DEROME LABORATORY - News

New Publication on host-microbiota responses to heavy metal contamination (Video abstract)

2/12/2020

The objective of this experimental microbial ecology and evolution study was to test the resilience of the microbiota in a host-microbiota system after exposure to a gradient of contamination with cadmium chloride.

Watch the video abstract here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ORwqQYqS3U

Read the whole paper here:

Cheaib, B., Seghouani, H., Ijaz, U.Z., Derome, N. Community recovery dynamics in yellow perch microbiome after gradual and constant metallic perturbations. Microbiome 8, 14 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-020-0789-0

MORE INFORMATION:

By combining modeling approaches for assembling ecological communities with network analyzes, we were able to quantify the contribution of the different evolutionary forces (neutral and non-neutral) to the taxonomic dynamics of the different microbial niches, as well as the interaction dynamics between the different members of microbial communities.

The novelty of this study suggests that the resilience tested on the yellow perch microbiota varies according to the type of tissue and the level of metal contamination: the skin microbiota has stabilized towards an intermediate structure, the intestinal microbiota has converged towards that of the group. control, suggesting strong resilience. The gradual contamination compared to the constant was more harmful on the composition and structure of all types of microbial communities, as well as on the bioaccumulation of Cadmium in the livers of juvenile fish.

Two Derome Lab students elected on RAQ student board

2/11/2020

Two graduate students from our lab, François-Étienne Sylvain (PhD) and Aurélie Boilard (MSc), have been recently elected as student representatives of the Ressources Aquatiques Québec strategic research network.

Congratulations to you both!

Team Highlights - Fall 2019

12/19/2019

Students from our research group have distinguished themselves on several occasions during this semester.

Laurence Auger, PhD student

Melville-Duporte Best Poster Award (QES 2019 Conference)

François-Étienne Sylvain, PhD student

Prix de la relève étoile Louis-Berlinguet (FRQNT)

Aurélie Boilard, MSc student

Alexander-Graham-Bell MSc Scholarship (NSERC)
Michael-Smith International Study Supplement (NSERC)

Congratulations to you all!

New Paper in Molecular Ecology

7/23/2019

in collaboration with A. Luis Val and colleagues (INPA, Brazil), a new article from our our research group was published in Molecular Ecology. It discusses the composition patterns of fish-associated microbiota along the unique hydrochemical gradient of the Metting of Two Waters in the Amazon river.

Amazon fish bacterial communities show structural convergence along widespread hydrochemical gradients
François-Étienne Sylvain, Aleicia Holland, Émie Audet‐Gilbert, Adalberto Luis Val and Nicolas Derome
Mol Ecol (Epub ahead of print). https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.15184

NEW PhD Research Opportunities @ Derome Lab

6/21/2019

The Derome Laboratory has an exceptional opportunity available for two PhD students to join our research team:

Project BeeProbio3: High throughput and integrative insect model to model the interplay of stress factors controlling host-microbiota interactions at the interface of health/disease.
Project ZEBRIGHTmicro: Optimizing an instant, high throughput and integrative vertebrate model to decipher the interplay of factors controlling host-microbiota interactions along development at the interface of health/disease.

Candidates must apply before Aug 30th, 2019 (send CV, cover letter and two letters of support to nicolas.derome@bio.ulaval.ca). More information in the "Work with us" section or the links above.

New Book: Microbial Communities in Aquaculture Ecosystems

6/14/2019

A new collaborative textbook, edited by Nicolas Derome, has now been published in Springer Nature:

Microbial Communities in Aquaculture Ecosystems: Improving productivity and sustainability

It overviews state-of-the-art knowledge on free-living and host-associated microbiota and their importance on both fish health and the long-term sustainability of fish farming.
It also addresses high throughput techniques to monitor those host-microbiota interactions. Applications that resulted from microbiota monitoring studies (e.g. improve water quality, prevent opportunistic infections and improving fish performance) are also discussed.

New PhD Position - Black Soldier Fly Microbiomics

2/8/2019

Goal: Developing an instant, high throughput and integrative insect larvae model to decipher the interplay of factors controlling host-microbiota interactions for biotransforming waste biomass into high value biochemicals.

Skills: Background in molecular biology and bioinformatics, excellent communication and teamwork skills. Salary: CAD $21,000 per year, for 3 years.

[ THIS OFFER IS NOW CLOSED. ]

New Publication

8/7/2018

A brief history of bioinformatics
Jeff Gauthier, Antony T. Vincent, Steve J Charette and Nicolas Derome

Briefings in Bioinformatics | https://doi.org/10.1093/bib/bby063

To access the article, click here.
(for personal use only, do not redistribute this link)

Here we present an integrative timeline of key events in bioinformatics and related fields during the past half-century, as well as some background on parallel advances in molecular biology and computer science, and some reflections on the future of bioinformatics.

Team Highlights - Sentinel North Scholarship

5/14/2018

Congratulations to Amine Chaabane, who was awarded a Sentinel North scholarship for international graduate students.

Through this program, Sentinel North seeks to attract new talent, foster the development of young international scientists able to tackle and help resolve complex northern issues, and encourage the sharing of knowledge and experience across borders.

Amine's project aims to study two populations of Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) from the North region of Canada and trying to observe the impact of climate change and physiological parameters differences on this microbiota.
For more information about the Sentinel North international scholarship program, click here.

New Publication

5/12/2018

Deleterious interaction between honeybees (Apis mellifera) and its microsporidian intracellular parasite Nosema ceranae was mitigated by administrating either endogenous or allochthonous gut microbiota strains.

Sarah El Khoury, Nicolas Derome, Pierre Giovenazzo, Andrée Rousseau, Alexandre Lecoeur, Pierre-Luc Mercier, Bachar Cheaib, Sidki Bouslama, Vanessa Demey and Mathieu Castex

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution | doi: 10.3389/fevo.2018.00058
(Full-text will be available on Frontiers soon)

ABSTRACT: Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are facing multiple stressors affecting their lifespan, health and productivity. Among them, Nosema ceranae is an intracellular microsporidian parasite, which plays a major impact on honey bees colonies. However, both efficiency and innocuity of current treatment against N. ceranae are observed, thus raising the urgent need to develop alternative prophylactic and curative strategies. Endogenous microbial...