CV Science

Christelle FAVEEUW PhD Immunology

Course and current status

Current position

• Full-time position as a Senior Scientist in the Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), at the Institut Pasteur de Lille.
• Multi-site Coordinator of the BICeL flow cytometry platform of PLBS (Plateformes Lilloises en Biologie et Santé)

Education

• 2006    HDR (Institut Pasteur de Lille - Univ Lille 1)
• 1994    PhD in Immunology (Hopital Necker, Paris - Univ Paris 6)

Position

• 2022-            CRHC Inserm (Senior Scientist)
• 2004-2021    CRCN Inserm (Senior Scientist)
• 1998-2003    Post-doctoral fellow at Institut Pasteur de Lille (France). Director: Pr M. Capron
• 1995-1998    Post-doctoral fellow at the NIMR, London (UK). Director: Dr A. Ager

Major publications

1. Creusat F, Jouan Y, Gonzalez L, Barsac E, Ilango G, Lemoine R, Soulard D, Hankard A, Boisseau C, Guillon A, Lin Q, de Amat Herbozo C, Sencio V, Winter N, Sizaret D, Trottein F, Si-Tahar M, Briard B, Mallevaey T, Faveeuw C*, Baranek T*, Paget C. 2024. IFN-γ primes bone marrow neutrophils to acquire regulatory functions in severe viral respiratory infections. Sci Adv. 10(4 ):eadn3257. *equal contribution
2. Mondeme M, Zeroual Y, Soulard D, Hennart B, Beury D, Saliou JM, Carnoy C, Sirard JC, Faveeuw C. 2024. Amoxicillin treatment of pneumococcal pneumonia impacts bone marrow neutrophil maturation and function. J Leukoc Biol 115:463-475.
3. Mondeme M, Carnoy C, Sirard JC, Faveeuw C. 2023. Treatment of Bacterial Infections with beta-Lactams: Cooperation with Innate Immunity. Infect Immun 91:e0050322.
4. Beshara R, Sencio V, Soulard D, Barthelemy A, Fontaine J, Pinteau T, Deruyter L, Ismail MB, Paget C, Sirard JC, Trottein F, Faveeuw C. 2018. Alteration of Flt3-Ligand-dependent de novo generation of conventional dendritic cells during influenza infection contributes to respiratory bacterial superinfection. PLoS Pathog 14:e1007360.
5. Ghinnagow R, De Meester J, Cruz LJ, Aspord C, Corgnac S, Macho-Fernandez E, Soulard D, Fontaine J, Chaperot L, Charles J, Soncin F, Mami-Chouaib F, Plumas J, Faveeuw C, Trottein F. 2017. Co-delivery of the NKT agonist alpha-galactosylceramide and tumor antigens to cross-priming dendritic cells breaks tolerance to self-antigens and promotes antitumor responses. Oncoimmunology 6:e1339855.
6. Ghinnagow R, Cruz LJ, Macho-Fernandez E, Faveeuw C, Trottein F. 2017. Enhancement of Adjuvant Functions of Natural Killer T Cells Using Nanovector Delivery Systems: Application in Anticancer Immune Therapy. Front Immunol 8:879.
7. Barthelemy A, Ivanov S, Fontaine J, Soulard D, Bouabe H, Paget C, Faveeuw C, Trottein F. 2017. Influenza A virus-induced release of interleukin-10 inhibits the anti-microbial activities of invariant natural killer T cells during invasive pneumococcal superinfection. Mucosal Immunol 10:460-469.
8. Macho-Fernandez E, Cruz LJ, Ghinnagow R, Fontaine J, Bialecki E, Frisch B, Trottein F, Faveeuw C. 2014. Targeted delivery of alpha-galactosylceramide to CD8alpha+ dendritic cells optimizes type I NKT cell-based antitumor responses. J Immunol 193:961-9.
9. Faveeuw C, Trottein F. 2014. Optimization of natural killer T cell-mediated immunotherapy in cancer using cell-based and nanovector vaccines. Cancer Res 74:1632-8.
10. Ivanov S, Renneson J, Fontaine J, Barthelemy A, Paget C, Fernandez EM, Blanc F, De Trez C, Van Maele L, Dumoutier L, Huerre MR, Eberl G, Si-Tahar M, Gosset P, Renauld JC, Sirard JC, Faveeuw C, Trottein F. 2013. Interleukin-22 reduces lung inflammation during influenza A virus infection and protects against secondary bacterial infection. J Virol 87:6911-24.
11. Macho Fernandez E, Chang J, Fontaine J, Bialecki E, Rodriguez F, Werkmeister E, Krieger V, Ehret C, Heurtault B, Fournel S, Frisch B, Betbeder D, Faveeuw C, Trottein F. 2012. Activation of invariant Natural Killer T lymphocytes in response to the alpha-galactosylceramide analogue KRN7000 encapsulated in PLGA-based nano and microparticles. Int J Pharm 423:45-54.
12. Ivanov S, Fontaine J, Paget C, Macho Fernandez E, Van Maele L, Renneson J, Maillet I, Wolf NM, Rial A, Leger H, Ryffel B, Frisch B, Chabalgoity JA, Sirard JC, Benecke A, Faveeuw C, Trottein F. 2012. Key role for respiratory CD103(+) dendritic cells, IFN-gamma, and IL-17 in protection against Streptococcus pneumoniae infection in response to alpha-galactosylceramide. J Infect Dis 206:723-34.
13. Bialecki E, Macho Fernandez E, Ivanov S, Paget C, Fontaine J, Rodriguez F, Lebeau L, Ehret C, Frisch B, Trottein F, Faveeuw C. 2011. Spleen-resident CD4+ and CD4- CD8alpha- dendritic cell subsets differ in their ability to prime invariant natural killer T lymphocytes. PLoS One 6:e26919.
14. Bialecki E, Paget C, Fontaine J, Capron M, Trottein F, Faveeuw C. 2009. Role of marginal zone B lymphocytes in invariant NKT cell activation. J Immunol 182:6105-13.
15. Roumier T, Capron M, Dombrowicz D, Faveeuw C. 2008. Pathogen induced regulatory cell populations preventing allergy through the Th1/Th2 paradigm point of view. Immunol Res 40:1-17.
16. Faveeuw C, Mallevaey T, Trottein F. 2008. Role of natural killer T lymphocytes during helminthic infection. Parasite 15:384-8.

