation by leading experts, Prof. David Russell (Cornell University) and Dr. Naomi Taylor (NIH). Their report highlighted the exceptional scientific productivity, originality, and translational relevance of the long-standing collaboration between IPBS (France) and INBIRS (Dr. Luciana Balboa's team, Argentina), describing it as “punching above its weight” with a remarkable return on investment.

The program was recognized for advancing our understanding of how tuberculosis-associated microenvironments reshape macrophage function and susceptibility to HIV-1, while strongly integrating basic and clinical research through access to patient-derived samples. Importantly, the evaluators emphasized the major impact of this collaboration on training, mobility, and the development of young scientists across both countries, as well as on high-impact scientific output and global health research.

This international visibility was further reinforced at the 14th Latin American and Caribbean Congress of Immunology (ALACI, Buenos Aires, November 2024), where Dr. Olivier Neyrolles presented our work on neuro-immune interactions in tuberculosis granulomas, including the discovery of TUBB3⁺stromal cells. This conference also provided an important opportunity for Dr. Christel Vérollet and me to engage with the next generation of scientists, conducting interviews with several promising candidates for postdoctoral and doctoral positions, including Nicole Freiberger and Juan Diego Romero Carpio.

The evaluation strongly advocates for the continuation of this collaboration, highlighting its strategic importance, its unique access to clinical platforms, and its role in fostering sustained international scientific networks. Together, these elements underscore the strength of a program that combines scientific excellence, training, and global engagement to address critical challenges in TB and HIV research.

🏅 October–November 2024: Clara Deyts Awarded FONROGA M2R Scholarship

In October 2024, we were delighted to learn that Clara Deyts had been awarded a competitive Master 2 Research (M2R) scholarship from the Fondation FONROGA, in recognition of the scientific quality and relevance of the research project proposed within our teams.

This distinction, officially communicated on October 3rd, 2024, supports Clara’s continuation into her M2R internship starting in early 2025 within the Neyrolles and VRP teams at IPBS, under our joint supervision. The awarded project builds upon her initial Master 1 work and further explores host–pathogen interactions at the interface of macrophage biology and infectious diseases.

The award ceremony took place on November 29th, 2024, at the Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Toulouse. Although Clara was unable to attend, Christel Vérollet and I had the pleasure of representing her, receiving the award on her behalf and participating in the ceremony alongside other laureates and representatives of the Fondation FONROGA.

We warmly thank the Fondation FONROGA for their support and congratulate Clara on this well-deserved recognition, which marks an important step in her scientific trajectory.

Weblink: https://www.ipbs.fr/serena-giuntini-and-clara-deyts-honored-by-the-fonroga-foundation/

🎓 October 2024: Maxime Pingret Starts His PhD in the Neyrolles & VRP Teams!

In October 2024, Maxime Pingret began his PhD within the teams of Dr. Olivier Neyrolles and the VRP group at IPBS-CNRS, under my supervision and in co-supervision with Dr. Christel Vérollet.

Building on his Master’s work, his doctoral project focuses on the characterization, origin, and function of TUBB3⁺cells within TB granulomas. What started as the study of neuron-like structures is now evolving into a deeper investigation of their identity and role in shaping the granuloma microenvironment.

Through this work, Maxime aims to uncover previously unrecognized mechanisms at the interface of stromal biology and immunity, contributing to a broader effort to understand how tissue organization influences host responses to M. tuberculosis.

It is a pleasure to see this project take shape at the doctoral level, and we are excited to follow the path it will open in the coming years. Yes!

📄 August 2024: BioRxiv Submission on TB–HIV Co-infection and Macrophage Metabolism

On August 17, 2024, we submitted our manuscript to BioRxiv, marking an important milestone in a research effort led by our former postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Zoi Vahlas. We are particularly pleased to make this work publicly available, as it reflects the depth and quality of Zoi’s contributions before she moved on to a new position as Director of Research at Evotec in early 2023.

This study investigates how tuberculosis-associated microenvironments reshape macrophage metabolism and thereby influence susceptibility to HIV-1 infection. Using in vitro models mimicking TB conditions, we show that macrophages undergo a metabolic shift toward aerobic glycolysis, leading to increased ATP production. This metabolic state plays a functional role in promoting HIV-1 dissemination.

Mechanistically, we demonstrate that glycolysis supports the formation of tunneling nanotubes (TNTs), which enable direct cell-to-cell transfer of HIV-1 between macrophages. Disrupting glycolysis impairs TNT formation and reduces viral spread, identifying metabolism as a key regulator of HIV-1 propagation in the context of TB co-infection.

🔗 Preprint DOI: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.08.14.607908

💰 July 2024: ANRS Grant Award on Neuro-Associated Stromal Cells in TB

In July 2024, our collaborative project led by Dr. Olivier Neyrolles was selected for funding by the Agence nationale de recherche sur le sida et les hépatites virales (ANRS) (Grant ECTZ293306, 2025–2028). Within this program, I contribute as Work Package Manager, working in close coordination with Dr. Christel Vérollet and our teams at IPBS.

Entitled “Characterization, Origin, and Function of a Novel Population of Pulmonary Neuronal Cells in Tuberculous Granulomas,” this project builds directly on our recent discoveries of TUBB3⁺cells emerging within TB lesions. Initially interpreted as neuron-like structures, these cells are now being re-examined using integrated approaches that combine histology, spatial transcriptomics, and functional analyses in mouse models.

