The Barbet laboratory studies the biology of mononuclear phagocytes (MPs) such as monocytes, dendritic cells and macrophages. At the intracellular level, the laboratory is interested in the signaling cascades regulated by calcium homeostasis and how calcium, a ubiquitous second messenger is involved in the different functions of MPs. As innate immune cells, MPs continuously sense their environment and respond adequately to different type of infection or cell death. The laboratory also investigates how MPs interact with other immune cells, especially at the mucosal surfaces.