Rejane RUA

About

Past work

I studied at the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris and obtained my PhD at the Pasteur Institute under the supervision of Pr. Gessain and Pr Schwartz. My work aimed at understanding the physiopathology of retroviral infections and the mechanisms leading to zoonoses and viral emergence.

I then joined the team of Dr. McGavern at the National Institutes of Health in the US to pursue my work in antiviral immune responses, focusing on brain infections. Using intravital imaging, I discovered a role for meningeal cells at the surface of the brain in controlling neuroinflammation. I am now a group leader at the CIML, investigating the role of meningeal immunity in neurodevelopment and neuroinfections.

Current work

Brain borders take center stage: role of meningeal macrophages in neurocognition and neuroinflammation

Due to the vital importance of the brain, its development and inflammation have to be tightly controlled.  While much is known about the blood-brain barrier and brain’s immune cells (microglia), less is understood about the contribution of brain borders, specifically the meninges, to brain function and inflammation. Our research focuses on meningeal macrophages and their roles in health and disease. First, during perinatal stages, we found that meningeal macrophages support brain development, promoting neurogenesis. We leveraged bioinformatics, genetics, and innovative drug delivery methods to unravel the underlying molecular mechanisms. Second, early-life stressors are linked with neurodevelopmental disorders. We explore if perinatal meningeal macrophage inflammation drives long-term cognitive disorders in mice. Lastly, in adult mice, we found that meningeal macrophages activation can protect against neuroinfection, acting as the first line of defense against neuroinvasive pathogens. Thus, meningeal macrophages represent new players in neuroimmunology, as they function as a communication hub between the brain and the periphery. We hope that our innovative approach to manipulate these cells will mark a significant leap forward in the fight against neurological disorders.

Awards
2016 F32 NINDS intramural competitive fellowship
2017 Fellows Award for Research Excellence (FARE)
2019 H2020 Marie-Curie Fellowship Reintegration Panel
2019 Amidex Chair of Excellence
2023 Embo Young Investigation Program laureate
2023 Rising star awarded by International Union of Immunological Societies

Membership
2015-2018 Member of the American Association of Immunology
2017-2018 Membre du comité de direction du groupe d’Immunologie du NIH2015-2018 Membre de l’Association Américaine d’Immunologie
2019 Macrophage and Dendritic cell Association
2019 French Virology Association
2020 European Neuroscience Association

Grants since 2019: MSCA, ATIP, ERCstG, FRC, INCA, FSER, ERANET, AMU (total >3500k€)

Bibliography: >35 studies, including Nature Immunology (2017, 2019), Immunity (2022), …