Nicolas is an Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Université de Montréal – CHUM Research Center. He obtained his PhD in medical virology at Pierre et Marie Curie University in Paris. During his post-doc, he described several cellular reservoirs that contribute to the persistence of HIV in infected individuals receiving antiretroviral therapy. He pursued his research as a principal investigator to characterize these reservoirs which represent the main obstacle to HIV eradication. Dr. Chomont is overseeing studies to unravel the molecular mechanisms involved in HIV latency and to develop novel therapeutic strategies aimed at reducing the size of the HIV reservoir.
Dr. Rémi Fromentin, PharmD, PhD, Research associate
Rémi obtained his PhD at Université Laval. The primary focus of his current research is to characterize the immunological mechanisms responsible for HIV persistence in long-term ART-suppressed individuals. Through a large collaboration (Delaney AIDS Research Entreprise), he identified several immune checkpoint molecules involved in the establishment and the maintenance of the HIV reservoir in individuals successfully treated with ART. He is currently testing immune checkpoint blockers as novel therapeutic strategies aimed at reactivating and eliminating latently infected cells. When he is not working in the lab, Rémi loves eating, drinking and visiting musea.
Amélie Pagliuzza, Msc, Research assistant
Amélie joined the lab in 2015. A part of her job is to take care of the lab organization, and assist other lab members on their projects. Besides that, she works on several collaborative projects in which she measures the size of the HIV reservoir in samples from participants in clinical trials. Using assays developed in the lab, Amelie can detect and measure the frequency of the few infected cells that persist in people receiving antiretroviral therapy. Amélie is the queen of PCR and TILDA!
Dr. César Trifone, PhD, postdoctoral fellow
César is from Quilmes, Argentina. He obtained a degree in Biotechnology at Quilmes University and a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology at the School of Medicine of Buenos Aires University. At this time, he described a novel inflammatory and CD4 T cell response polarizing pathway. He joined the lab in 2021 as a pos-doctoral fellow. César is studying the dynamic and characterization of SIV reservoirs in non human primate models. Also, he is involved in projects aimed at understanding how HIV avoids clearance from the organism.
Dr. Hélène Roux, PhD, postdoctoral fellow
Hélène is from Nantes, France. After obtaining her bachelor’s degree in Cell Biology from Université de Nantes, she moved to Paris where she obtained a master’s degree from Sorbonne Université and a PhD from Université Paris Cité, both in the field of Virology. During her master’s and PhD, she developed a new technology for quantifying the unintegrated DNA of HIV-1, contributing to a better understanding of pre-integrative latency. She joined the lab as a postdoctoral fellow in February 2022 and works on a project aiming to comprehend the cellular and viral mechanisms that contribute to the persistence of infected cells through years of antiretroviral therapy.
Caroline Dufour, MSc, PhD candidate
Proudly born in Baie-Comeau (Québec), Caroline just finished a master in cellular and molecular biology at Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières on HIV restriction factors and CRISPR gene editing. She recently joined the lab this January for her PhD and will be working on characterizing replication-competent HIV reservoirs in treated individuals. Besides lab stuff, she likes books, music, photography and plays.
Armando Espinosa-Ortiz, MSc, PhD candidate
Born in Mexico but raised in Paris, Armando joined the lab in January 2021. He obtained a Master degree in Virology at Sorbonne Université during which he studied the antiviral effects of interferon on HIV replication. He is currently working on understanding how antigen driven T-cell proliferation shapes the HIV reservoir.
Quentin Girard, BSc, MSc candidate
Originally from France, Quentin studied in Tours. He obtained a degree in Life Sciences at the Faculty of Science and Technology and integrated the master in infectiology, immunology, vaccinology & biomedicine at the Faculty of Pharmacy. During his first year (M1), he studied Influenza virus infections and their underlying immunological mechanisms. During his second year in Montreal, he is working on HIV reservoirs. Outside of the lab, Quentin likes to play sports like soccer or running, and he also enjoys traveling.
Audrée Lemieux, BSc, MSc candidate
Raised in Gatineau (Québec), Audrée has completed her Honours BSc. in Biology at the University of Ottawa. Her Honours project was to quantify the risk of viral spillovers of a High Arctic lake using bioinformatic tools. She joined the lab in 2023 as a second year MSc. student in Microbiology and Immunology, in co-supervision with Dr. Daniel Kaufmann. She is trying to develop a R-based algorithm to assess the integrity of HIV proviruses. Outside of the lab, she likes to listen to music, cheer for the Ottawa Senators, and play with her dog.
Rood Hershley Joseph, BSc candidate
Born in Haïti but raised in Canada, Rood is completing his bachelor’s in Biomedical Science at Montreal university this year. He loves soccer, basket and Tv shows. Futhermore, he likes to learn everything that has to do with science and the field of health.
Camille Guertin, BSc candidate, Honor
Born in Montréal, Camille is completing her bachelor’s in microbioly and immunology at Université de Montréal this year. She joined the lab this summer and is currently doing an internship as a Honor student in the lab. She likes to learn about immunology and virology in general and is excited to learn more about HIV reservoirs through her implication in the lab. Besides studying and lab work, she loves to paint, make cocktails and try new recipes.
Rimanissa Chafki, BSc candidate
Rimanissa was born in Morocco and raised in Montreal, Canada. Her educational pursuits and passion for microbiology and immunology led her to embark on a thrilling journey by joining the lab this summer as part of the PREMIER scholarship program. Her enthusiasm for this field fuels her dedication to learning about various aspects of immunology and virology, with a special focus on the HIV reservoirs. Beyond the lab and academic endeavors, she finds joy in many hobbies, such as reading, cooking, and knitting. These creative outlets provide a perfect balance to her scientific pursuits, allowing her to explore diverse interests and engage with the world in multifaceted ways.
Camille Poliquin, BSc candidate, Honor
Born in Laval, Camille is currently completing her bachelor’s degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Montreal. Her deep-rooted love for biology and her curiosity for immunology and virology led her to join our research team this year for an internship as an Honor student. Through her implication in the lab, she is particularly excited to deepen her knowledge about HIV reservoirs. Outside of the lab and the world of academia, Camille trains for triathlon, she loves cooking and reading books.
