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To start: my interest for science
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At the beginning ...
At the age of 12, I knew I wanted to do a PhD. However, my interests were more oriented toward animal behaviour and cheetahs. My main objective was, therefore, to enter a Masters program in Villetaneuse with Prof. Baudouin in France. With this goal in mind I studied Biology in Albi and Montpellier. I was fortunate to receive an education of high quality with professors who greatly influenced me. During these years, I read many books and took courses on the subject of evolution. Evolution was now a subject of great interest to me, in addition to ethology. At the end of these studies, I was accepted to the Masters of Ethology program, however, due to my growing passion for Evolution, I decided to start the GCDE (Genome, Cell, Development, Evolution) Master's program with evolution as specialty, instead of the ethology program. And I have no regrets!!
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Before the PhD...
I developed strong interests in ecology and evolution while taking my science courses. I decided to do my first research project in a department that aims to mitigate problems associated with mosquitos and to conserve wetland areas using selective mosquito control measures. In this department I developed team work abilities and I acquired the skills to carry out a research project - from experimental design to publication. My curiosity turned to the exciting subject of intragenomic conflicts. Therefore, for my master project I began studying a segregation distorter with Drosophila as model species. We highlighted new important mechanisms acting on male fertility and specifically affecting distorter males. This work allowed me to reinforce my rigour and organizational skills and I successfully completed my research work with a relevant publication for the field.
The PhD...
My interest in genomic conflict grew and I developed the ambition to place my questions in a more ecological view, I decided to do a PhD on very interesting and ecological important organisms, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), a group of coenocytic fungi known to harbour genetically different nuclei. My interests were to 1) understand how evolutionary forces act to maintain this amazing genetic structure and 2) what are the ecological and evolutionary consequences of these forces following a change of environment. To answer these questions I used several approaches, including molecular tools, as well as in-vitro and large greenhouse experiments with fitness-like trait measurements. We showed that selection, drift and “migration” (i.e. exchange of nuclei) actually occurred in AMF and can drastically alter plant and fungal growth. Interestingly, these processes can enhance the growth of rice (one of the studied host plants), an ecologically important plant but normally unresponsive to AMF colonization. Our results also highlight the importance of the interaction between AMF and the environment.
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After the PhD...
My results opened new and interesting research areas. I decided, therefore, to write a grant with my PhD results as a base. I obtained three years funding from Europe, with a Marie Curie fellowship (IOF). This fellowship is divided in two periods: 1) a two years period outside Europe to diversify my knowledge and my work skills followed by 2) a one year period inside Europe to finalize my project and to share the new skills acquired. I am currently in my outside phase, in Bloomington, Indiana, in the group of James Bever. I will do my inside phase in August 2012 at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, in the group of Ian Sanders where I did my PhD.
Why fungi...
I will present to you the organisms I am working with for several years, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi or AMF. I hope to share with you my the reasons for my motivation to work with these fungi. I will explain why AMF are special from an evolutionary point of view and why they are ecologicaly and economicaly of high interest. |
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