Corinne Vacher (Research Director in Ecology at INRAE, France)

My research focuses on the relationships between plant microbiomes and plant health. I combine network ecology, environmental genomics, plant pathology and plant physiology to analyze microbe-microbe interactions and plant-microbe interactions, with the goal of discovering their influence on the health and function of ecosystems (temperate forests, tropical forests and agricultural systems including vineyards). Applied perpectives include biocontrol of plant diseases and  biomonitoring of ecosystem health.

I received my PhD in Evolutionary Biology in 2004 (University of Montpellier, France) and my accreditation to supervise research in Ecology (HDR) in 2014 (University of Bordeaux, France). I am part of the BIODIV team (Diversity of biotic interactions and functioning of forest ecosystems) within the BIOGECO research unit (INRAE, University of Bordeaux).  I also have strong collaborations with the researchers of the SAVE research unit (INRAE, Bordeaux Sciences Agro), with whom I study the relationships between grapevine microbiome and grapevine health.

Do not hesitate to contact me if you are interested in a collaboration (corinne.vacher[a]inrae.fr).

Keywords: Biodiversity; Community Ecology; Microbial Ecology; Microbiome; Microbiota; Phytobiome; Phyllosphere; Pathobiome; Species Interactions; Microbial Networks; Biocontrol; Biomonitoring; Health; Metabarcoding; Next-Generation Sequencing; Plants; Fungi; Bacteria; Forest; Grapevine; Powdery Mildew; Downy Mildew

Web pages and social media: ORCID, Google Scholar Citations, ResearchGate, Twitter, LinkedIN

Group members

Aarti Jaswa (Engineer in microbiology & PhD student, 2021-present): Designing and evaluating synthetic microbial communities (SynComs) for the biocontrol of grapevine downy mildew. Co-supervised with Jessica Vallance (Save), Guilherme Martins and Isabelle Masneuf-Pomarède (Oeno) in the framework of the VITAE research project.

Paola Fournier (PhD student, 2021-present): Towards pesticide-free viticulture: analysis of vine and soil microbiome to develop microbial biocontrol of powdery and downy mildew. Co-supervised with Patrice This (Agap) in the framework of the VITAE research project.

Lucile Pellan (Post-doctoral researcher, 2022-present): Development of microbial bioindicators of vineyard health and resilience. In collaboration with Laurence Mercier, Moët-Hennessy (Centre Robert-Jean de Vogüé, Oiry)

Isabelle Lesur (Engineer at HelixVenture, 2022-present): Bioinformatic analysis of mycobiome sequencing data

Former members

Marine Cambon (Post-doctoral researcher, 2019-2020): Next-generation biomonitoring of drought stress in forest ecosystems. Co-supervised with Sylvain Delzon (Biogeco)

Marine Trillat (Engineer, 2019-2020): Development of metabarcoding protocols for various environmental samples (plant, insect, water). In collaboration with the PGTB sequencing facility

Charlie Pauvert (PhD student, 2016-2019): Comparison and evaluation of bioinformatics and statistical approaches for the analysis of the pathobiome of crops plants. Co-supervised with Jessica Vallance (SAVE)

Tania Fort (PhD student, 2016-2019): Functions, transmission and emission of the canopy microbiota. In collaboration with Lisa Wingate (ISPA) and Amy Zanne (George Washington University)

Yves Ritter (Student technician, 2019): Development of next-generation biomonitoring protocols.

Julie Faivre d’ Arcier (Assistant Engineer, 2018-2019): Development of metabarcoding protocols. In collaboration with the PGTB sequencing facility

Andreas Makiola (Post-doctoral researcher, 2018-2019): Machine-learning of microbial networks from NGS data. In collaboration with Dave Bohan (Agroécologie)

Lucile Muneret (Post-doctoral researcher, 2018-2019): Construction of trophic networks from NGS data to predict natural pest control services in vineyards. In collaboration with Adrien Rusch (SAVE)

Tiphaine Alemany (Master I student, 2018): Influence of tree species diversity on the diversity of phyllosphere fungal communities

Célia Duluc (Master II student, 2018): Dynamics of microbial diversity and microbial networks in the phyllosphere, caulosphere and rhizosphere of oilseed rape. Co-supervised with Christophe Mougel (IGEPP)

Dïnia Cartry (Master II student, 2018): Relationships between tree microbiota and tree functional traits in a tropical forest. Co-supervised with Heidy Schimann (EcoFog)

Amandyne Linares-Maurizi (Master I student, 2018) : Within-canopy variations in leaf morphology in a beech forest. Co-supervised with R. Burlett and T. Fort (Biogeco).

Thomas Fort (PhD student, 2013-2016) : Influence of landscape structure on the foliar fungal communities of grapevine. Co-supervised with C. Robin (Biogeco).

Boris Jakuschkin (PhD student, 2011-2015) : Genetic architecture of phyllosphere microbial communities of pedunculate oak (Quercus robur). Co-supervised with C. Robin and  V. Fievet (Biogeco).

Elodie Camy (Master II student, 2015): Relationship between the diversity of phyllosphere microbial communities and plant resistance to drought. Co-supervised with A.J. Porté (Biogeco).

Jean-Benoist Leger (PhD student, 2010-2014) : Modelling the topology of ecological networks with statistical models for heterogeneous random graphs. Co-supervised with J-J. Daudin (UMR518 MIA, AgroParisTech).

Quentin Baillavoine (Master II student, 2014): Effects of tree phylogeny and introduction status on phyllosphere fungal communities. Co-supervised with B. Castagneyrol (Biogeco)

Tristan Cordier (PhD student, 2008-2012) : Influence of climate on the diversity and composition of phyllosphere fungal communities of European beech (Fagus sylvatica). Co-supervised with M.L. Desprez-Loustau and C. Robin.

Isabelle Pivotto (Master I student, 2009): Assessment of phylogenetic signals in bipartite ecological networks.

Lucie Lusignan (Master II student, 2009): Modelling fungal and oomycete assemblages at the global scale to assess risk of invasion. Co-supervised with M. Gevrey (UMR EDB, Toulouse).

Emmanuelle Helion (Master II student, 2006): Modelling the richness of parasitic fungal species in the French forests. Co-supervised with M-L. Desprez-Loustau (Biogeco)