The Lille Centre for Infection and Immunity (CIIL) is the largest joint research unit in the field of biomedical research on infection and immunity (University of Lille, CNRS UMR9017, Inserm U1019, Institut Pasteur de Lille and Lille University Hospital) north of Paris. It brings together 11 research teams and more than 220 members. 

Multidisciplinary projects

The CIIL develops a research program ranging from the fundamental understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of chronic infectious and inflammatory respiratory diseases to the development and improvement of diagnostics, vaccines, and treatments. This vision requires an interdisciplinary approach, bringing together complementary expertise covering a wide range of fields: epidemiology, molecular and cellular virology, bacteriology, parasitology, the immunological basis of infectious and non-infectious diseases, and their clinical applications.

The main infectious diseases studied include: blastocystosis, whooping cough, COVID-19Cryptosporidiosis, influenza, hepatitis E, gastrointestinal infections (including shigellosis), opportunistic infections (such as those caused by Klebsiella), Lyme disease, pneumococcal pneumonia, malaria, plague, AIDS, toxoplasmosis, tuberculosis, bilharzia and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

The CIIL has remarkable equipment, expertise and original know-how showcased within its Unit platforms:

1. Chemical Systems Biology – Dr. Oleg Melnyk 
2. Bio-manufacturing and mechanobiology – Dr. Alexandre Grassart 
3. Biostatistics – Dr. Cécile Lecoeur 
4. Functional exploration of the lung – Dr. Muriel Pichavant