Amandine Achard will join the group in January 2026 as a Master student to investigate how calcium signaling contributes to Xanthomonas hortorum pv. vitians (Xhv) cell death during phage infection. Xhv is the causal agent of bacterial leaf spot on lettuce, a major disease for which phage-based biocontrol represents a promising alternative to chemical treatments.

Her project will explore how calcium dynamics influence bacterial vulnerability during phage infection, with a particular focus on processes such as motility, biofilm formation, and regulated cell death. By combining real-time calcium imaging using fluorescent biosensors, confocal microscopy, and a genetic screen of phage mutants, Amandine aims to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying bacterial susceptibility. Selected phage mutants will then be tested in planta to validate their ability to inhibit disease progression.

This research will provide novel insights into bacterial calcium signaling and its role in phage–bacteria interactions, while paving the way for innovative and sustainable biocontrol strategies against lettuce bacterial leaf spot.