The “species interactions and comparative immunology” group (SPICI: https://spici.weebly.com/) is interested in the immune adaptation of organisms in extreme environments (hydrothermal vents, coastal, polluted or intratumoral environments, in a collaborative context). The group began in January 2012 with A. Tasiemski (MCF HDR), V. Cuvillier (MCF) and C. Wichlacz (AI CNRS) joining the EEP unit, and
the arrival of F. Massol (CR HDR CNRS) in the group in 2015. The complementarity of skills within the group allows answering both proximal and ultimate biological questions in an integrative manner, combining both empirical (molecular biology, transcriptomics, genetics, biochemistry, immunological techniques, microbiology, microscopy …) and theoretical (models in ecology and evolution) approaches. The work of the group is funded through various grants coming from public and private funders (ANR, Fondation TOTAL, Région Hauts-de-France, CNRS, Université de Lille, IFREMER …). Members of the group advise students at all levels (BTS, BSc, MSc, PhD) on a regular basis. Open PhD positions can be found on the group website.
