Research on Mycobacteria and Bordetella
Nathalie MIELCAREK
INSERM research director
Nathalie's ORCID
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The research conducted by the RMB team is a continuum from ceaseless acquisition of basic knowledge to the development of clinical applications and investigations. The primary focus of the team is to deepen our understanding of the pathogenesis of two respiratory infectious bacteria: Bordetella pertussis, the causative agent of whooping-cough, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, responsible for tuberculosis. The acquired knowledge is used to develop innovative tools for combating these diseases, which pose significant public health challenge. With tuberculosis claiming approximately 1.6 million lives annually and its multidrug-resistant strains posing a global threat, and pertussis experiencing resurgence even in countries with high vaccination rates, we believe that this research is of major importance.
Our team's research is founded on three interconnected core pillars:
- Molecular Mechanisms of Bacterial Pathogenicity
- Genomics & transcriptomics to decipher patho-adaptation and virulence regulation
- Translational Research for New Vaccines, Diagnostics, and Treatments
These three pillars have been meticulously crafted based on our extensive expertise and experience with M. tuberculosis and bordetella. They guide not only our present projects but also lay the groundwork for our future objectives. Our research initiatives aim to address crucial questions related to critical patho-adaptive mechanisms of these pathogens, comprising emergence, nasal carriage, dormancy, resistance, persistence, tolerance, and resilience to various stresses, including immune responses and antibiotic exposure. By leveraging multidisciplinary and systems approaches, our research program is dedicated to unraveling the evolutionary dynamics, gene regulation networks, and immunomodulation associated with these phenomena. This knowledge is pivotal in the ongoing battle against respiratory diseases. Building on this foundation, we are committed to developing nasal vaccines, precision diagnostics, and targeted therapies to tackle these diseases effectively. Moreover, we aim to exploit singular features of some our developed tools for new “reverse translation”-based biological discovery. These endeavors are the heart of our research, driving us to make impactful contributions to the field of respiratory pathogen research.
- ERA4TB 2020-2027. PI A Baulard
- NOSEVAC 2023-2028. PI N Mielcarek. Site web: Home | Nosevac
- ResTolTB 2022-2027. PI P Supply
- CuRiPP 2022-2026. PI F Jacob-Dubuisson
- MUSTART 2021-2026. PI A. Baulard
- ANR JCJC CycloTub 2023-2027. PI A Machelart
- Fondation ULille (BCGrec) 2025-2026. PI A Machelart
- Fondation U Lille 2025-2026. PI C Rouanet
- Fondation U Lille 2026-2027. PI L Coutte
- Mycophagy ANRS-MIE 2025-2026. PI C Rouanet
- BioID ANRS-MIE. 2025-2028. PI R Veyron-Churlet
- MARVEL ANRS-MIE. 2026-2029. PI A Baulard
- NAVIX - France Vaccins 2026-2029. PI N Mielcarek
Current Staff
ANTOINE Rudy
INSERM researcher (CRCN)
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BAULARD Alain
INSERM research director(DR2)
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BENFIALA Sirine
M2 Student
BOUZET Camille
PhD student
CAMUS Guillaume
PhD Student
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COUTTE Loïc
INSERM researcher (CRCN)
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DEBRIE Anne-Sophie
IPL engineer (IE)
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DENY Maud
Post-Doc
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DEPLUQUE Marine
RestolTB engineer
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FINE Joan
PhD student
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GRANDE Axelle
PhD student
GROSSE Camille
Post-Doc
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HACHMI Majda
PhD Student
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HANNA Sarah
M2 student
JACOB-DUBUISSON Françoise
CNRS research director(DR1)
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LECHER Sophie
IPL Engineer (IE)
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LELEU Inès
Post-Doc
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MACHELART Arnaud
INSERM Researcher (CRCN)
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MIELCAREK Nathalie
INSERM research director(DR2)
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Al Ashkar Salam (2016-2019), Université de Lille II
Fellowship: Association AZM and Saadeh
Title: Prevalence of drug-resistant tuberculosis assessed by next-generation sequencing: an 18-month nationwide study in Lebanon
Supervisor: P. Supply
Current employment: Application and communication scientist specialist, LABPLAS, Montreal, Canada
Baud Catherine (France), from 2010 to 2014
Financial support: ANR grant DYN FHAC
Belcher Thomas (UK), from 2017 to 2020
Financial supports: CPER CTRL IPL
Dubois Violaine (France), from 2019-2022
Financial supports: EU grant Periscope and ILiAD
Dupré Elian (France), from 2013 to 2016
Financial support: ANR grant MECA VENUS
Dupré Elian (2009-2013), Université de Lille II
Fellowship: French Research Ministry for 3 years and FRM for the 4th
Title: Virulence regulation in Bordetella pertussis : BvgS, an original model for a two-component system receptor
Supervisor: F. Jacob-Dubuisson
Current employment: post-doctoral fellow, University of Lille 1
Frita Rosangela-Maria (Portugal), from 2015 to 2021
Financial supports: Bioversys
Guérin Jérémy (2011-2014), Université de Lille II
Fellowship: Institut Pasteur of Lille/ Région Nord-Pas de Calais.
