Research in the Rodrigues Lab is driven by a fundamental question: how do bacteria build one of the toughest cell types on Earth - the bacterial spore?

Spores are dormant, highly resilient cells that enable bacteria to survive extreme environmental conditions for years or even centuries. They are impervious to antibiotics and resist many conventional sterilisation methods, yet rapidly return to life when conditions improve. While spores are essential for the survival of many beneficial bacteria, they also contribute to the persistence, transmission and contamination associated with numerous pathogenic species.

Our research seeks to uncover the molecular mechanisms that control spore formation. We combine genetics, cell biology, biochemistry, structural biology and computational approaches to understand the proteins and regulatory pathways that drive this developmental process.

Using the model organism Bacillus subtilis as a foundation, we are expanding our research to explore the diversity of sporulation mechanisms across a wider range of spore-forming bacteria. By uncovering both conserved and species-specific strategies for spore development, we aim to advance our understanding of bacterial cell biology while providing new insights into the persistence of medically, agriculturally and industrially important microorganisms.

NEWS:

July 2026:

Check-out these two pre-prints describing the work of PhD candidate Betty Fekade on the role of SpoIVA during engulfment and how SpoIVA assembles on the surface of the spore (developed in collaboration with Cecile Morlot at Institut de Biologie Structurale).

Check-out the work of PhD candidate, Behzad Dehghani, that identifies CprV as a safeguarding factor that contributes to compartmentalisation during sporulation, published in Communications Biology. Congratulations to Behzad for also passing their PhD viva. 

July 2025:

Our recent work that redefines the role of SpoIIIL in sporulation is now published in PLOS Genetics. Developed in collaboration with Cecile Morlot at Institut de Biologie Structurale, Per Bullough at University of Sheffield, Simonetta Gribaldo at the Institut Pasteur and Felipe Cava at Umea University.