Luis Bruno Barreiro

Principal Investigator

I received my undergraduate and Master’s degrees in Biotechnology at Lusófona University, Lisbon, Portugal. In 2008, I obtained my PhD in Human Population Genetics from the University of Paris VII. My research focuses on a better understanding how natural selection has contributed to the evolution of our species and the extent to which past selection events impact present-day susceptibility to disease. Specifically, my lab studies the evolution of immune responses both at the inter-species level as well as among different individuals and human populations.

Joaquín Sanz Remón

Post. Doc. – Bioinformatics, Université de Montréal

Coming soon...

Renata Sindeaux

Post. Doc. – Biological Sciences, Université de Montréal

Coming soon...

João Barroso Batista

Post. Doc. – Biological Sciences, Université de Montréal

In my previous research I studied how commensal bacteria (Escherichia coli) adapt to a natural environment (the mammalian gut) and the hosts factors modulating this process. I am interested in using experimental evolution approaches to study host-pathogen interactions, for example in the context of infectious diseases. While pathogen pressure is considered a major selective force shaping the evolution of higher-order organisms, the mechanisms underlying host adaptation to pathogen infection remain unknown. My project aims to identify genetic and gene expression changes in populations of innate immune cells adapted to the pressure imposed by bacterial pathogens.

Alain Pacis

Ph.D Candidate – Bioinformatics, Université de Montréal

My work aims to elucidate the role of epigenetic mechanisms, particularly DNA methylation, in innate immune responses to infection. This fits perfectly with the research interest of the laboratory, which is to understand the genetic basis and mechanisms associated with inter-individual variation in immune responses to infection. I design and develop bioinformatics pipelines to conduct an integrated analysis of data on genome-wide DNA methylation, histone mark patterns, chromatin accessibility, and gene expression, before and after bacterial infection in human innate immune cells such dendritic cells and macrophages.

Haley Randolph

Ph.D Candidate – Biochemistry, Université de Montréal

My primary research interests lie at the intersection of immunology and evolutionary genetics. Previously, I have conducted research involving the evolution of natural Drosophila populations as well as the role that innate immune cells play in tumor immunotherapy. In the Barreiro lab, I am currently investigating the metaboloepigenetic mechanisms that regulate trained immunity and immune tolerance in human macrophages. In addition, I am interested in determining to what extent mitochondrial haplotypes contribute to differential immune responses to pathogens among human populations.

Genelle Harisson

Ph.D Candidate – Human Genetics, McGill University

"For the shield may be as important for victory as the sword or the spear."

Charles Darwin

Pathogens have been one of the strongest selection pressures that our ancestors have had to face and remains an immense public health challenge. Our immune system today has been shaped by the pathogens that our ancestors have or have not survived. Understanding how different populations have adapted to, and thus respond to infection can improve both treatment and prevention of infectious diseases. For this reason, my thesis research looks at how pathogens have shaped the innate immune response phenotype and looks for genetic drivers and local adaptation to pathogens.

Mohamed B. F. Hawash

Ph.D Candidate – Biochemistry, Université de Montréal

Coming soon...

Florence Mailhot-Léonard

Ph.D Candidate – Biochemistry, Université de Montréal

Coming soon...

Olivier Tastet

M. Sc. Student – Bioinformatics, Université de Montréal

I am a master student in bioinformatics at University of Montreal. My project aims to better understand the contribution of genetic variations on alternative splicing in the context of bacterial infection. We also compare these results with expression data. It allows us to further characterize the factors affecting the innate immune response. My primary interest is in data analysis.

Vania Yotova

Research Associate – Ph.D – Biochemistry

Coming soon...

Jean-Christophe Grenier

Research Assistant - M. Sc. - Bioinformatics

My academic background in phylogenomics is driving my main interests in biology. Understanding species evolution is one of my favorite topics. As I've been here for almost 6 years now, I was able to build myself a big understanding of genomics data. I'm thus providing support for assembling and analyzing these type of data that came from next-generation sequencers or from genotyping arrays. I'm also providing support in writing programs to analyze the data and the results coming from the sequencers and public available databases.

Anne Dumaine

Research Assistant - Biochemistry

Coming soon...

Anik St-Denis

Research Assistant - Biochemistry