After a first Master on Molecular, Cell-Biology and Biochemistry at Poitiers University (France), I decided to specialize in immunology and microbiology by pursuing a Master in Cellular and Molecular Infection Biology and Vaccinology at Tours University (France). During my Master studies, I focused on the effects of pro-inflammatory cytokines on keratinocytes differentiation into an in vitro keratinocyte primary culture model (LITEC laboratory, Poitiers). I also characterized T lymphocytes population present in gastric mucosa from Helicobacter pylori (HP)-infected patients, presenting or not HP-associated pathologies, such as gastritis, ulcer and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma (LITEC laboratory, Poitiers). During my Master research internships I acquire cellular biology, immunology, biochemistry and microbiology skills. This multidisciplinary background allowed me to apply for a DIM Malinf-Ile de France “Emerging diseases” PhD fellowship obtained by Catherine Werts. I joined the Ivo Boneca’s unit of Biology and Genetics of the Bacterial Cell Wall (Institut Pasteur, Paris, Supervisors: Dr. Catherine Werts) working on several aspects of how bacterial cell wall (Helicobacter pylori, Leptospira interrogans and lactobacilli) influence the host innate immune response, with a defence in march 2015. My main research topic was how leptospires escapes from the innate immune system, through the study of peptidoglycan and the construction of bioluminescent strains enabling us to track the course of infection of living bacteria in mice, using the In Vivo Imaging System (IVIS spectrum). Over the past three years and half, I acquired new skills in biochemistry, immunology and molecular biology. In 2012, I obtained an animal experimentation degree (Level II). During my PhD studies I also had the opportunity to provide biochemistry tutorials and practical sessions at Paris Descartes (P5) University (Saint-Pères) to Licence 2 students and to supervise two students (Licence 3 student and Master 1 student) for studies on the bioluminescent leptospiral constructions.
I am currently conducting a postdoctoral position, exploring the influence of non-coding RNA on Mycobacterium tuberculosis dormancy, in the G5 Microbial Individuality and Infection laboratory directed by Dr Giulia Manina at the Institut Pasteur, to explore new approaches in bacteriology.
Publications :
- Gwenn Ratet et al., PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2014 Dec 4;8(12):e3359.
- Martine Fanton d’Andon et al.,PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2014 Jan 30;8(1):e2664.
- Sonia Lacroix-Lamandé et al., J Immunol. 2012 Mar 15;188(6):2805-14.