23
Key numbers
33
Scientists
39
PhD students
17
Technicians
GIGA-Infection, Immunity
and Infammation
The GIGA-Infammation, Infection & Immunity (GIGA-I3) research unit is composed of 10 laboratories that
study various but complementary aspects of immunity. These laboratories of the GIGA-I3, independent-
ly of each other, carry research in varied felds of immunology. Nevertheless, 4 research themes are
particularly explored and give rise to numerous collaborations within the GIGA-I3. These research themes
are infammation, hematology, virology and immunoendocrinology. During the year 2012, members of the
GIGA-I3 produced or contributed to an appreciable number (about 50) of signifcant scientifc publica-
tions. The cellular and molecular mechanisms implicated in infammation, and particularly in chronic infam-
mation, are extensively studied in the GIGA-I3. The GIGA-I3 laboratories mainly focus their research on
the most common infammatory lung diseases, namely asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
(COPD), and on persistent infammatory joint diseases. The GIGA-I3 is also involved in clinical studies and
translational research in the feld of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). In this context, the
GIGA-I3 aims at optimizing HSCT but also evaluates the consequences of HSCT on the immune system.
The GIGA-I3 pays particular attention to the study of viral diseases. The GIGA-I3 indeed investigates the
role and the regulation of Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) proteins, develops humanized murine models
for rapid and large scale screening of anti-HIV responses to new immunostimulatory approaches, and
takes advantage of a research model, the uterine cervical cancer associated with infection by the human
papillomavirus (HPV), to study the role of natural immunity (NK cells and TCRγδ) in anti-tumor and anti-
viral responses. Finally, the GIGA-I3 is particularly involved in research aimed at identifying the rela-
tionships between the immune and endocrine systems. In this context, the GIGA-I3 studies thymic IGF-2
in programming central self-tolerance to pancreatic islet β cells, the role of the GH/IGF-1 axis on thymic
function and T-cell development, implantation/tolerance of the embryo, and the infammatory process
related to type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Contact
Fabrice Bureau
fabrice.bureau@ulg.ac.be
+32 4 366 45 24
www.giga.ulg.ac.be/i3
Laboratories
Laboratory of Biology of Tumor and
Development
Didier Cataldo, Agnès Noël,
Jean-Michel Foidart
Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular
Immunology
Fabrice Bureau, Pierre Lekeux
Laboratory of Diabetology and
Nutrition
Nicolas Paquot
Laboratory of Experimental Pathology
- Virology
Nathalie Jacobs
Laboratory of Hematology
Yves Beguin
Laboratory of Immunoendocrinology
Vincent Geenen
Laboratory of Immunology and
Infectious Diseases
Michel Moutschen, Souad Rahmouni
Laboratory of Penumology
Renaud Louis
Laboratory of Rheumatology
Michel Malaise
Laboratory of Virology and Immunology
Jacques Piette, Catherine Sadzot