The Microbial Ecology Laboratories are a diverse collection of researchers and students with a range of expertise from microbiology to agronomy. We believe that through such diverse perspectives and abilities we find more possible solutions to issues of our time. We work towards building an environment in which science is collaborative, creative and fun!
ÉTIENNE YERGEAU
Principal Investigator and Chair Captain
Étienne is studying microbes that covers the outside and inside of trees, crops, animals, ice, soil and water. Although he grew up in the city, he spent his summers as a kid at the family cottage in the Canadian back-country, where he became fascinated with all life forms and their interconnections. He is now leading a team of enthusiastic scientists toward (hopefully!) exciting discoveries. When he is not busy with science, Étienne enjoys spending time with his three kids and his wife, training for obstacle course races, snorkeling, BBQing, playing ice hockey or building stuff. Read more about his research here.
Simon Morvan
Post-doc
As a child, Simon always enjoyed wandering in his grandfather’s vegetable garden, watching plants grow and fruits ripen. It may be this initiation to gardening that sparked Simon’s interest to biology. After high school, Simon enrolled in a biotechnology engineering program in France during which he discovered the fascinating bacterial world. He then moved to Montreal to complete a PhD on the wild blueberry root and rhizosphere microbiome. He joined the lab in September 2023 as a post-doc and is working on the bioremediation of oil sands processed water. More precisely, Simon is analysing the bacterial gene expression from different experimental trials to find pollutant degradation pathways. During his free time, Simon enjoys science-fiction and anticipation entertainment, playing videogames and taking care of his garden.
Julius Nweze
Abdul Samad
JEssica Dozois
PhD Candidate
From catching frogs and tadpoles at the cottage with her sister as a giggling child to hiking mountains 5200 m over the sea, the outdoors has always bewildered Jessica. There is no arguing that her path towards environmental enlightenment has started for some time and continues to progress. Considerable and alarming knowledge about our current climate reality, urges many, just like her, to dedicate their graduate studies in the field of ecology. Her hopes are that during her Master's degree she manages to demystify the influence of plant microRNAs on the microbial communities found in the rhizosphere and rhizoplane. In which case, microRNAs could be used by agronomists as a tool to limit sustenance losses due to environmental factors (temperature extremes, insufficience of rainfall, invasive species and arising pathogens) catalyzed by climate change. Moreover, she believes being an environmentalist is more than a career – it’s a way of life and invites all to partake in creating a greener version of the world.
Emmy l’espérance
PhD Candidate
Emmy is a microbiologist who has always been fascinated by nature, animals, and plants. Since her first microbiology course, she has become fascinated by these little creatures. Microbes have been so fun for her, and she always loves to learn about them. That’s why she decided to start her bachelor’s degree at The University of Montreal in Microbiology and Immunology. After that, she decided to combine her two passions, microbiology, and nature, for her master’s degree. Emmy is working on her master project, concerning augmentation of the fungi: bacteria ratio in agricultural soil for increasing the absorption of organic nitrogen by wheat. She conducted an experience in the experimental field to determine an organic amendment that will increase the fungi: bacteria ratio. This increase may result in an augmentation of nitrogen in wheat plants and potentially increase the quality of wheat grain.
Lilia Bouyoucef
Katel Hallaf
Marc-Antoine Duchesne
Hubert Côté
MSc Candidate
Hubert grew up in Montréal, but he’s always felt most at home outdoors. His curiosity about the natural world started early, shaped by adventures with both friends and family. That interest eventually led him to study Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Montréal, where he became fascinated by the hidden world of microbes. Now starting his master’s degree, Hubert is working to determine biological indicators that could improve our understanding of the dynamics of nitrogen in soil. The goal is to combine microbial and agronomic data to understand how much fertilizer is economically optimal. This could help reduce the quantity of nitrogen used, therefore reducing nitrate leaching and greenhouse gas emissions all while helping farmers keep their yields strong. When he’s not in the lab, Hubert tries to spend as much time as he can outside, always up for a new adventure.
Julia Thiffault
You?
Get in touch with Etienne!
Alumni
Antoins Zboralski, Post-doc, 204-2025, now a researcher at Montreal’s Botanical Gardens
Harriet Middelton, PhD, 2019-2023, now a field guide, France
Asmaâ Agoussar, PhD, 2018-2023, now a post-doc, U. Montréal, Canada
Numan Ibne Asad, PhD, 2019-2023, now a post-doc, McGill U, Canada
Lea Wittorf, Post-doc, 2022-2023, now a research scientist, Norway
Robert McGee, 2020-2022, now a post-doc, McGill U, Canada
Jason Palanee, MSc, 2020-2022, now a research associate at IPS Thérapeutique, Canada
Chary Esteban Quinche Gonzalez, MSc, 2020-2022, now a phytopathologist at PhytoData, Canada
Emmy L’Espérance, MSc, 2020-2022, now a PhD student at INRS, Canada
Jessica Dozois, MSc, 2019-2021, now a PhD student at INRS, Canada
Itumeleng Moroenyane, PhD, 2016-2022, now an assistant professor at U. Stellenbosch, South Africa
Sara Correa-Garcia, PhD, 2016-2021, Post-doc 2021-2024, now a senior researcher at NCASI, Canada
Xiaobo Wang, Post-doc, 2019-2020, Now an assistant professor at Lanzhou University
Ruth Schmidt, Post-doc, 2019-2020, Now a data scientist, the Netherlands
Hamed Azarbad, Post-doc, 2016-2019, Now a researcher at Philipps-University Marburg, Germany
Charlotte Giard-Laliberté, MSc, 2017-2019, Now a project manager at CETAB+, Canada
Usman Irshad, Post-doc, 2016, Now a professor at COMSATS, Pakistan