CIIL - NEWSLETTER , June 2026 - N° 19

Sabine Blin - General Secretary of CIIL

General Secretary Division

 

Within the Human Resources Division of the CIIL General Secretariat, we support the laboratory’s teams in a wide range of administrative and HR-related processes, in collaboration with the various supervisory institutions of CIIL: CNRS, Inserm, the University of Lille, Lille University Hospital (CHU de Lille), and the Pasteur Institute of Lille.

On a daily basis, we oversee recruitment processes, welcome new French and international staff members, and manage internships, which are particularly numerous within the laboratory. We assist teams and students in preparing administrative files, setting up internship agreements according to the requirements of the different supervisory institutions, managing access rights and badges, and supporting specific procedures for international profiles.

Part of our role also involves supporting and ensuring compliance for all files related to recruitment, internships, and the hosting of researchers and project staff.

The following staff members are available to assist you:

  • Natacha OLIVIER – Internship management
  • Frédéric BRULOIS – Contract and permanent staff management, as well as HR-specific procedures

Within the Finance Division of the CIIL General Secretariat, we support laboratory teams in managing and monitoring the financial resources allocated to the unit, in coordination with the various supervisory institutions and research project partners.

On a daily basis, we prepare and monitor budgets, process expenditures, and oversee the financial management of research contracts and projects. We also support research teams in managing their budgets, providing them with a clear and up-to-date view of their available resources.

Part of our role is also to ensure the reliability of financial operations, compliance with the rules of each supervisory institution, and the smooth administrative and financial implementation of the laboratory’s projects.

The following staff members are available to assist you:

  • Cathy JOONNEKINDT – Teams of Jean-Claude SIRARD, Mathieu GISSOT, and Oleg MELNYK
  • Charlotte MESTDAGH – Teams of Alexandre GRASSART and Ruben HARTKOORN
  • Emmanuelle PETIT – Teams of Muriel PICHAVANT and Florent SEBBANE (with support from Christelle BATAILLE)
  • Jules DESCHATRETTE – Teams of Sandrine BELOUZARD and Damien DEVOS
  • Thierry RAZAFINDRATSITA – Teams of Nathalie MIELCAREK and Fernando REAL–François TROTTEIN
  • Christelle BATAILLE – Financial monitoring of infrastructure expenditures and support for Florent SEBBANE’s team
  • Karine SERRURE – Finance Division Coordinator. In addition to coordination responsibilities, she manages the laboratory’s operating budget for shared activities (scientific events, common resources, etc.), oversees internal controls, and supports research teams in the administrative and financial monitoring of their projects, in liaison with the laboratory’s supervisory institutions and relevant departments.

Within the Assets, Logistics and General Services Division of the CIIL General Secretariat, we support laboratory teams in managing facilities, equipment, and workspaces across multiple sites.

Most CIIL teams are located within the Lille Institute of Biology (Institut de Biologie de Lille) in the CNRS building, while other teams are housed in the Émile Roux building, owned by the Pasteur Institute of Lille. This organization requires ongoing coordination with the real estate and technical services of the various supervisory institutions.

On a daily basis, we oversee workspaces and facilities, coordinate maintenance and technical interventions, and manage logistics and related services. We also act as a liaison with the appropriate contacts to facilitate the smooth operation of buildings and equipment used by the teams.

Part of our role also involves anticipating equipment and facility needs, monitoring maintenance requests, ensuring safe and suitable working conditions, and contributing to the continuity of laboratory operations across its different sites.

The following staff members are available to assist you:

  • Nicolas AMPEN-GUFFROY
  • Marc MESSEMANNE
  • Eric DESCAMPS
  • Alexis DENHEZ – Head of the Division

Spotlight on Sabine Blin, CIIL General Secretary

As General Secretary of CIIL, I coordinate the laboratory’s support functions in close collaboration with the management team, research group leaders, administrative and technical staff, and the various supervisory institutions. My role is to support the laboratory’s day-to-day operations, ensure the reliability of administrative, financial, HR, facilities, and logistics processes, and facilitate alignment between the needs of research teams and the requirements of each partner institution.

This interface position provides me with a comprehensive view of the laboratory’s operations and allows me to work on both highly operational matters and broader strategic or cross-functional issues. It is a particularly rewarding role that requires an understanding of the challenges faced by research teams, the constraints of the supervisory institutions, the priorities of management, and the realities of day-to-day operations.

The position constantly presents new situations to address, topics to explore, and opportunities to seize. No two days are ever the same: one may move from an HR file to a financial issue, from a facilities matter to management support, or from an operational emergency to a broader organizational reflection.

One constant when working within the General Secretariat is the need to adapt. Daily activities rarely unfold exactly as planned, but that is also what makes our work so rewarding: being available, responsive, and able to adjust priorities according to the laboratory’s needs, always with the same objective—to support our teams as effectively as possible and contribute to the smooth operation and success of CIIL.