Website: https://research.pasteur.fr/fr/team/bacteriophage-bacterium-host
ORCID: 0000-0001-6875-5758
Twitter: @PhagePasteur
Our team is studying bacteriophages, the most abundant and diverse viruses specialized in the infection of bacteria. Our goal is to decipher the molecular mechanisms that bacteriophages deploy to infect bacteria within the mammalian host. We are using mainly two murine models to address two main questions.
First, we aim to identify the parameters governing the efficacy of the therapeutic use of bacteriophages (phage thereapy) to treat bacterial infections, and in particular pneumonia. We demonstrated that the efficacy of phage therapy rely on a synergistic action of bacteriophages with innate immune cells. With collaborators we are developing mathematical models to recapitulate the kinetics of phage therapy taking into account in vitro and in vivo data from tripartite interactions between bacteriophage, bacteria and the host.
Second, we study the role of bacteriophages in the intestinal microbiota and their impact on health. We are mainly using a gnotobiotic murine model (OMM12) to characterize the dynamics of prophage induction and their impact on microbiota stability and host responses. Currently we are evaluating the impact of several perturbations (pathogens, metabolites,…) on this controled intestinal microbial community.
We are please to share our expertise in bacteriophages and in particular their behaviour in complex ecosystems.
Top 5 publications
- Delattre R, Seurat J, Haddad F, Nguyen TT, Gaborieau B, Kane R, Dufour N, Ricard JD, Guedj J, Debarbieux L. Combination of in vivo phage therapy data with in silico model highlights key parameters for pneumonia treatment efficacy. Cell Rep. 2022 May 17;39(7):110825. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110825. PMID: 35584666
- Lourenço M, Chaffringeon L, Lamy-Besnier Q, Titécat M, Pédron T, Sismeiro O, Legendre R, Varet H, Coppée JY, Bérard M, De Sordi L, Debarbieux L. The gut environment regulates bacterial gene expression which modulates susceptibility to bacteriophage infection. Cell Host Microbe. 2022 Apr 13;30(4):556-569.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2022.03.014. PMID: 35421351
- Lamy-Besnier Q, Chaffringeon L, Lourenço M, Payne RB, Trinh JT, Schwartz JA, Sulakvelidze A, Debarbieux L. Prophylactic Administration of a Bacteriophage Cocktail Is Safe and Effective in Reducing Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Burden in Vivo. Microbiol Spectr. 2021 Sep 3;9(1):e0049721. doi: 10.1128/Spectrum.00497-21. Epub 2021 Aug 25. PMID: 34431719
- Lourenço M, Chaffringeon L, Lamy-Besnier Q, Pédron T, Campagne P, Eberl C, Bérard M, Stecher B, Debarbieux L, De Sordi L. The Spatial Heterogeneity of the Gut Limits Predation and Fosters Coexistence of Bacteria and Bacteriophages. Cell Host Microbe. 2020 Sep 9;28(3):390-401.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2020.06.002. PMID: 32615090
- Roach DR, Leung CY, Henry M, Morello E, Singh D, Di Santo JP, Weitz JS, Debarbieux L. Synergy between the Host Immune System and Bacteriophage Is Essential for Successful Phage Therapy against an Acute Respiratory Pathogen. Cell Host Microbe. 2017 Jul 12;22(1):38-47.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2017.06.018. PubMed PMID: 28704651.
Dernières publications sur HAL :
- [hal-04781608] Prediction of strain level phage–host interactions across the Escherichia genus using only genomic informationby ano.nymous@ccsd.cnrs.fr.invalid (Baptiste Gaborieau) on 16 October 2025 at 11h37
Predicting bacteriophage infection of specific bacterial strains promises advancements in phage therapy and microbial ecology. Whether the dynamics […]
- [pasteur-05269627] Phages with a broad host range are common across ecosystemsby ano.nymous@ccsd.cnrs.fr.invalid (Amaury Bignaud) on 19 September 2025 at 16h36
Phages are diverse and abundant within microbial communities, where they play major roles in their evolution and adaptation. Phage replication - and […]
- [hal-05225497] Characterization of an amyloid-based antiphage defence system in Escherichia coliby ano.nymous@ccsd.cnrs.fr.invalid (Léa Ibarlosa) on 27 August 2025 at 10h25
Amyloids are β-sheet-rich protein polymers that can cause disease but also serve functional purposes in cells. In animals and fungi, functional […]
- [pasteur-05215674] “French Phage Network” annual conference—eighth meeting reportby ano.nymous@ccsd.cnrs.fr.invalid (Carole Armal) on 20 August 2025 at 9h04
The French Phage Network organizes a scientific meeting every year in which the community of researchers from academia and industry, as well as […]