Plague & Yersinia Pestis

Our research is carried out through a set of nationally and internationally funded projects that address plague from complementary evolutionary, ecological, biological, and societal perspectives. Together, these projects aim to understand how plague emerges, persists, and spreads, and how this knowledge can be translated into strategies to prevent future outbreaks.

ERC Synergy-Plague (2024-2030)
Reconstructing the environmental, biological, and societal drivers of plague outbreaks in Eurasia (1300–1900 CE).

Co-PIs: F. Sebbane (Inserm), N. C. Stenseth (University of Oslo), P. Slavin (University of Stirling), U. Büntgen (University of Cambridge)

This large interdisciplinary project investigates the resurgence of plague in Central Asia during the 14th century and its subsequent spread across Eurasia. By combining historical sources, environmental reconstructions, ancient DNA, and mathematical modeling, the project seeks to unravel why plague repeatedly emerged, spread, and disappeared over time, and to identify the drivers underlying these complex dynamics.

https://www.synergy-plague.org

PEPR-MIE – DEBS-Plague (2024-2028)
Environmental, biological, and societal determinants of plague re-emergence in France

PI: F. Sebbane

This project aims to identify the ecological and biological conditions that could favor or limit the re-establishment of plague on French territory. Using an interdisciplinary approach, it seeks to anticipate and prevent plague re-emergence, while developing a conceptual and operational framework applicable to other zoonotic diseases.

ANR ADAPT (2023-2027)
The adaptive nature of plague transmission by fleas

PI: F. Sebbane

ADAPT explores how flea biology and the microevolution of Yersinia pestis shape plague transmission, persistence, and extinction. By combining experimental biology, omics approaches, and epidemiological modeling, the project addresses why plague can re-emerge after long periods of silence or disappear entirely from certain regions.

MSCA FACTORS (2025-2027)
Biological determinants of flea physiology and pathogen transmission

PI: A. Rolandelli

This project focuses on the largely neglected biology of fleas, key vectors of plague and other diseases. It aims to identify the physiological factors that influence their ability to transmit pathogens, providing essential knowledge to better understand flea-borne disease dynamics and to develop sustainable control strategies.

CPER RESISTOMIC (2025–2028)
Biological determinants of flea physiology and pathogen transmission

PI: A. Rolandelli

RESISTOMIC complements MSCA FACTORS by strengthening regional research capacity on flea biology and vector competence. It supports the development of experimental and analytical approaches aimed at deciphering how flea physiology shapes pathogen transmission.

ANR RESISTANT (2022-2026)
Bacterial signaling and adaptation of Yersinia pestis to its vector

PI: S. Bontemps-Gallo

This project investigates how Yersinia pestis senses and adapts to the flea gut environment through bacterial signaling pathways. By characterizing vector-associated stresses and bacterial responses, it aims to identify novel molecular targets for innovative anti-plague strategies.

MITI-CNRS MappingNetwork (2025-2026)
Mapping regulatory network dynamics in Yersinia pestis

PI: S. Bontemps-Gallo

This exploratory project develops an innovative mass-spectrometry-based approach to capture bacterial signaling network dynamics during infection. Applied to Y. pestis, it provides a systems-level view of how environmental cues are integrated during host and vector colonization.