INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE
Two New Research Chairs in Microbiology at INRS

Professors Eric Déziel and Étienne Yergeau are leading two new Canada Research Chairs to study microbial interactions and their impact on health and the environment.

The two professors from Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) received financial support totalling $2.8 million from the Canada Research Chairs Program, which supports some of the most promising and accomplished  researchers in the world.

An Alternative to Antibiotics

Researcher Eric Déziel, who has been a professor at the Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie (AFSB) Research Centre for over 20 years, specializes in sociomicrobiology. This emerging discipline focuses on how bacteria communicate with each other and act in groups to adapt to changing environmental conditions.

A world leader and pioneer in his field, Professor Déziel has been selected by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to lead the Canada Research Chair in Fundamental and Applied Sociomicrobiology. This funding will allow him to study and better understand the social behaviours of pathogenic bacteria and develop innovative treatments to directly control their virulence or antibiotic tolerance, thus preventing infections.

"Antibiotic resistance is increasing. New alternatives to conventional antibiotic therapies, such as antivirulence strategies, are becoming urgent," says Professor Eric Déziel, a microbiologist at INRS.

Sustainable Agriculture Through Microorganisms

Professor Étienne Yergeau, a specialist in microbial ecology, is another exceptional researcher. He and his team at the AFSB Research Centre are looking at how microorganisms that make up the microbiota of plants can be both beneficial and harmful.

The goal of his Canada Research Chair in Ecological Engineering of Plant Microbiota, funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), is to study the microbiota of agricultural plants and engineer it ecologically. This will reduce the use of fertilizers and pesticides while increasing yields, product quality, and climate resilience without resorting to slow approaches like plant breeding or controversial methods like genetic modifications.

"Solving the challenges of modern agriculture requires an understanding of the microbiota. Recognizing its complexity and the pivotal role of microorganisms is essential for making informed agricultural management decisions," asserts Professor Étienne Yergeau, a microbiologist at INRS.

$308 Million for Canadian Research

The federal government recently announced funding of over $308 million to advance science and research in the country. The goal is to foster innovative research initiatives, strengthen Canada's global competitiveness, and provide tangible benefits to its population. More than $153 million of this amount will be used to fund 179 new or renewed Canada Research Chairs at 38 institution.