Scientific programme > Sessions

Session 1

Impact of contaminants on microbial diversity and functions

Microorganisms participate in all major functions of biogeochemical cycles, and their diversity represents a keystone for ecosystem functioning and resilience. The capacity of microorganisms for adaptation is unequalled in the living world. As other types of organisms however, microbes are increasingly threatened by multiple and pronounced environmental stresses and anthropic perturbations. This session will propose investigations of the impact of stressors on the taxonomic and functional diversity of the microbial world, and of the overall response to contamination of microorganisms at individual, population or community level. These may involve the use of 'omics' and ‘metaomics’ tools (e.g. genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics); approaches based on functional traits, for example to develop indicators of microbial community disturbance; as well as fundamental genetic and evolutionary engineering studies at the cellular and molecular levels.

Keywords: diversity; functions; bioindicators; omics

Keynote by Sofie Thijs from Hasselt University (Belgium)

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Session 2

Microbial roles in contaminant fate and bioremediation

Microorganisms have developed a variety of metabolic adaptations and resistance mechanisms to cope with the presence of toxic elements in their environment. Microbial activity thus has considerable impact on environmental contaminants, and strongly contributes to their fate. Many microbially-driven processes may contribute to contaminant degradation, detoxification or immobilization (e.g. sequestration, precipitation) and thus to pollution mitigation, while conversely, some others may enhance toxicity of contaminants and their dissemination in the biosphere.

Evaluation and understanding of these processes is still challenging, in the field as well as in the laboratory. Thus, prediction of the fate of contaminants in ecosystems remains difficult. The bioavailability and mobility of chemical contaminants in the environment, as key factors of microbial transformation of chemicals, require particular attention today. Moreover, linking available evidence of contaminant biotransformation to key microbial players involved in these processes remains mostly indirect, especially in complex ecosystems. Finally, understanding the environmental factors governing microbial activity is an essential step to develop efficient bioremediation strategies. In this session, we welcome original reports on all aspects of these challenging research areas, and especially those involving interdisciplinary approaches at the interface of chemistry, physics and microbiology, including modelling studies.

Keywords: bioremediation, biodegradation, biotransformation, bioavailability, immobilization, dissipation, ecological engineering

Keynote by Kathrin Fenner from EAWAG (Switzerland)

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 Session 3

Microorganisms as tool for environmental risk assessment

Microorganisms are key players of earth life: they drive important ecosystem processes and contribute substantially to global biogeochemical cycles. They exhibit a broad range of sensitivity to many toxicants and are known to be natural early warning systems that detect acute and long-term effects produced by toxic pollutants.

Until now chemical analysis remains essential to evidence contamination, however biological indicators can provide valuable complementary information on both the impact and fate of contaminants. Microorganisms are good candidates as a tool for environmental risk assessment (ERA) since they can be found in all types of environments (water, soil…) and have a large range of sensitivity to a wide range of chemical pollutants. Innovative methods and tools for environmental risk assessment based on microorganisms have been developed in order to i/predict hazard and assess risk before the release on the market of a new active compound (a priori ERA) as well as ii/ assess, the ecotoxicological impacts of chemical residues in the environment (a posteriori ERA).

Despite the recognized importance of microbial communities in supporting a range of functions and ecosystem services, microorganisms are only barely not considered in both a priori and a posteriori environmental risk assessment and they are typically not yet implemented in the current regulations or legislations. This session will focus on the use of microbial bioindicators/biomarkers/bioassays as well as of microbial biosensors to assess environmental risk of contaminants in various ecosystems. In particular, communications on the interest of monitoring in response to pollutant exposure the diversity and function of microbial communities using omic approaches for ERA in various ecosystems are welcome. In this session, we also intend to discuss the possible strategies to promote the use of microorganisms (at different levels of biological organization) in both a priori and a posteriori environmental risk assessment.

Keywords : bioindicators/biomarkers, biosensors, risk assessment, environmental managers, biomonitoring

 Keynote by Fabrice Martin-Laurent from Agroecologie department, INRAE Dijon, (France) 

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organised by Gerald Thouand, Marie José Durand, Sulivan Jouanneau , Ali Assaf ( UMR GEPEA, CNRS 6144, IUT de la Roche sur Yon, France)

The exposome concept has been established for human health and tends to be extended to environmental pollutions leading to the concept of ecoexposome. In both cases, the concept depends to the capacity to collect datas and monitor the effect of pollution. Alongside specific and standard chemical methods, biological methods, like biosensors, are certainly the best way to detect the global effect of either a pollutant or a complex mixture. Cell biosensors, whose concept was born 55 years ago, have never ceased to be enriched by the scientific ambitions and ingenuity of researchers, and societal needs in terms of applications. A cell biosensor is, above all, a hybrid system associating biology, electronics, materials and digital science. It is a measuring instrument with multiple applications that combines a biological recognition element (here a cell usually called bioelement) with an electronic part.

The majority of applications is certainly on the environmental part with plenty of example for metal, organometallic, organic compounds but also considering global ecotoxic effect. In this session, this complete scientific field will be considered in all its complexity by integrating four fields which are microorganisms (their environmental resourcing, their genetic modifications), systems engineering, field application and industrial constraints with a view to the commercialization of biosensors.  

Keywords: cell biosensor, engineering, field application, environment

 Keynote by Prof. Robert Marks, University Ben Gurion, Israel