I'm working on various topics in Evolutionary Biology and Ecology at the French Institute for the Exploitation of the Sea (IFREMER).
I have an on-going interest in studying the physiological mechanisms that allow fishes to cope with their environments. More specifically, I'm interested on their amazing capability to reproduce, develop and thrive in different situations.
Beyond the proximate physiological mechanisms directly involved in sex differentiation/determination, I'm also interested in ultimate causes that have promoted the existence of a plethora of sex determination types (from strictly genetic to environmental). Causes and consequences of consistent inter-individual differences in behaviour, i.e. personality, are also among my main interests.
Overall, my researches are placed in an ecological/conservation context where I try deciphering some of the various physiological and behavioural mechanisms that trigger changes at the population level.
My 3 main axis of Research are:
1) The effect of stress on sex determination in fish, from physiology to ecological consequences
2) How managing stress and sex in an aquaculture context
3) The effect of Human Induced rapid environmental changes (HIREC) on fish physiology (stress, sex, reproduction) and behaviour.
This is achieved thanks to various funded projects:
• 2024-2026: Co-PI of the FARsex project: Fish, Amphibians and Reptiles sex ratio under climate change scenarios (French Fondation for the Biodiversity, 80 K€). Involving 10 International partners, and lead by Ifremer, France and the Center for Agricultural Research, Hungary. https://www.fondationbiodiversite.fr/en/the-frb-in-action/programs-and-projects/le-cesab/farsex/
• 2022-2025: Partner of the Fishness project: Fish robustNess, a key element of population vulnerability and sustainable aquaculture, (French National Agency grant n° ANR-21-CE20-0043; 800 K€). Lead by the CNRS, France.
• 2020-2023: PI of the MiSS project: MicroARNs Sex and Stress (European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, grant n° 20-00070, 700 K€). Lead by Ifremer an involving 3 other partners (CNRS, INRAE, Gloria Maris).
• 2020-2022: PI of the Warmfish project: effects of temperature on reproduction of four fish species (Climat-Amlat grant n° 21-CLIMAT-14, 40 K€). Lead by Ifremer and involving 3 other International Partners: University of Temuco (Chile), University of Chascomus (Argentina), University of Magdalena (Colombia).
• 2017-2020: PI of the 3S project: Seabass Sex and Stress (European Maritime and Fisheries Fund grant n° 4320175237, 400 K€). Lead by Ifremer, with one partner: Syndicate of French Poultry and Aquaculture Breeders, SYSAAF.
• 2017-2019: Co-PI of the Aptacort project: Developing a marine sensor for cortisol detection in the water (Ifremer internal grant, 20 K€)
• 2013-2015: Post-Doctoral Fellowship award in Brazil to work on the effect of ecotourism on fishes (Young Talent Fellowship from the Brazilian government 40 K€)
2015 – 2016 Post-doc researcher LPGP, Rennes.
2013 – 2015 Post-doc researcher at UFMT & UNEMAT, Mato Grosso, Brasil.
2012 : Ph.D Reproduction Physiology & Behavioural Ecology, University of Pau.
2009 : University Degree Aquaculture, Cadarache
2008 : MASTER 2 Function and Dysfunction of Aquatics Ecosystems, University Bordeaux 1
2007 : MASTER 1 Coastline Environment (Equivalent to BSc in Marine Biology)
University of La Rochelle, 1st Semester.
University Of Southampton, NOCS, England, 2nd semester
2006 : Bachelor University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse