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Vahid Asnafi’s team – Normal and Pathological Lymphoid Differenciation
Vahid Asnafi
Team leader
Institut Necker Enfants Malades
Research themes
Our team focuses its research on understanding the fundamental processes that control human T-lymphocyte development and their role in the initiation of hematologic malignancies, in particular T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias (T-ALL) and lymphomas.
We combine oncogenetic and immunogenetic approaches — notably the study of the molecular mechanisms that control VDJ rearrangements of the T-cell receptor (TCR) during T-lymphocyte ontogeny, as well as epigenetic approaches integrated with functional genomics.
Our objective: to develop targeted therapies for leukemia and lymphoma.
Research areas
- Decipher maturation blockades and lineage affiliation to improve the classification of lymphoid malignancies.
- Examine the potential oncogenic role of deregulated receptor rearrangements in the development of lymphoid malignancies.
- Study TCR signaling function in T lymphocyte oncogenesis.
- Identify therapeutic strategies to correct lymphoid maturation blockades associated with deregulated receptor rearrangements.
- Investigate the mechanisms of action of homeotic proteins in normal and pathological thymopoiesis.
- Study the epigenetic regulation of human VDJ rearrangements during T lymphocyte development (Blueprint).
- Analyze abnormalities of immature lymphocytes.
- Examine dysfunctions of immature T, My, NK, and ILC lymphocytes to better understand the interaction between lymphoid and myeloid lineages.
- Analyze the involvement of cytokine receptors, NOTCH1/FBXW7 pathway deregulation, and aberrant signaling pathways in the oncogenic process of T lymphocytes.
- Implement innovative cellular and molecular approaches to optimize the management of patients with leukemia and lymphoma, both at diagnosis and during follow-up.
- Utilize Ig/TCR markers for minimal residual disease assessment, aiming for individualized management in ALL and NHL.
- Employ multiparametric flow cytometry, from droplet-based digital quantification and high-throughput somatic onco- and immunogenetic analyses to diagnosis and follow-up.
Featured research projects
Analysis of glucose versus glutamine mobilization
Study of metabolic duality in the presence of temsirolimus (PI3K inhibitor) and asparaginase.
Evaluation of the response to carfilzomib
Identification of Biomarkers and Improvement of the Response to Carfilzomib through PI3K Co-inhibition.
Study of resistance to asparaginases
Identification of response biomarkers and combination therapies.
Vahid Asnafi's team members
Vahid ASNAFIUniversity Professor – Hospital PractitionerGuillaume ANDRIEUResearch AssociateEstelle BALDUCCIHospital PractitionerOmer BEGANOVICUniversity Hospital AttendantMickaël BONNETBiological Techniques EngineerBruno CANQUEUniversity Professor – Hospital PractitionerMathilde CHAMBREBiological Techniques EngineerLaura CHOULIBiological Techniques EngineerAgata CIESLAKBiological Techniques EngineerMarianne COURGEONPhD StudentMélodie CULOTBiological TechnicianEmilie DOURTHEHospital PractitionerNicolas GAIDOTBiological Techniques EngineerKhaldoun GHARZEDDINEBiological Techniques EngineerSamia GUERMAHBiological Techniques EngineerEl Mehdi LATIRIAurélie LE NEZETAssistant Engineer in BiologyEléna LETARDBiological Techniques EngineerLudovic LHERMITTEUniversity Hospital Associate ProfessorValentine LOUISPhD StudentAlice MORINHospital PractitionerJad NASRALLAHUniversity Hospital AttendantAntoine PINTONPhD StudentLaura ROUYERBiological Techniques EngineerMathieu SIMONINUniversity Hospital Associate ProfessorAgathe SPAETHUniversity Hospital AttendantPaul TESTARDPhD StudentAurore TOUZARTUniversity Hospital Associate ProfessorPatrick VILLARESEResearch Engineer BiologistClara BONNETOTraineeMaria TIENKENTraineeAlbane WASSELINTraineeLucienne CHATENOUDEmeritus ProfessorMarie-Alexandra ALYANAKIANHospital PractitionerPeipei HUPost-doctoral ResearcherStéphanie CHHUNUniversity Hospital Associate ProfessorBenoit CHEVALIERPost-doctoral ResearcherOlga KOUESSANBiological TechnicianCindy MARQUETBiological Techniques EngineerFabrice VALETTEAssistant Engineer in Animal BiologyScientific publications
Guillaume Andrieu & al, Nat Commun, 2025
A metabolic synthetic lethality of phosphoinositide 3-kinase-driven cancerRead the publication
Manon Delafoy & al, HemaSphere, 2025
Oncogenomic profiling in infant-toddler T-ALL identifies NKX2 family genes as drivers linked to favorable outcomesRead the publication
Lucien Courtois & al, Blood, 2025
Surface pTα expression predicts LCK activation and preclinical synergy of LCK and JAK coinhibition in adult T-ALLRead the publicationFunding
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