News

and have team meeting with her

led by two talented PhD students, Baptiste Darracq and Eloi Littner. Always a pleasure to collaborate with Celine Loot, Eduardo Rocha, and Didier Mazel from the Pasteur Institute, Paris.

Darracq B, E. Littner, M. Brunie, J. Bos, P.-A. Kaminski, F. Depardieu, W. Slesak, K. Debatisse, M. Touchon, A. Bernheim, D. Bikard, F. L. Roux, D. Mazel, E. P. C. Rocha and C. Loot (2025). Sedentary chromosomal integrons as biobanks of bacterial anti-phage defence systems. Science 8 May. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/…

Bernard C, Labreuche Y, C. Diarra C, Daszkowski P, Cahier K, Goudenege D, Lamarche MG, Whitfield GB, Lang M, Valencia J, Groseille J, Piel D, Lee YJ, Weigele P, Brun YV, Rocha EPC and F. Le Roux (2025). Adaptive genomic plasticity in large-genome, broad-host-range vibrio phages. ISME J 19(1).

https://academic.oup.com/ismej/article/19/1/wraf063/8106547

A piece of work passed like a baton between two lives — one in Roscoff, the other in Montréal — with the help of wonderful collaborators!

When grad students finally leave the lab…

Our new principal coordinator of the chaire d’excellence

babies are back!

Great food, great team!

Excited to share our latest preprint on the genetic and evolutionary mechanisms behind the generalism of marine bacteriophages: the Schizotequatrovirus (T4 giant vibriophage). This work represents another great collaboration with Eduardo Rocha (Pasteur Institute) and a relay effort from my lab in Roscoff to the University of Montréal.

In this study, we explore these fascinating large-genome phages, showing that recombination plays a pivotal role in expanding host range, particularly through the exchange of receptor-binding proteins and anti-defense systems. Interestingly, generalist Schizotequatroviruses preferentially infect generalist vibrios in open seawater, in contrast to specialist phages targeting patho-phylotypes involved in oyster disease. We also discuss the genetic and ecological trade-offs that shape their rarity and their potential for future biocontrol applications. Check it out !

https://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2024.12.24.630238v1

It was a great pleasure to welcome Yannick Fouda, Psed, PhD, CEO of MyLumen (https://mylumen.ca), for a presentation entitled “International Students: Understanding the Challenges to Better Support Them.” This was our first EDI seminar, but certainly not the last, proudly sponsored by our CERC. Afterward, we enjoyed a delicious raclette together—these moments of conviviality are an integral part of welcoming new arrivals. Thank you Mathilde for the organisation!