Valérie CASTELLANI

Valérie CASTELLANI is a CNRS Researcher (HDR) affiliated with the NeuroMyoGene Institute at Claude Bernard University Lyon 1, where she leads a laboratory focused on embryonic neurodevelopment and pediatric malignancies. Her team investigates neural crest cell migration, axon guidance mechanisms, and the embryonic origins of neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma using avian embryo models and advanced imaging techniques.

Her research spans developmental biology and oncology, with emphasis on how embryonic cellular processes are hijacked in cancer. Key interests include molecular signaling in neural circuit formation, conservation of developmental programs in human embryos, and deregulation in neurodevelopmental disorders. The lab employs experimental embryology, 3D light sheet microscopy, transcriptomics, and patient-derived xenografts in avian embryos to model tumor behavior.

Recent publications reveal a strong trend toward translational applications, particularly in developing avian embryo models for preclinical cancer testing (breast cancer, melanoma, lymphoma). Her work bridges fundamental developmental mechanisms with pediatric oncology, highlighting how metastasis exploits embryonic migration pathways. The 15 most recent articles demonstrate consistent focus on neural crest biology, axon guidance molecules (Semaphorins, Slits), and tumor microenvironment interactions.

CASTELLANI actively mentors PhD students including Maëlys ANDRE, Raphael GURY, Marion MALLET, and Luce ROSEIRO, while collaborating with clinicians like Cécile FAURE-CONTER. Her team participates in major initiatives including South-ROCK (pediatric oncology center of excellence) and REACT4KIDS (national pediatric cancer research network). She co-founded the startup Oncofactory (2016), which commercializes the avian embryo tumor model for therapeutic screening.

The laboratory operates within the NeuroMyoGene Institute (CNRS UMR 5284/INSERM U1314), utilizing advanced platforms for 3D microscopy and transcriptomics. Current projects include studying gut-brain connectivity in enteric nervous system development and metastatic triggers in neuroblastoma, supported by European Research Council funding and institutional partnerships.