Article 3 min read

Understanding the impact of genetic modifications on immune system aging

Published the Updated By Arnaud Pauchenne/Agence Bergamote - Translation: id2m

Nader Yatim is one of the four early-career scientists selected to lead new research groups at the Institut Pasteur in 2025. He is also a laureate of the Choose France for Science initiative and a recipient of an ERC Starting Grant. Nader is a physician-scientist who will be leading the Myeloid Cells, Inflammatory Diseases and Aging five-year group (G5) from November 2026 and will also be affiliated with the Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology Department at Cochin Hospital (AP-HP, Université Paris-Cité).
  • #Immune system
Nader Yatim

This article is part of a series presenting the research projects of the scientists selected in 2025 by the Institut Pasteur to launch their 5-year research group (G5). You can find the other articles here:


Sarah Merkling - Mosquitoes: unlocking the black box of virus transmission
Spyros Lytras - Predicting viral evolution with AI
Morgane Thion - How the brain's sentinels and walls cooperate from the embryonic stage

What I'm researching

I am particularly interested in how the immune system ages, especially the mechanisms that lead to the dysfunction of cells known as macrophages and their impact on tissues and organs. More specifically, I am exploring the effects of age-related somatic mutations and the dysregulated expression of endogenous viruses, known as retroelements.

How I go about it

I use mouse models and cohorts of patients with inflammatory diseases to study the consequences of certain genetic modifications on immune system aging and the development of age-related disorders such as fibrosis and vasculitis. My approach is based on a continuous back and forth between patients and the lab, with the aim of identifying the scientific aspects that are most likely to lead to improvements in treatment.

What the purpose is

Most of the diseases that we treat as physicians are linked to age. Cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, fibrosis and cancer are major causes of mortality. My research may help identify ways of rejuvenating the immune system and improving treatments for these disorders by offering a personalized approach that targets the causes of aging in each patient.

Cellules cancéreuses et macrophages s’attaquant aux cellules tumorales
Cellules cancéreuses et macrophages s’attaquant aux cellules tumorales Institut Pasteur - Unité des Dynamiques des réponses immunes
Cellules cancéreuses et macrophages s’attaquant aux cellules tumorales

Why do this at the Institut Pasteur?

I have a personal connection with the Institut Pasteur as I did my PhD here, and I also feel a close affinity with the history of the institution. Louis Pasteur was a pioneer in building bridges between basic and clinical research and between academia and industry. And macrophages, those cells that are central to my research, were discovered by Ilya Mechnikov, a key figure in the Institut Pasteur's history.

A word of advice for tomorrow's scientists

Being a physician-scientist doesn't mean carrying out the two professions in parallel. It is a profession all of its own, with a distinct role. It involves constantly juggling contradictions: the lengthy research process and the urgency of care; intellectual freedom and clinical rigor; the trial and error of academia and the immediate satisfaction of clinical practice. It is only possible with solid institutional support and mentors who guide us at each stage.