Rémy Froissart
Research interest
My career has been devoted to study the evolution of viruses (especially in temporaly and/or spatialy variable environments), both infecting plants, insects and bacteria. After a PhD (Université de Paris 6, UPMC) dedicated at the understanding of the key parameters of the intra-host evolution of the Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV), I carried out 3 years post-doctoral research with Paul Turner at the University of Yale (USA) and Olivier Tenaillon at Hopital Bichat (France) in which I investigated the effect of co-infection on genomic and phenotypic evolution of bacteriophage populations. In 2005, I initiated my current position at the CNRS where I established experimental evolution of different viruses (plant caulimovirus CaMV but also insect densovirus JcDNV and bacteriophages Lambda and PhiX174) and also tested experimentally the trade-off between virulence and transmission of some of these viruses (CaMV and JcDNV).
In 2014, I decided to come back on phage'evolution through a collaboration with Jo-Ann Passmore (University of Cape-Town, South-Africa), Ignacio Bravo (MIVEGEC, Montpellier, France) and Marie Vasse (post-doc, MIVEGEC, Marie-Curie grant) with whom we are working on disturbance of microbial vaginal ecosystem that may results on dysbiosis (in particular, bacterial vaginosis).
I also work with Guillaume Martin (CNRS, ISEM, Montpellier, France) and Yoann Anciaux (post-doc ISEM-MIVEGEC, Montpellier, France) on in vitro evolutionary rescue of bacteria stressed by antibiotics and/or bacteriophages targetting E.coli. I also participate to the project Phag-One leaded by Frederic Laurent and Tristan Ferry (Hospice Civile de Lyon) on the bacteriophage' host-range targetting Staphylococcus epidermidis and E.coli. Finally, I'm currently also working on Salmonella 'bacteriophages in order to perform long-term efficiency of bacteriophage biocontrol.
Collective scientific responsabilities
Co-animation of the official desk of the GDR “groupement de Recherche” Phages.fr with S. Gandon (CNRS, INEE), M. Ansaldi (CNRS, INSB), C. Breyton (CNRS, INSB), C. Torres-Barceló (INRAe, SPE), F. Lecointe (INRAe, MICA), C. Le Henaff (U. Bordeaux), L. Debarbieux (Institut Pasteur Paris), C. Brives (CNRS, INSHS), F. Leroux (IFREMER).
Co-animation of the group “phage therapy” of the national network “
phages.fr”
Co-president with S. Gandon, C. Torres-Barcelo, M. Ansaldi, C. Le Henaff, M-A. Petit, P. Boulanger, L. Debarbieux, C. Brives, E. Rocha of the “Société d’études des bactériophages”
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Elected representant to the laboratory council of MIVEGEC (Conseil d'unité) 2021-2026
Elected representant to the logistic group of MIVEGEC (2018- )
Scientific responsible for the laboratory security (level L2) of MIVEGEC (2016- )
APA Correspondant (Nagoya protocol) for MIVEGEC (2021- )
Participant of the Science ecological councern group of MIVEGEC (MIVEGEC-1.5)
Present position & education
Main subject of research : “evolution proof” bacteriophage therapy / phage adaptation (host-range and virulence)
Past training
Habilitation à diriger les recherches (HDR) 2017 (“Évolution en environnements variables: pérégrinations scientifiques entre virus de plantes, virus d'insectes, bactéries & bactériophages”. Université de Montpellier. 30 mai 2017)
Visitor scientist at the University of Cape-Town 2014-2015 (In the group headed by Jo-Ann Passmore, Medical Virology)
Research scientist, permanent position in CNRS (Centre National de Recherche Scientifique) 2005 –
Experimental evolution / evolution of virulence of Cauliflower mosaic virus, in collaboration with S. Blanc (UMR 385 BGPI, INRA-CIRAD-SupAgro) 2005-2014
Evaluation of phages participation into bacterial ecosystems present in human genital tract and research on “evolution proof” bacteriophage cocktails for phage therapy 2015 –
Post-doctoral position in Hopital Bichat 2003-2004 (Group « Ecologie et évolution des micro-organismes » in collaboration with O. Tenaillon & E. Denamur, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) Paris, France)
Post-doctoral position in Yale University 2002-2003 (Paul Turner’ group in Yale University, New-Haven, USA)
PhD in Biology 2002 (« Experimental study of the evolution of the mechanism of transmission of the Cauliflower mosaic virus ». Pierre-et-Marie-Curie University, PhD defense on may 6th, 2002.
DEA « Biologie, Diversité, adaptation des plantes cultivées » 1998 (Institut National d’Agronomie INA-PG – Universités de Paris VI et Paris XI, Ecole Nationale Supérieure Agronomique de Montpellier ENSAM)
Maîtrise (option Evolution & génétique) 1997 (Université de Montpellier II)
License de Phytopathologie 1996 (Université d’Avignon)
Diplôme Universitaire de Technologie 1995 (Université de Perpignan)
Articles
° Authors contributed equally to the work
# corresponding author(s)
2024
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Maurin A., M. Vasse, C. Breyton, C. Zarate-Chaves, S. Bouzidi, J. Hayer, J. Dainat, Margaux Mesleard-Roux, F-X. Weill, I. G. Bravo, A. Feugier & R. Froissart. 2024. «
“This training is bound for glory” : selection by experimental evolution of a bacteriophage with expanded host-range and increased virulence.
