The Ifremer Laboratory for Genetics and Pathology of Marine Molluscs in La Tremblade (LGPMM: Laboratoire de Génétique et Pathologie des Mollusques Marins) has been appointed as the European Union Reference Laboratory (EURL) for mollusc diseases since December 1995. The laboratory is also a reference at the national level assuming National Reference Laboratory (NRL) functions.

http://wwz.ifremer.fr/sg2m/Laboratoire-de-Genetique-et-Pathologie-des-Mollusques-Marins

Behind these functions, the research team working on mollusc pathology has long term experience on host-microbe interactions, pathogenesis, and pathogens diversity on virus, parasite and bacteria.

During last years, we characterized diversity of Vibrio isolated during mollusc mortality events in France (V. aestuarianus, V. tubiashii, V. harveyi and V. splendidus-related) and developed diagnostic tools (QPCR, VNTR…) for surveillance and research purposes.

The laboratory is also interested in virulence factors participating to disease development and pathogenesis steps as well as induced immune response, host damages and disease-resistance (mechanisms and genetic parameters). By coupling controlled infections on dedicated families in several mollusk species, biochemical and molecular approaches, and histopathology expertise, we addressed these topics in different interaction models such as V. tubiashii – oyster larvae and V. aestuarianus – adult oysters.

More recently, we also developed experimental infection models to evaluate key transmission parameters of Vibrio aestuarianus infection that could be useful to limit its spread and establishment in oyster populations.