Composition

• 25 scientists, professors, engineers, technicians
• 8 PhD students
• 6 Master students

  Facilities

• Flow cytometry
• Transcriptome analysis
• Virus-mediated gene transfer
• In vivo experimental models
• Development of immunological bioassays

  Activity

The U905 research unit (founding member of IRIB starting 2012) is dedicated to the study of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases of muscle, joints and skin. For this, the laboratory develops a basic research on the mechanisms regulating the immune system in health and disease, and a translational research including clinical trials. With support of the Department of Immunopathology and Laboratory of Biotherapy of Rouen University Hospital, the team "Immunopathology and biotherapy of muscle diseases" studies the physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms regulating autoimmunity through the development of murine models of autoimmune myopathies and the development of clinical trials in acquired muscle diseases. With support of the Departments of Rheumatology and Dermatology of Rouen University Hospital and of the National Reference Center for Bullous Skin Autoimmune Diseases, the team "Immunopathology and innovative therapy of joint and skin diseases" studies the pathophysiological mechanisms of rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune skin diseases and drug allergy, and develops new therapeutic approaches in rheumatology and immuno-dermatology through experimental models and clinical trials. In parallel to diagnostic and theranostic (proteomics, transcriptomics) research, the U905 research unit develops projects on molecular biotherapies, and cell and gene therapies.

  Main contributions

• Development of the 1^st antigen-specific transgenic model of muscle autoimmunity and evidence of the mechanisms of immunological tolerance towards muscle autoantigens
• Development of immuno-assays for quantification of anti–SRP and anti-HMGCR autoantibodies and demonstration of their clinical interest in necrotizing myopathies
• Demonstration of the immunoregulatory role of extracellular nucleotides (ATP, NAD)
• Evaluation of new treatments that changed the therapeutical strategies in several autoimmune skin diseases
• Demonstration of a role for EBV et HHV6 in certain severe forms of drug allergy
• Discovery of prognosis factors and of markers predictive of the therapeutic response in rheumatoid arthritis