Marie-France Dorion

Marie-France Dorion is a Research Fellow at the Brussels Center for Immunology, affiliated with the Department of Basic (bio-) Medical Sciences. Her work bridges immunological and neurological research with a focus on brain macrophage biology and neurodegenerative mechanisms.

Her research expertise spans:

• Central nervous system immunology
• Microglia and border-associated macrophage function
• In vivo genetic screening methodologies
• CRISPR-based functional genomics
• Progranulin-related frontotemporal dementia pathways
• Immune dynamics in neurodegenerative conditions

Current projects demonstrate a clear trajectory toward integrating advanced genetic tools with neuroimmunological models to decode macrophage identity regulation. Her 2025-2027 work pioneers xenotransplantation approaches using cord blood-derived macrophages to identify novel regulators of brain immune cell functions, with direct implications for dementia therapeutics.

Dorion actively leads two major research initiatives:

• AIIFUND138 (2025): Identifying regulators of human brain macrophage identities through in vivo genetic screening
• EU697 (2026-2027): Extending this work to border-associated macrophage identities with advanced CRISPR methodologies

She operates within a robust collaborative network centered at the Brussels Center for Immunology, working closely with principal investigator Dr. Movahedi and multidisciplinary teams across immunology, neuroscience, and genetic engineering domains.