Title: Conformationnal dynamics of FhaC, the transporter across the outer membrane of the filamentous hemaggutinin in Bordetella pertussis
Supervisor: F. Jacob-Dubuisson
Current employment: post-doctoral fellow, NIH, USA
Guerin Jeremy (France), 2015
Financial support: ANR grant DYN FHAC
Iantomasi Raphaella 2015-2016
Financial support: Lille European Metropolitan (MEL)
Kammoun Hannah (Tunisia), oct. 2012 to Dec. 2013
Financial support: FP7 NewTBVac
Lesne Elodie (2013-2016), Université de Lille II
Fellowship: INSERM/ Région Nord-Pas de Calais.
Title: Virulence regulation by the whooping cough agent Bordetella pertussis : signaling by the sensor-kinase BvgS
Supervisor: F. Jacob-Dubuisson
Current employment: scientist at Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, UK
Moune Martin (Cameroon/France), from 2014 to 2017
Financial supports: PRIM (2014-2016) and GSK-Bioversys industrial partnership (2016-2018)
Prieri Marion (2015-2018), Université de Lille
Fellowship: Institut Pasteur de Lille/ Région Haut de France
Title: Reprogramming the anti-TB pro-drugs: design, development and biological evaluation of inhibitors of transcriptional regulators
Co-SupervisorS: Alain Baulard / Nicolas Willand
Current employment: Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
Rivera Alex (2016-2020), Université de Lille
Fellowship: University of Lille/Region Hauts de France
Title: Copper homeostasis in Bordetella pertussis and its relationship with virulence
Supervisor: F. Jacob-Dubuisson and Rudy Antoine
Current employment: post-doctoral fellow, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique | INRS · Institute Armand-Frappier, Québec
Roy Gauthier (2018-2022) Université de Lille
Fellowship: Université de Lille
Title: Characterization of a new copper transport system in B; pertussis: mode of action and regulation
Supervisor: F. Jacob-Dubuisson and Rudy Antoine
Thiriard Anaïs (2016-2019), Université de Lille
Fellowship: Institut Pasteur de Lille
Title : Study on the functionality of anti-pertussis antibodies
Supervisor: Camille Locht
Current employment: post-doctoral fellow, University of Lille 1
Solans Luis (Spain), from 2015 to January 31st, 2018
Financial supports: ILIAD Biotechnologies (industrial support)
Selected publications RMB 2023-2026
- A new family of TonB-dependent copper transporters linked to respiratory oxidase function. Hachmi M, Mirgaux M, Wintjens R, Carassus C, Arnoux P, Roy G, Rivera-Millot A, Slupek S, Debrie AS, Alaimo V, Billon G, Coutte L, Antoine R, Jacob-Dubuisson F. (2026) J Biol Chem. 302,111180.
- Selective accumulation of nanoparticles in infected cells for targeted drug delivery. Pochet, A., Bourguignon, T., Grande, A., Godinez-Leon, J. A., Li, X., Fine, J., Sencio, V., Chatagnon, J., Dremierre, B., Vandeputte, A., Mascarau, R., Piveteau, C., Brodin, P., Machelart, A., and Gref, R. (2026). J Control Release 389, 114415
- Multinuclear non-haem iron-dependent oxidative enzymes: landscape of their substrates, partner proteins and biosynthetic gene clusters. Antoine R, Leprevost L, Jünger S, Zirah S, Lippens G, Li Y, Dubiley S, Jacob-Dubuisson F. Microb Genom. (2025) 11(7).
