Scientific topics
Keywords
Sophie de Bentzmann Ph D Cellular Biology
Course and current status
Diploma: 1987 Engineer Biology ; 1991 Ph D Cellular Biology; 1995:HDR
Career: 1993 : CR2 INSERM, 1998 : CR1 INSERM, 2009 : DR2 INSERM
Positions
2009 : Leader of the team Sensing Environment and community lifestyle in P. aeruginosa (10 persons) UPR CNRS 9027, Institute of Microbiology of Méditerrannée, Marseille, FRANCE
2008 : Co-Leader team « Membrane Systems and pathogenicity in P. aeruginosa (17 persons) UPR9027 CNRS (Directeur Pr James Sturgis), Institute of Structural Biology and Microbiology, Marseille. (Director Dr Jean-Michel Claverie) FRANCE
2007/2001: PI CR1 in UPR 9027, Leader: Dr A. Filloux, Marseille; FRANCE
1993/2000: PI CR2-CR1 in the Unit INSERM U.M.R-S. 514 « Cellular and Molecular Dynamics of respiratory mucosa, Leader: Dr E. Puchelle, Reims;FRANCE
1993 : CR2 INSERM positions
1992: Post Doctoral position in INSERM U314, Reims;
1991: Post Doctoral position in Loreal, Aulnay/Bois
1987/1991:Ph D Cellular Biology under the supervision of Dr E. Puchelle;Reims, FRANCE
Scientific summary
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative environmental species. Over the past decades, this opportunistic microorganism has become a major cause of nosocomial infections worldwide (ca,10% in most E.U. hospitals) and a serious threat for Public Health establishing itself in compromised patients, such as those with cystic fibrosis (CF) or those hospitalized in intensive care units (ICU).Like other human pathogens, P. aeruginosa develops various strategies for virulence including biofilm formation which accounts for 90% of its activity in ecosystems. This bacterial community called biofilm is an aggregate of microorganisms embedded in a matrix of autoproduced exopolysaccharides, attached to a surface and represents the sedentary lifestyle of the bacteria. Under this form, bacteria are poorly eradicated with antimicrobial treatments or immune defence. The transition between planctonic and sedentary lifestyle is under the control of complex regulatory networks including two-component systems, transcriptional regulators, quorum sensing and post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms, all helping P. aeruginosa to fine-tune its behaviour according to environmental modifications the bacteria are faced to.
Combining targeted or global genetic approaches, as well as functional studies, our team is working on molecular machines present in the cell envelope that P. aeruginosa is using for building biofilms, as well as on regulatory systems (two-component systems, sigma factors) that control transition between planctonic and sedentary community lifestyle, these two research axes being highly interconnected.
