Research scientist,
permanent position in the “Centre National de Recherche Scientifique” (CNRS)

Laboratoire "Maladies Infectieuses & Vecteurs : Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution & Contrôle" (MIVEGEC)
Département "Perturbation, Évolution, Virulence" – Équipe "Virostyle"
Membre du Centre de Recherche sur l'écologie & l'évolution de la Santé (CREES)
Membre du bureau d'administration du réseau Phages.fr et page perso
UMR 5290 UM-CNRS-IRD
911 Avenue Agropolis, B.P. 64501 – Bureau 316 – 34394 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
Téléphone : [00 33] (0)4 67 41 63 72


ORCID (0000-0001-8234-1308)
HAL

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.

• 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”
• Responsible for the web site phages.fr

• Head of the group “Virostyle”
• 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)

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 –
  1. Experimental evolution / evolution of virulence of Cauliflower mosaic virus, in collaboration with S. Blanc (UMR 385 BGPI, INRA-CIRAD-SupAgro) 2005-2014
  2. 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)

° Authors contributed equally to the work # corresponding author(s)

• Brives C, R. Froissart, B. Perez-Sepulveda & C. Le Marrec. 2024. « Thinking Phage Innovations Through Evolution and Ecology ». PHAGE 5(1)
• 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

• Happel°, A-U, B.R. Kullin°#, H. Galmieldien, H. Jaspan, A. Varsani, D.P. Martin, J-A. S. Passmore, & R. Froissart#. 2022. « In silico characterisation of putative prophages in Lactobacillaceae used in probiotics for vaginal health ». Microorganisms 10(2):214

• Brives# C. & R. Froissart. 2021. « Évolutions et involutions dans la biomédecine -- Thérapie phagique et traitement des infections bactériennes antibiorésistantes ». Revue d’anthropologie des connaissances 15-3 | 2021 (“Un tournant microbien ?”) (pdf)
• Froissart# R. & C. Brives. 2021. « Evolutionary Biology and Development Model of Medicines: A Necessary “Pas de Deux” for Future Successful Bacteriophage Therapy ». Journal of Evolutionary Biology 34(12):1855-1866 (manuscript final)
• 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.

• 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.

• 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.
• Froissart# R., C. Brives, C. Breyton & C. Le Marrec. « “French Phage Network” Annual Conference 2018—Fourth Meeting Report ». Viruses 11, nᵒ 5 (mai 2019): 470.
• 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.

• Gallet°# R., R. Froissart° & V. Ravigné. 2018. Experimental demonstration of the impact of hard and soft selection regimes on polymorphism maintenance in spatially heterogeneous environments. Evolution 72(8):1677-1688

• François S., D. Filloux, M. Frayssinet, P. Roumagnac, D. P. Martin, M. Ogliastro# and R. Froissart#. 2017. Increase in taxonomic assignment efficiency of viral reads in metagenomic studies. Virus Research 244:230-234 .
• Happel AU, Barnabas SL, Froissart R. & JS Passmore. 2017. Risks and benefits of probiotics use in human health and disease. Beneficial Microbes 9 (2), 239-‌246. .
• Torres-Barceló, C, O. Kaltz, R. Froissart, S. Gandon, N. Ginet, & M. Ansaldi. 2017. “French Phage Network”—Second Meeting Report. Viruses 9,4 : 87-89
• Gallet°# R., R. Froissart° & V. Ravigné. 2017. Things softly attained are long retained: Dissecting the Impacts of Selection Regimes on Polymorphism Maintenance in Experimental Spatially Heterogeneous Environments. Peer Community in Evolutionary Biology / Recommended by Stéphanie Bedhomme (CEFE, CNRS, France)
• Moury# B., E. Hébrard & R. Froissart. 2017. Determinants of host species range in plant viruses. J. Gen. Virol. 98:862–873
• Happel AU, Jaumdally SZ, Cornelius T, Jaspan HB, Froissart R, Chetwin E, Masson L, Barnabas SL, Passmore# JS. 2017. Probiotics for vaginal health in South Africa: What is on retailers’ shelves? BMC Womens Health 17, 7
• 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

• François S., D. Filloux, P. Roumagnac, D. Bigot, P. Gayral, R. Froissart & M. Ogliastro#. 2016. Discovery of parvovirus-related sequences in an unexpected broad range of animals. Scientific report 6: 30880

• Francois S., Bernardo P., Filloux D., Roumagnac P., Yavercovski N., Froissart R. and M. Ogliastro#. 2014. A novel Itera-like densovirus isolated by viral metagenomics from the sea barley Hordeum marinum. Genome Announcement 2 (6): e01196-14

