Postdoc Position: The Castagner Lab at McGill University in Montreal is looking for a postdoc with bio-organic chemistry experience for a CIHR-funded project involving the design and synthesis polyanionic molecules for the inhibition of scavenger receptors in collaboration with Dr. Paul Kubes (see Zindel et al., Science 2021, 371, eabe0595). Applicant should have a PhD in chemistry and synthesis experience, ideally in carbohydrate, or nucleic acids. Please submit your CV with a cover letter to Dr. Bastien Castagner (bastien.castagner@mcgill.ca)

Planned Start  Date & End Date:  May 1st, 2023- April 30th, 2024 (with the possibility of renewal)

Congratulations to Elaine Xing for getting a Canada Graduate Scholarships – Master’s scholarship from CIHR! This award supports her work that aims to contribute to the understanding of glycan metabolism by the human gut microbiota.

It was a great occasion to say goodbye to Suraya, Hannah, and Arrani, and welcome our new Castagner Lab members, Elaine, Mary, and Layan.

(From left to right: Hannah, Arrani, Elaine, Justin, Layan, Mary, Suraya, Olivia, Raphaël, Reilly, Shiva, and Lharbi. Missing from the picture: Rebecca and Noah.)

Congratulations to Suraya Yasmine who has successfully completed her M.Sc. thesis. We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavour!

So we had to split into two groups on two different days, but we could finally meet again! It was great to congratulate Kulsum and Alexia on their graduation, welcome Hannah, Shiva, Arrani, Justin, and Raphaël to the group, and celebrate funding successes. And yes, we now have matching picnic blankets in the Castagner Lab 😎

The 2021 team from left to right: Kulsum Tai, Justin Meneses, Raphaël Bolteau, Rebecca Cummer, Lharbi Dridi, Alexia Piercey, Suraya Yasmine, Olivia Lui, Hannah Billings, Shiva Jazestani, Arrani Thambimuthu, and Reilly Pidgeon.

A warm if virtual welcome to Arrani Thambimuthu (Melville Bursary 2021 winner) and Shiva Jazestani (a SURA Award winner) that are joining our lab this summer. We look forward to meet them in person when possible.

Congratulations to Reilly and Olivia for their FRQS scholarship! This is exciting news and we hope to uncover more microbiota mystery with this support.

A COVID-19 appropriate get together to celebrate a good funding news with Champagne and goldfish  A few people missing, I look forward to a real get together when this is all over.

We are delighted that our CIHR applications have been funded. We wish to express our gratitude to the reviewing panels and to CIHR to have kept the spring 2020 competition alive despite the COVID-19 crisis. This crucial funding will allow us to explore microbiota-targeted therapies against cancer and fight C. difficile infection.