BioRxiv
2022
2021
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Happel, Anna-Ursula, Christina Balle, Brandon S. Maust, Iyaloo N. Konstantinus, Katherine Gill, Linda-Gail Bekker, Rémy Froissart, Jo-Ann Passmore, Ulas Karaoz, Arvind Varsani* & Heather Jaspan*. 2021. «
Presence and Persistence of Putative Lytic and Temperate Bacteriophages in Vaginal Metagenomes from South African Adolescents ».
Viruses 13, nᵒ 12: 2341.
François, Sarah, Aymeric Antoine-Lorquin, Maximilien Kulikowski, Marie Frayssinet, Denis Filloux, Emmanuel Fernandez, Philippe Roumagnac, Rémy Froissart, et Mylène Ogliastro. 2021 «
Characterisation of the Viral Community Associated with the Alfalfa Weevil (Hypera Postica) and Its Host Plant, Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa) ».
Viruses 13, nᵒ 5 (may 2021): 791.
2020
Happel A-U, B Kullin, H Gamieldien, N Wentzel, C Z Zauchenberger, H B Jaspan, S Dabee, S L Barnabas, J Dietrich, G Gray, L-G Bekker, R. Froissart°, J-A S Passmore°. 2020.
Exploring potential vaginal Lactobacillus isolates from South African women for treating bacterial vaginosis.
PLoS Pathogen 16(6): e1008559 and
press release in medicalxpress as well as
Univ. Cape-Town
Manhanzva MT, Abrahams AG, Gamieldien H, Froissart R, Jaspan H, Jaumdally SZ, Barnabas SL, Dabee S, Bekker LG, Gray G, Passmore J-AS & Masson L (2020)
Inflammatory and antimicrobial properties differ between vaginal Lactobacillus isolates from South African women with non-optimal versus optimal microbiota.
Scientific Reports 10: 1‑13
Monjane A.L., S. Dellicour, P. Hartnady, K.A. Oyeniran, B.E. Owor, M. Bezeidenhout, D. Linderme, R.A. Syed, L. Donaldson, S. Murray, E.P. Rybicki, A. Kvarnheden, E. Yazdkhasti, P. Lefeuvre, R. Froissart, P. Roumagnac, D.N. Shepherd, G.W. Harkins, M.A. Suchard, P. Lemey, A. Varsani & Darren P. Martin. 2020. «
Symptom evolution following the emergence of maize streak virus ».
eLife 9:e51984.
2019
François S., Mutuel D., Duncan A.B., Rodrigues L. R. , Danzelle C., Lefevre S., Santos I., Frayssinet M., Fernandez E., Filloux D., Roumagnac P., Froissart R & M. Ogliastro# . 2019.
A new prevalent densovirus discovered in Acari. Insight from metagenomics in viral communities associated with two-spotted mite (Tetranychus urticae) populations Viruses 11 (3) : 233
Murall, Carmen Lía, Massilva Rahmoun, Christian Selinger, Monique Baldellou, Claire Bernat, Marine Bonneau, Vanina Boué, et al. «
Natural History, Dynamics, and Ecology of Human Papillomaviruses in Genital Infections of Young Women: Protocol of the PAPCLEAR Cohort Study ».
BMJ Open 9, nᵒ 6 (1 juin 2019): e025129.
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Chetwin E., M.T. Manhanzva, A.G. Abrahams, R. Froissart, H. Gamieldien, H. Jaspan, S.Z. Jaumdally, S.L. Barnabas, S. Dabee, A-U. Happel, D. Bowers, L. Davids, J-A. S. Passmore & L. Masson .
Antimicrobial and Inflammatory Properties of South African Clinical Lactobacillus Isolates and Vaginal Probiotics.
Scientific Reports 9, nᵒ 1 (13 février 2019): 1917.
2018
2017
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Murall# C-L., J. L. Abbate, M. P. Touzel, E. Allen-Vercoe, S. Alizon, R. Froissart, K. McCann#. 2017.
Invasions of Microbiome Networks. Chapter for the volume “Networks of Invasion” in the book series
Advances in Ecological Research 2017:201-281
2016
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2010
2008
2005
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2001
Hébrard E., Drucker M., Leclerc D., Hohn T., Uzest M., Froissart R., Strub M., Sanglier S., Van Dorsellaer A., Padilla A., Labesse G. & S. Blanc#. 2001.
Biochemical characterization of the helper component of Cauliflower mosaic virus. J. Virol., 75(18):8538-8546
Blanc# S., Hébrard E., Drucker M. & R. Froissart. 2001. Caulimoviruses. In : Virus-vector-plant interactions. Eds. K.F. Harris, O.P. Smith & J.E. Duffus. Academic Press
1996
Articles en français
Ansaldi, Mireille, Pascale Boulanger, Charlotte Brives, Laurent Debarbieux, Nicolas Dufour, Rémy Froissart, Sylvain Gandon, et al. « Un siècle de recherche sur les bactériophages ».
