Auréline Bouchard

Introduction

I am currently in my second year of a PhD in microbiology. I am particularly interested in the interactions between bacteria and fungi.
I am currently working on several projects in parallel, each aimed at deepening our fundamental understanding of the interactions between microorganisms and their role in the functioning of ecosystems.
In one project, I am studying the microbiome of morels – that is, the collection of microorganisms that live in association with these fungi. I am particularly interested in a bacterium called Pseudomonas koreensis, which may help to protect morels against certain predators. To understand its role, I am using various experimental approaches, ranging from classical microbiology to genomics, including the study of interactions between bacteria, fungi and insects.
My research also addresses a more general question: how can we describe and measure interactions between bacteria and fungi in an objective and comparable way? At present, these interactions are often described qualitatively, but it remains difficult to compare them across different biological systems. We are therefore seeking to develop new methods to characterize them using measurable parameters.

In this context, I am particularly interested in the electrical activity of microorganisms. Just like animal and plant cells, bacteria and fungi produce and utilize electrical signals. We are exploring the idea that these signals could provide a new way of detecting, quantifying and better understanding interactions between microorganisms.
Ultimately, the aim is to gain a better understanding of the general principles governing bacteria-fungus interactions and to develop tools for studying them in a wide variety of contexts.