The objective is to define their cellular identity, developmental origin, and functional role within the granuloma microenvironment. This effort represents a key step in moving from observation to mechanism, addressing how these previously unrecognized stromal elements contribute to immune regulation during infection.

Beyond its specific aims, this project reinforces a broader shift in our research program: understanding tuberculosis not only as an immune-driven process, but as a tissue-organized disease shaped by stromal and neuro-associated niches. By clarifying the role of TUBB3⁺cells, this work lays the groundwork for a more integrated view of granuloma biology and may uncover new avenues for host-directed therapeutic strategies.

🏅 July 2024: Maxime Pingret Awarded PhD Fellowships (ED Contest & ANRS)

Maxime Pingret was awarded a highly competitive PhD scholarship through the École Doctorale BSB (Université de Toulouse) following success in the doctoral competition. He was also selected for ANRS funding, which he ultimately declined in favor of the doctoral school fellowship.

His doctoral project focuses on the characterization, origin, and function of a novel population of TUBB3⁺neuron-like cells within tuberculous granulomas, aiming to decipher how neuro-immune interactions shape host responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Combining advanced imaging, spatial and single-cell approaches, and functional studies in mouse models and human samples, this work seeks to uncover a previously unexplored dimension of TB pathogenesis and identify new targets for host-directed therapies.

🎓 April–June 2024: Clara Deyts Joins for Her Master 1 Research Internship

From April to June 2024, Clara Deyts carried out her Master 1 research internship within the teams of Dr. Olivier Neyrolles and the VRP group at IPBS-CNRS, under my supervision and co-supervision with Dr. Christel Vérollet, with the strong involvement and day-to-day guidance of Natacha Faivre.

Her project investigated the role of macrophage metabolism in HIV-1 infection, specifically how metabolic pathways regulate heterotypic cell fusion between infected T cells and macrophages, a mechanism that contributes to viral dissemination and reservoir formation. Through a combination of cellular and metabolic approaches, Clara demonstrated that modulation of glycolytic pathways significantly impacts macrophage susceptibility to infection and the formation of multinucleated giant cells, highlighting metabolism as a key regulator of host–pathogen interactions.

We warmly thank Clara for her rigor, enthusiasm, and scientific engagement during her time in the lab, and we look forward to following her future career. Will she continue her M2R with us?

🧫 February–March 2024: Research Visit of Joaquina Barros (INBIRS, Argentina)

From February 20 to March 5, 2024, together with Christel Vérollet, we hosted Ms. Joaquina Barros (PhD candidate, INBIRS/University of Buenos Aires) at IPBS-CNRS as part of our CNRS International Research Project (IRP) on TB–HIV co-infection (MAC-TB/HIV). This visit provided an opportunity to advance ongoing collaborative work on how tuberculosis-associated microenvironments reshape macrophage metabolism and function.

During her stay, multiple experiments were conducted to investigate the role of lipid mediators—particularly resolvin D5 (RvD5), and its receptor GPR32 in regulating macrophage metabolic reprogramming and antimicrobial activity. These studies further support the concept that lipid-driven signaling pathways impair HIF-1α-dependent glycolysis and contribute to reduced control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Dr. Emilie Layre's contribution was critical for the lipidomic analyses performed during this stay and thereafter.

This short-term mobility exemplifies the strength of our long-standing collaboration with INBIRS and highlights the importance of international exchanges in accelerating mechanistic discoveries and advancing translational perspectives in TB and TB–HIV research.

🎓 January-June 2024: Maxime Pingret Joins the Team for M2R Internship (Université de Toulouse)

In January 2024, Maxime Pingret joined our team as a Master 2 research student in the Immunology program at the Université de Toulouse, co-supervised with Dr. Christel Vérollet and Sarah Monard. His project focused on the characterization of a novel population of TUBB3⁺“neuron-like” cells emerging in the lungs during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Using complementary approaches including immunohistology, advanced imaging, and molecular analyses, his work aimed to define the identity and potential function of these atypical cells within the granuloma microenvironment. This project laid the foundation for our current research program on neuro-immune and perivascular niches in tuberculosis and directly led to his continuation as a PhD candidate in the laboratory.

🧬 May 2024: Advanced Training in Experimental Animal Surgery (CNRS, Marseille)

From May 13 to 16, 2024, I completed a specialized training program in experimental animal surgery at the CNRS training center in Marseille. This program, accredited by the French Ministry of Agriculture, provided both theoretical and hands-on instruction in surgical procedures in accordance with current regulatory and ethical standards for animal experimentation.

This training strengthens my capacity to design and supervise in vivo experimental protocols within a rigorous ethical framework, supporting ongoing and future research activities involving advanced mouse models and surgical approaches.

🔬 October 2023: Return to IPBS and Relaunch of Research Activities

In October 2023, I resumed my research activities at IPBS-CNRS following a period of personal leave that allowed me to be present during the final stage of my mother’s life. This experience, made possible by the CNRS's flexibility and human-centered policies, was both deeply meaningful on a personal level and transformative in shaping my perspective on scientific work and mentorship.

During this time, I also contributed to science education in my local community in San Diego (USA), teaching biomedical sciences at Lincoln High School and supporting students from underserved backgrounds. This engagement reinforced my commitment to education, mentorship, and the societal role of science.

My reintegration into CNRS and IPBS was marked by exceptional institutional and human support, particularly from the team of Dr. Olivier Neyrolles, which enabled a smooth and confident restart of my research program. This return represents not only the continuation of my scientific activities but also a renewed sense of purpose, creativity, and commitment to advancing research and training within a supportive and forward-looking scientific environment.

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