- Protection of infant mice against pertussis, tuberculosis and influenza by co-administration of nasal pertussis vaccine candidate BPZE1 and BCG. Rouanet, C., Debrie, A. S., Cauchi, S., and Mielcarek, N. (2025) iScience 28, 112839
- Combined transcriptomic and ChIPseq analyses of the Bordetella pertussis RisA regulon. Coutte, L., Antoine, R., Slupek, S., and Locht, C. (2024). mSystems 9, e0095123
- Discovery of dual-active ethionamide boosters inhibiting the Mycobacterium tuberculosis ESX-1 secretion system. Gries, R., Chhen, J., van Gumpel, E., Theobald, S. J., Sonnenkalb, L., Utpatel, C., Metzen, F., Koch, M., Dallenga, T., Djaout, K., Baulard, A., Dal Molin, M., and Rybniker, J. (2024) Cell Chem Biol 31, 699-711 e696
- A widespread family of ribosomal peptide metallophores involved in bacterial adaptation to metal stress. Leprevost, L., Junger, S., Lippens, G., Guillaume, C., Sicoli, G., Oliveira, L., Falcone, E., de Santis, E., Rivera-Millot, A., Billon, G., Stellato, F., Henry, C., Antoine, R., Zirah, S., Dubiley, S., Li, Y., and Jacob-Dubuisson, F. (2024) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 121, e2408304121
- Tirap controls Mycobacterium tuberculosis phagosomal acidification. Belhaouane, I., Pochet, A., Chatagnon, J., Hoffmann, E., Queval, C. J., Deboosere, N., Boidin-Wichlacz, C., Majlessi, L., Sencio, V., Heumel, S., Vandeputte, A., Werkmeister, E., Fievez, L., Bureau, F., Rouille, Y., Trottein, F., Chamaillard, M., Brodin, P., and Machelart, A. (2023) PLoS Pathog 19, e1011192
- Hi-plex deep amplicon sequencing for identification, high-resolution genotyping and multidrug resistance prediction of Mycobacterium leprae directly from patient biopsies by using Deeplex Myc-Lep. Jouet, A., Braet, S. M., Gaudin, C., Bisch, G., Vasconcellos, S., Epaminondas Nicacio de Oliveira do Livramento, R. E., Prado Palacios, Y. Y., Fontes, A. B., Lucena, N., Rosa, P., Moraes, M., La, K., Badalato, N., Lenoir, E., Ferre, A., Clement, M., Hasker, E., Grillone, S. H., Abdou, W., Said, A., Assoumani, Y., Attoumani, N., Laurent, Y., Cambau, E., de Jong, B. C., Suffys, P. N., and Supply, P. (2023) EBioMedicine 93, 104649
- Combined regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines production by STAT3 and STAT5 in a model of B. pertussis infection of alveolar macrophages. Khiter, F., Kherrouche, Z., Dubois, V., Slupek, S., Petit, E., Debrie, A. S., Cauchi, S., Barois, N., Rouanet, C., and Mielcarek, N. (2023) Front Immunol 14, 1254276
- Proximity-dependent biotin identification links cholesterol catabolism with branched-chain amino acid degradation in Mycobacterium smegmatis Veyron-Churlet, R., Lecher, S., Lacoste, A. S., Saliou, J. M., and Locht, C. (2023). FASEB J 37, e23036
- A smooth tubercle bacillus from Ethiopia phylogenetically close to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. Yenew, B., Ghodousi, A., Diriba, G., Tesfaye, E., Cabibbe, A. M., Amare, M., Moga, S., Alemu, A., Dagne, B., Sinshaw, W., Mollalign, H., Meaza, A., Tadesse, M., Gamtesa, D. F., Abebaw, Y., Seid, G., Zerihun, B., Getu, M., Chiacchiaretta, M., Gaudin, C., Marceau, M., Didelot, X., Tolera, G., Abdella, S., Kebede, A., Getahun, M., Mehammed, Z., Supply, P., and Cirillo, D. M. (2023) Nat Commun 14, 7519