Scientific summary

Bacterial pneumonia, whether acquired in the community or in hospitals, is a major cause of illness, loss of quality-adjusted life years, and death in children, adults, and the elderly. The main bacteria responsible are Klebsiella pneumoniae and Streptococcus pneumoniae, two pathogens that we study in our laboratory. Although antibiotics have improved the treatment of bacterial pneumonia, their effectiveness is decreasing due to antimicrobial resistance. Another challenge, especially with K. pneumoniae, is the presence of highly pathogenic strains that cause slowly progressing pneumonia, which can later spread to other tissues. Because of these issues, the WHO has classified these bacteria as priority pathogens for which new treatment options are urgently needed. To achieve this, it is crucial to better understand the host immune response to these bacteria in order to develop innovative therapies.

During infection, the tissue senses bacteria via the expression of innate receptors, e.g. Toll-like receptors (TLR), which activates a broad range of innate defense mechanisms. Located at the interface of innate and adaptive immune responses, dendritic cells (DCs) are highly effective at detecting pathogens and initiating/orientating the immune response. At present, I am particularly interested in the role of the MyD88 signaling pathway, which is essential for TLR-mediated activation, in DCs and its contribution to the control of pneumonia and/or invasive infection due to these bacteria. We also develop strategies to identify the microbial factors involved in MyD88-dependent activation. The overall goal is to develop immunotherapies that could boost the host immune response and thereby reduce disease severity.