Biography
In our lab at the University of Ottawa, we are excited about bacteriophages (phages) and their lytic enzymes, known as endolysins. Phages are specialized viruses that target bacteria, producing endolysins to break down bacterial cell walls, leading to bacterial death. With their potent antimicrobial properties, both phages and endolysins hold significant promise in addressing the escalating challenge of antibiotic resistance.
Using advanced synthetic biology and experimental evolution techniques, we aim to investigate how phages and endolysins evolve and adapt to their bacterial hosts. Our research addresses fundamental evolutionary questions, such as the mechanisms driving the diversity of phage lytic systems and their potential links to bacterial cell division and eukaryotic immune systems. Through this understanding, we aim to pioneer new strategies for engineering phages and phage-based antimicrobial proteins, which could be instrumental in combating multi-drug-resistant bacteria and developing novel antimicrobial therapies.
Dr. Frank Oechslin earned his PhD from the University of Lausanne, where he focused on bacterial infectious diseases and their prevention using drugs, vaccines, and bacteriophages. In 2018, he joined Prof. Sylvain Moineau's lab at Université Laval (Québec, Canada), supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation. There, he used CRISPR-Cas genome editing and experimental evolution to investigate the adaptability and evolutionary potential of bacteriophages and their endolysins.
If you’re interested in our projects and would like to join our research group, please send your CV to [email protected]
Selected Publications (*=Corresponding Author):
Oechslin F*, Zhu X, Morency C, Somerville V, Shi R, Moineau S. Dairy practices select for thermostable endolysins in phages. 2024. Molecular Biology and Evolution.
Oechslin F*, Zhu X, Dion M, Shi R, Moineau S. Phage endolysins are adapted to specific hosts and are evolutionarily dynamic. 2022. PLoS biology.
Oechslin F*, Menzi C, Moreillon P, Resch G. The multi-domain architecture of a bacteriophage endolysin enables intramolecular synergism and regulation of bacterial lysis. 2021. Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Dion M, Oechslin F, Moineau S. Phage diversity, genomics and phylogeny. 2020. Nature Reviews Microbiology.
McCallin S and Oechslin F*. Bacterial resistance to phage and its impact on clinical therapy. Phage Therapy: A Practical Approach, pages 59-88. 2019. Springer Nature.
Oechslin F*. Resistance development to bacteriophages occurring during bacteriophage therapy. 2018. Viruses.
Oechslin F*, Piccardi P, Mancini S, Gabard J, Moreillon P, Entenza JM, Resch G, Que YA. Synergistic interaction between phage therapy and antibiotics clears Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in endocarditis and reduces virulence. 2017. Journal of Infectious Diseases.
Oechslin F, Daraspe J, Giddey M, Moreillon P, Resch G. In vitro characterization of PlySK1249, a novel phage lysin, and assessment of its antibacterial activity in a mouse model of Streptococcus agalactiae bacteremia. 2013. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.