Veyrier Frédéric

Biography

There are at least ten times more bacteria than human cells in the body. These are distributed in different ecosystems, notably in the digestive, respiratory and skin systems. These bacteria have co-evolved with humans and now play a vital role in the survival of the organism. To be tolerated, certain mechanisms have had to be established to discriminate against aggressive microorganisms of microorganisms that are beneficial to health. These bacterial-host interactions are still not understood, but these would include the detection of certain bacterial components in the immune system. The laboratory of Professor Veyrier tries to elucidate the mechanisms explaining this tolerance by studying evolutive events that have led these bacteria to adapt to their ecosystems. More specifically, Professor Veyrier focuses his research on the nasopharynx, the entrance to the respiratory system. Recently, his research has demonstrated that some bacterial species have undergone a profound modification of the structure of their peptidoglycan, an essential polymer exclusive to the bacterial wall. This molecule is recognized by the immune system and is therefore used to detect the presence of bacteria in the body. The laboratory of Professor Veyrier studies the implication of these changes in the bacterial-host communication and the presence of certain motifs in the peptidoglycan which would explain their tolerance.

Research Interest

Evolution of bacterial symbiotes - Neisseria meningitidis and other nasopharyngeal pathogens - Mycobacterium tuberculosis - Helicobacter pylori • Microbial ecology of the nasopharynx • Mechanisms of bacterial-bacterial interaction • Study of changes in the bacterial wall when adapting to a new ecosystem