At the end of 2025, George Helou obtained funding from the DIM BioConv (Île-de-France region) for the acquisition of :
FIBROCUT – Targeting immune checkpoints in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Scientific coordinator: Georges Helou – Inflammation and fibrosis in lung diseases team – UMR 1149 – CRI Inflammation Research Center
Equipment : VF-510-0Z Compresstome® Vibrating Microtome
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, fatal lung disease. Recent studies have confirmed the key role of immune cells in regulating the progression of IPF. Immune checkpoints, receptors that modulate the intensity of the immune response, have become innovative targets in cancer. Given the common molecular pathways between IPF and cancer, and the central role of the immune system in IPF, we investigated the involvement of immune checkpoints in this disease. Using transcriptomic analysis and flow cytometry, we identified two immune checkpoints relevant to IPF and demonstrated their modulatory roles. We now aim to implement ex vivo translational models using precision lung sections (PCLS) from murine and human lung biopsies to assess the therapeutic potential of targeting these receptors in pulmonary fibrosis. The generation of viable and structurally preserved 3D PCLS cultures requires a high-precision vibratome system, hence the interest of this funding request.