I currently work at the Center for Immunology Marseille Luminy (CIML) in Marseille, France where I lead the team “Innate immunity at mucosal sites”. In our team we are interested in understanding innate immune responses in the intestine, and in particular how immune cells, epithelial cells and microbes communicate during homeostasis, inflammation and repair. Cytokines are the primary “language” with which the immune system communicates, and, in my team, we initially focused on studying my favorite cytokine: IFN-λ. When I’m not in the lab I like cooking a lot. It’s like an experiment that always gives you a delicious result, that you can apply scientific methodology with and always improve… plus I like to eat! In my opinion, a kitchen and a lab are very similar with each other, as in both spaces you need teamwork, precision, passion, and mentoring!
Interview by Maialen Sebastian de la Cruz, PhD
Please tell us your name, degree, where you currently work, and position.
Achille Broggi, PhD. I currently work at the Center for Immunology Marseille Luminy (CIML) in Marseille, France where I lead the team “Innate immunity at mucosal sites”. I have recently taken on the role of co-director of the institute.
Where did you do your training?
I started my scientific journey in Milan. I studied at the university of Milan-Bicocca where I obtained a master’s degree in biotechnology. During my master internship I joined Francesca Granucci’s lab where my love for immunology started. I continued to work in Francesca’s lab for my doctorate where I studied how T cells became tolerant to antigens presented to them in the periphery. My doctoral paper showed that migratory dendritic cells were responsible for T cell tolerization in the skin, and that they induced Treg differentiation in the draining lymph nodes. I then moved to the United States to join Ivan Zanoni’s lab in Boston Children’s hospital. Ivan moved from Milan to Boston and asked me to join him as a post-doc. There we literally opened the lab together, with my first day passed unboxing new pipettes and new equipment. This move also marked the start of my love story with IFN-λ and Ivan and I made several interesting discoveries on its role in immune modulation, and regulation of tissue repair in the mucosae.
Just before the Covid lockdowns started, I became aware of a PI position opening in Marseille and, after several dystopic virtual interviews, where I presented to the whole institute that was connected without their cameras on, I was recruited at CIML where I continue my research on IFNs and mucosal immunity.
Briefly, what is your research about?
In our team we are interested in understanding innate immune responses in the intestine, and in particular how immune cells, epithelial cells and microbes communicate during homeostasis, inflammation and repair. Cytokines are the primary “language” with which the immune system communicates, and, in my team, we initially focused on studying my favorite cytokine: IFN-λ. We found that IFN-λ is upregulated in the gut under inflammatory conditions in mice, as well as in human patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease. We also have shown that these higher levels of IFN-λ can affect epithelial cell capacity to orchestrate tissue repair, by inducing cell death in stem cells and specialized reparatory epithelial cells. It does so through mechanisms that involves the upregulation of the protein ZBP1, which can recognize double stranded nucleic acids in the Z conformation (Z-NA), and assemble a multiprotein complex that encompass several adaptors and effectors of cell death. In our case we found that activation of caspase 8 and the pore forming protein Gasdermin-C were responsible for the induction of cell death. We are now investigating the mechanisms that induce the overexpression of IFN-λ during disease, and the microbial determinants that stimulate its production. Moreover, while we have shown that Z-NAs are increased in stress conditions, such as during experimental colitis or radiation stress, we do not yet know the nature and regulation of these nucleic acids, but we’re working hard on finding it.
Furthermore, in the team we are exploring other ways by which the immune system, microbes and epithelia communicate, such as nutrients, metabolites, and vitamins and we are exploring how these communication networks affect epithelial repair, inflammation, and infection.
Tell us your thoughts about ICIS: how has being involved in the Cytokine Society helped your career?
Being involved in the cytokine society has been great! For starters, it allowed me to network with incredible scientists from across the world at the cytokine meetings. I had also the opportunity to contribute to the society’s journal “Cytokine” for which I will be acting as editor for special issues and review, with the goal to publish excellent research on cytokines. I have also had the possibility to meet and interact with the large community of researchers working on IFN-λ and to co-organize a satellite session at the 2024 cytokine meeting in Seoul, dedicated to my favorite cytokine and with excellent talks.
Are there any particular friendships or collaborations that came specifically out of Cytokines meetings?
Yes, the cytokine meeting allowed me to enter the community of IFN-λ researchers, all of which have a very collaborative and friendly attitude, which make scientific research fun and interesting.
What Cytokines meeting(s) have been your favorites? Tell us about any special memories or anecdotes.
First Cytokine meeting I have attended was during covid, and it was a virtual meeting. It was a strange experience, but I got to e-meet some interesting people, and still assist to the amazing science presented by the speakers. The following meeting that I attended was in Athens, Greece and I finally could put a face on all the awesome people I have interacted online with. Also, it was the 20th anniversary of my favorite cytokine, in an amazing city, with amazing people.
What do you like to do when not in the lab?
When I’m not in the lab I like cooking a lot. It’s like an experiment that always gives you a delicious result, that you can apply scientific methodology with and always improve… plus I like to eat! I also like to practice sports, and last year I took advantage of living on the seaside to prepare a 5 km swimming race called “Monte Cristo challenge”. The idea is to re-live the tale of the count of Monte Cristo, who, in the book, was imprisoned in a small island in front of Marseille (the chateau d’If), and to evade prison swam to freedom to the beaches of Marseille. It was indeed a challenge, and I arrived completely drained, but it was fun!
What is the best life/career advice you’ve ever received?
I can tell you an advice that I received from my former mentor Ivan Zanoni when I became independent. He told me “Take your time and don’t arrive at the last second with grant deadlines like you use to”.
I did not follow that advice…..
What book or TV show are you reading/watching right now that you recommend?
Right now, I am watching “The bear”. A kitchen and a lab are very similar with each other. You need teamwork, precision, passion, and mentoring! A book that I read recently that completely changed my view on nature is: “Endless Forms: The Secret World of Wasps” from Seirian Sumner. If you had an antipathy towards wasps, this book would explain how essential they are for the ecosystem, and how interesting their biology is.
What is your favorite cytokine?
The one and only king of the mucosae, IFN-λ