Member of the Marseille Institute of Rare Diseases (MarMaRa) (summer school organizer).
Member of the GOLD transverse program (Genomic Variability, Inserm).
Member of Action paludisme, I3M (Inserm).

Research interests

Group leader in malaria genetics and functional genomics at TAGC since 2018. Our expertise combines genetics, molecular and cell biology, genomics, and bioinformatics. Using data from genome-wide association studies or single-cell transcriptome studies, we aim to characterize the molecular and cellular dysfunctions responsible for the fate of P. falciparum infection.... We have 1) shown that certain mechanisms are common between neuromalaria and neurodegenerative diseases; 2) identified causal genetic variants involved in complex regulatory processes; 3) identified a new type of cis-regulatory element “ESpromoter”. Our group has brought new insights into the understanding of pathogenic mechanisms. Our current multi-omics approach will elucidate host-pathogen interactions.

Main areas:
1. Research into causal genes and variants involved in the development of severe forms of malaria.
2. Study of the impact of cis-regulatory regions and genetic variants of the ATP2B4-LAX1 locus on TCR/BCR pathways and malaria susceptibility.
3. Integrative analysis to discover predictive biomarkers of malaria infection outcome.
4. Characterization of the molecular basis of cis-regulatory element function in normal and pathological contexts (Coll. S. Spicuglia).

Teaching

Master 1 Biology-Health International, “Physiopathologies of infectious diseases” module, Aix-Marseille university.

Master 1 Immunology, “Molecular genetics and cell biology” module, Ax-Marseille University.

Master 2 Structural Biochemistry, Genomics, “Genomics and Systems Biology” module, Aix-Marseille University.

Supervision of staff and students

Supervision of students and engineers:
Currently :
Adjemout Mathieu (PhD student, co-sup P. Rihet, TAGC)
Loréna Quatreville (PhD student)
Gaelle Farah (PhD student, co-sup. S.Spicuglia, TAGC)
Amélie Escandell (Engineer, co-sup. S. Spicuglia, TAGC)
Magali Torres (Engineer, shared)
Bruno Pouvelle (Engineer, shared)
MADBIO engineer under recruitment

Previously :
I. Safeukui (doctoral student), S. Cabantous (doctoral student), S. Nisar (doctoral student, co-encad P. Rihet), M. Niang (doctoral student), R. Feliciano (doctoral student), A. Barros (Post-doctoral student, co-encad with C. Chevillard), A. Merghani (doctoral student), S. Passabet-labiste (M2), S. Roetynck (M2) , C. Endjineyao-Wakoutou (M2), B. Poudiougou (M2), E. Chevereau (M2), S. Berbache (M2), U. Ewanda Ndoumbe (M2), M. Ouarhache (M2, co-encad C. Chevillard), T. Tran (M2, co-encad P.Rihet), M. Le Phuong Nguyen (M2), M. Adjemout (M2, co-encad P. Rihet), H. Thu Huu (M2, co-encad P. Rihet), G. Farah (M2, co-encad S. Spicuglia), A. Escandell (M2), S. Fontanille (M1), L. Brosseau (M1), N. Blahic (M1, co-encad P. Rihet), M. Matahri (M1), J. Gendre (M1, co-supervision P. Rihet), M. Adjemout (M1, co-supervision P. Rihet), A. Escandell (M1), A. Sahtel (M1), A. Fernandez 2024 (M1), O. Ott 2024 (M1), C. Deschamp (Licence), L. Faedda (Licence), P. Rocheteau (Licence), E. Cornille (ingénieur), D. Josse (BTS), A. Luthier (BTS), B. Mr oimana (BTS), T. Riziki (BTS), S. M'houdini (BTS), V. Coulet (BTS, co-encad M. Torres).

Collaborations

- Ogobara Doumbo, DEAP, Bamako, Mali (2000-2018)
- Marouf Keita, département de pédiatrie, Hôpital Gabriel Touré, Bamako, Mali
- Delmiro Fernandez-Reyes, département d'informatique, Londres, Royaume-Uni
- Laurent Abel, Institut Imagine, Inserm U1163, Paris, France
- Antoine Claessens, LPHI, UMR5235, Montpellier, France
- Nicolas Blanchard et Antoine Berry, Infinity, UMR1291, Toulouse, France
- Sandrine Nsango, CPC, Yaoundé, Cameroun
- Lionel Spinelli, CIML, Marseille, France
- Lucas Amenga-Etego, Centre de recherche en santé de Navrongo, Ghana
- Hugues Aschard, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Véronique Adoue, Infinity, UMR1291, Toulouse, France