Virologie 24, nᵒ 1 (1 janvier 2020): 9‑22.
https://doi.org/10.1684/vir.2020.0809. (
open access)
Ansaldi, Mireille, Pascale Boulanger, Charlotte Brives, Laurent Debarbieux, Nicolas Dufour, Rémy Froissart, Sylvain Gandon, et al. « Les applications antibactériennes des bactériophages ».
Virologie 24, nᵒ 1 (1 janvier 2020): 23‑36.
https://doi.org/10.1684/vir.2019.0805. (
open access
Dumont, Y., R. Froissart, A-L. Bañuls, L. Bonzon, H. Jean-Pierre, et S. Godreuil, Sylvain. « Bactéries anaérobies et résistances aux antibiotiques ».
Revue francophone des laboratoires, nᵒ 505 (septembre 2018): 57‑62.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S1773-035X(18)30256-9.
Teaching practices
Students/post-doc supervisions
Post-doc collaborations : Yoann Anciaux (2021-2023), Marie Vasse (2021-2023)
Graduate studies : Yann Dumont (2019-2022, co-suppervision with Pr S. Godreuil, CHU Montpellier), Anna Happel (2017-2020, co-direction with Jo-Ann Passmore, U. Cape-Town), Sarah François (2014-2017, co-suppervision with Dr M. Ogliastro, INRAE), Juliette Doumayrou (2008-2011, co-suppervision with Yannis Michalakis, CNRS)
PhD in progress
2022-2025 : “Salmonella biocontrol” – in charge : Amandine Maurin
2022-2025 : “Study of the antagonistic co-evolution between therapeutic bacteriophages and carbapenem-resistant E. coli” - in charge Elsa Beurrier
2024-2024 : “étude des savoirs, savoir-faire et enjeux de la domestication de bactériophages à usages thérapeutiques” - in charge Charlotte Whittington (co-direction avec Charlotte Brives (CNRS, Bordeaux)
Technical skills
experimental evolution design
molecular biology : PCR, qPCR, cloning, mini-prep, restriction enzymes, DNA-RNA extraction ('old fashion' phenol-chloroform or kits), Western blot, Southern blot, dot blot, ELISA, virus purification (ultracentrifugation), Transmission electronic microscopy (negative coloration), dialysis, etc
sequence analysis – basic bioinformatic (Galaxy) / Geneious
stats : JMP - ®
biblio : zotero
Grants (current and recent)
2021-2027 ANR Antibio-résistance : Phag-One : isolation, production and application of therapeutical bacteriophages targeting Staphylococcus sp. or E. coli resistant to carbapenems“ – collaboration with Pr Frédéric Laurent, Hospices civiles de Lyon
2018-2020 Bourse du labex CEMEB – “Evolutionary rescue of bacterial populations facing bacteriophages, antibiotics and a combination of both stresses” Collaboration with Guillaume Martin, ISEM, Montpellier, France.
2015-2017 International Collaborative grant – Univ. Cape-Town / Univ. Montpellier II – “Role of bacteriophages in development of bacterial vaginosis in women at high risk for HIV infection” collaboration with Jo-Ann Passmore, Medical Virology, University of Cape-Town, South-Africa.
Reviewing for peer-reviewed journals and Foundations
Journals : Archives of virology, Biology Letters, BMC Evolutionary Biology, Ecology Letters, Evolution, Evolutionnary Applications, Genome Biology and Evolution, Heredity, Infection, Genetics & Evolution, Integrative and Comparative Biology, Journal of Virology, Molecular Ecology, Molecular Plant Pathology, Nature communication, New Phytologist, Proceeding of Royal Society of London, series B, Scientific Report, Molecular Biology & Evolution, Frontiers in microbiology,
Fondations: National Science Foundation (Editor V. Vance, USA), Fondation pour la recherche en biodiversité (FR), The Wellcome Trust (Editor K. Noble, UK), Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (Portugal), National Science Foundation (South-Africa)
Scientific animations (national & international)
Séminaires d’écologie & d’évolution de l’Université de Montpellier II (SEEM) 2005-2007
Co-animation with S. Alizon. French annual workshop concerning virus evolution (REV) since 2005.
Co-animation with S. Elena (CSIC Valencia, SP). International “Jacques Monod” Conference. 2009 untitled « Understanding emergence of infectious diseases: focus on new experimental and theoretical approaches to virus evolution »
Co-animation with S. Gandon, O. Kaltz, C. Torres-Barcelo, M. Ansaldi. National network and annual workshop organization “Phages-bacteria: from fundamental to applied science”. 2015-current
Co-animation with L. Debarbieux of the group “phage therapy” of the national network “phages.fr” 2017–
Co-president with S. Gandon, C. Torres-Barcelo, M. Ansaldi, C. Le Henaff, M-A. Petit, P. Boulanger, L. Debarbieux, C. Brives, E. Rocha of the “Société d’études des bactériophages”
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DIVERS