CHRISTINE CITTI

My research interest focuses on combating and preventing animal infectious diseases including zoonoses. Early in my career, I studied how pathogenic bacteria (mycoplasmas) evade the host immune system by altering their surface composition and how they use cell-invasion to hide from the host immune response, survive, and disseminate. I further developed mycoplasma genetic tools and shifted my focus to functional genomics using new generation sequencing technologies. Using these tools, my group and I discovered a new mechanism of bacterial gene transfer which one plays a major role in their evolution, survival, and in accelerating the acquisition of antimicrobial resistance. My interest further shifted 10 years ago towards the ecological aspects of infectious diseases leading to my participation in the "Pathobiome" concept in 2014 (Vayssier-Taussat M, Albina E, Citti C et al. 2014 Shifting the paradigm from pathogens to pathobiome: new concepts in the light of meta-omics. Front Cell Infect Microbiol.) and in obtaining a 6-million-euro Horizon Europe project in 2022 to study the ecology of wildlife, livestock, human, and infectious diseases in changing environments (WiLiMan-ID). Finally, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for better preparedness and prevention of future pandemics. I was then appointed as the INRAE scientific focal point for the PREZODE initiative and co-pilot of the French PREZODE research program launched in January 2023. These initiatives aim to structure the scientific community to prevent zoonoses with pandemic potential, promote interdisciplinary global approaches, and involve decision-makers, citizens, and stakeholders to ensure their success. At an early stage of career, I was appointed as the co-chair of the Institute of Bacteriology, Hygiene and Mycology, at the Veterinary University of Vienna, Austria (from 1997 to 2003). Since then and until today, I have been involved in the management of numerous collectives or collective programs of various sizes and at different scales (local, national or international) with the measured ambition of creating links and synergies between researchers, research teams and/or partners to address the growing complexity of the issues and the interdisciplinary or even transdisciplinary nature of the research questions we face. Among these, my contribution as Deputy Director then Director of the research unit “Host-Pathogen Interactions” (IHAP, Toulouse, ca. 100 members, 6 research groups on infectious diseases) from 2006-2021 and as Scientific Director and member of the management team of the National Veterinary school of Toulouse from 2010 to 2015, were in my view the most sticking and instructive. These positions have enlarged my understanding and global vision of the research needs in terms of animal, human and environmental health. Main research positions held. Since 2023 Co-director of the “Programme et équipement Prioritaire de Recherche” (PEPR) Prezode (France 2030 and ANR). Since 2022 Scientific focal point for INRAE for the International Initiative Prezode (Preventing zoonotic disease) Since 2004 Research Director, UMR 1225 INRA-ENVT, Host-Pathogen Interaction, Veterinary National School of Toulouse and National Institute for Research in Agronomy, Toulouse, France Since 2006 Group leader of the mycoplasma team, UMR 1225 INRA-ENVT Toulouse, France 1997-2004 Assistant Professor (until 2001) and Associate Professor (from 2001) in Molecular Microbiology, Research Group Leader, Institute of Bacteriology, Mycology and Hygiene, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria 1993-1996 Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, US Main administrative and management positions held. 2015-2021 Chair of the joint research unit, UMR 1225 INRA-ENVT, Host-Pathogen Interactions, National Veterinary School of Toulouse, Toulouse, France 2010-2015 Dean for Research and Scientific affairs, Veterinary School of Toulouse, Toulouse, France. 2006-2015 Vice Chair of the joint research unit, UMR 1225 INRA-ENVT, Host-Pathogen Interactions, National Veterinary School of Toulouse, Toulouse, France 2000-2004 Deputy Chair, Institute of Bacteriology, Mycology and Hygiene, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria