Nadine Varin-Blank
Principal Investigator
Dr. Nadine Varin-Blank is an expert in immune signaling complexes and signal transduction in hematopoietic cells. NVB graduated at University Paris 6 in Cellular and Molecular biology a PhD based on structure/function analysis of two Immunoglobulin Fc receptors (IgG and IgE). Her PhD was performed both at Curie Institute (U255 Inserm,Dr. W.H. Fridman, Paris) and NIAMS, NIH (Dr. H. Metzger, Bethesda, USA). NVB joined the Pasteur Institute in 1990 (U276, Dr. T. Meo) where she was recruited at Inserm and deciphered the in vivo hormonal regulation cascade leading to the sex-specific expression of a complement component (C4). In 1997, NVB joined U363 (Dr S. Gisselbrecht) and participated in the creation of the Cochin Institute (U567) in 2002, leading an independent group focusing on key adaptor complexes involved in hematopoietic signaling.
NVB increased her leadership in the field by founding, in 2007, an independent Unit including the hematological department of the Avicenne hospital at University Sorbonne Paris Nord. The translational Unit (U978 now 1349), headed by NVB since 2007, is Center of reference for Chronic Lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in France and associated with the French Inovative Leukemia Organization (FILO)and European Research Initiative on CLL (ERIC). NVB characterized novel functions for adaptor proteins and their associated complexes in the pathophysiology of several chronic hematological diseases (CLL, MCL, MPN). NVB scientific contribution is now focused on two CD5+ mature B cell neoplasms (Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Mantle Cell Lymphoma) with the description of novel functional determinants of the leukemic cells and the translation of these breakthrough into patients’ workup.
NVB is a founding member of the executive committee of a network of Excellence on inflammatory diseases (LabEx INFLAMEX, Universities Paris 5, 7 and 13). The LabEx was awarded «Prix des 11èmes Victoires de la Médecine» in 2011. Since 2024, the LabEx has has evolved into an Inidex called InFibrex with 28 partners. NVB received a pilot contract with Becton Dickinson Company (Phosflow in flow cytometry, Price Paris Bio Oncology Research 2006 and international patent) and the Unit became a member of a European network on tumor heterogeneity (H2020 FIRE-CLL). NVB is the Principal Investigator of a number of research grants and serves as a reviewer or editor for numerous journals. NVB also regularly serves as expert or president on evaluation and recruitment committees for both national and international agencies.