PHYGE team

This research area focuses on microbial physiology and interactions, with applications in functional foods and industrial biotechnology. One major line of investigation explores the development of Single-Cell Proteins (SCPs) derived from yeast (mainly non-Saccharomyces) and bacteria, intended as sustainable sources of food proteins. This work emphasizes microbial physiology and microbiological engineering, with a strong health-oriented dimension: efforts are made to enrich protein extracts with bioactive compounds beneficial to human health, depending on the microbial species used and the bioreactor conditions. A second research focus builds on the team's long-standing expertise in cell wall structure, biogenesis, and assembly, examining the molecular mechanisms underlying bacteria-yeast interactions (including both Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces species). These interactions are key to understanding the health benefits of yeast-based postbiotics and probiotics. This includes detailed characterization of the microbial envelope (cell wall and membrane), contributing to the identification and development of new functional foods. The study of these inter-species interactions is now being expanded to include a third cell type—intestinal cells—with the goal of developing a methodology to analyze these tripartite interactions more effectively. This approach aims to better simulate the intestinal environment in vitro. Additionally, we plan to engineer yeast strains by modifying their cell walls to enhance their postbiotic or probiotic properties, especially, by altering wall permeability, we intend to promote the externalization of small molecules or proteins produced by yeast, which could be beneficial for nutritional and/or health-related applications.