• Doumayrou J., A. Avellan, S. Leblaye, R. Froissart°# & Y. Michalakis°#. 2013. An experimental test of the transmission−virulence trade-off hypothesis in a plant virus. Evolution 67: 477-486
• Doumayrou J., S. Leblaye, R. Froissart°# & Y. Michalakis°#. 2013. Reduction of leaf area and symptom severity as proxies of disease-induced plant mortality: the example of Cauliflower mosaic virus infecting two hosts (Brassicaceae). Virus Research 171:91-100
• Berngruber T., R. Froissart, M. Choisy & S. Gandon#. 2013. Evolution of virulence in emerging epidemics. Plos Pathogen 9: e1003209
• Multeau C., R. Froissart, A. Perrin, I. Castelli & M. Ogliastro#. 2012. Four amino acids of the densovirus capsid determine the lepidopteran midgut recognition. J. Virol. 86:5937-5941

• Vale P.F., M. Choisy, R. Froissart, R. Sanjuán & S. Gandon#. 2012. The distribution of fitness effects of new mutations in a virus on different host backgrounds. Evolution 66 (11):3495-3507

• Vuillaume F., Thébaud G., Urbino C., Forfert N., Granier M., Froissart R., Blanc S. & M. Peterschmitt#. 2011. Distribution of the Phenotypic Effects of Random Homologous Recombination between two Virus Species. PLoS Pathogen 7 (5):e1002028

• Froissart#, R., Doumayrou, J., Vuillaume, F., Alizon, S. & Michalakis, Y. 2010 The virulence-transmission trade-off in vector-borne plant viruses: a review of (non-)existing studies. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B 365, 1907-1918
• Elena, S. F. & R. Froissart. 2010. New experimental and theoretical approaches towards the understanding of the emergence of viral infections. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B 365, 1867-1869

• Monsion B., R. Froissart, Y. Michalakis & S. Blanc#. 2008. Large Bottleneck Size in Cauliflower Mosaic Virus Populations During Host Plant Colonization. PLoS Pathogen 4(10):e1000174

• Montville° R., Froissart° R., Remold S. K., Tenaillon O. and P. E. Turner#. 2005. Evolution of mutational robustness in an RNA virus. PLoS Biology 3(11):e381
• Froissart R., Roze D., Uzest M., Galibert L., Blanc S. & Y. Michalakis#. 2005. Recombination every day: abundant recombination in a virus during a single multi-cellular host infection. PLoS Biology 3(3):e89
• Plisson C. , Uzest M., Drucker M., Froissart R., Dumas C., Conway J., Thomas D., Blanc S. & P. Bron#. 2005. Structure of the mature P3-virus particle complex of Cauliflower mosaic virus revealed by cryo-electron microscopy. J. Mol. Biol. 346, 267-77.

• Froissart R., C. O. Wilke, R. Montville, S. K. Remold, L. Chao & P. E. Turner#. 2004. Co-infection weakens selection against epistatic mutations in RNA viruses. Genetics 168 (1):9-19
• Froissart R., Ruiz-Ferrer V., Uzest M., Hébrard E., Drucker M., Hohn T. & S. Blanc#. 2004. Splicing of Cauliflower mosaic virus 35S RNA serves to downregulate a toxic gene product. J. Gen. Virol. 85 (9): 2719-2725

• Drucker° M., Froissart° R., Hébrard E., Uzest M., Ravallec M., Espérandieu P., Mani J-C., Pugnière M., Roquet F., Fereres A. & S. Blanc#. 2002. Intracellular distribution of viral gene products regulates a complex mechanism of Cauliflower mosaic virus acquisition by its aphid vector. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 99 (4) : 2422-2427.
• Froissart R., Michalakis Y. & S. Blanc#. 2002. Helper Component-transcomplementation in the vector transmission of plant viruses. Phytopathology 92(6):576-579

• 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

• Vaissière# B. E. & R. Froissart. 1996. Pest management and pollination of cantaloupes grown under spunbonded row covers in West Africa. J. Hort. Sc., 71(5):755-766
• Vaissière# B. E. & R. Froissart. 1996. Pollination of cantaloupes under spunbonded row cover in West Africa. J. Econ. Entomol., 89(5): 1213-1222.

1. 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)
2. 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
3. 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.

• Viral evolution
• Interactions between temperate bacteriophages and their bacterial hosts
• Introduction to phage therapy

1. Post-doc collaborations : Yoann Anciaux (2021-2023), Marie Vasse (2021-2023)
2. 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)

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)

• 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

• 2023-2024 Défi-clé OCTAAVE – Région Occitanie : “OcciPhage : Diversité et emploi de bactériophages à potentiel de lutte biologique contre les bactéries pathogènes de cultures tempérées et tropicales” – collaboration with Boris Szurek (UMR PHIM Montpellier) & Alice Boulanger (UMR LIPME Toulouse)

• 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

• 2019-2025 Contrat privé “Salmonella biocontrol in animal food production”

• 2019-2020 Projet Hubert Curien (PHC) PROTEA - Campus France - Afrique du Sud – “Évaluation de l'inflammation génitale provoquée par des isolats bactériens associés à la vaginose dans un contexte de risque d'acquisition de HIV” – collaboration with Jo-Ann Passmore, UCT

• 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.

• 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)

• 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”
• Responsible for the web site phages.fr

• Perso
• Biblio
• Sciences