Sébastien is a new Research Associate with the Manchester Fungal Infection Group under the direction of Margherita Bertuzzi. In his upcoming research Sébastien aims to help elucidate the key interactions between the fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus and lung epithelial cells. Through this work he hopes to better understand how different fungal morphotypes affect host-pathogen interactions and to identify key microbial factors and host receptors essential for pathogenesis. By understanding the initial host-pathogen interactions that lead to disease, we may be able to develop preventative therapeutics, an area of disease management that is severely lacking with fungal diseases.

Sébastien recently received his PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he studied the spores of the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans in the Hull Lab. His research mainly focused on the characterization of the molecular mechanisms controlling Cryptococcus spore germination. This work involved the development of an automated quantitative Cryptococcus spore germination assay that has enabled the extensive characterization of this key differentiation process necessary for spore-mediated disease, the identification and characterization of ~200 novel inhibitors of spore germination, the identification of novel fungal-specific targets for antifungal development, and the development Cryptococcus as a model for studying fungal spore germination.

Sébastien hopes that his work characterizing the fundamental properties of pathogens will allow for the development of novel diagnostic tools and antifungal therapeutics to help those most affected by neglected infectious diseases.

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