Nathalie PUJOL – CIML

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Nathalie Pujol is a Research Director at the CNRS and a Principal Investigator of the ANR Project SensoSkin. Her group has been using C. elegans to dissect the genetic basis of epidermal innate immunity and the response to wounding. Their work now examines the mechanical coupling between the apical extracellular matrix (aECM) and the epidermis, elucidating how aECM morphogenesis is linked to epidermal cytoskeletal reorganisation.

Nathalie PUJOL is editor at Plos Genetics, member of the CNRS National Committee (24-Cell biology, development, evolution-development) and member of the CORES at the Turing Centre for Living Systems (CENTURI).

She joined the CIML in 2001 to work on host defense against natural fungal pathogens, after a PhD and post-doc on Developmental Genetics.

News

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Visites Insolites du CNRS au CIML

Dive into the heart of your immune defenses! Wednesday, October 8, 2025 | 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. As part of the […]

Projects

Project: SensoSkin Apical extracellular matrix (aECM) shapes and protects the epithelium in all organisms. We previously showed that like […]

Publications

Sonntag T, Omi S, Andreeva A, Valotteau C, Eichelbrenner J, Chisholm AD, Ward JD, Pujol N, A defining member of the new cysteine-cradle family is an aECM protein signaling skin damage in C. elegans. PLoS Genet 2025 Mar; 21(3): e1011593.

Pooranachithra M, Jyo EM, Brouilly N, Pujol N, Ernst AM, Chisholm AD, C. elegans epiculins define specific compartments in the apical extracellular matrix and function in wound repair. Development 2024 Nov; 151(21): .

Sundaram MV, Pujol N, The Caenorhabditis elegans cuticle and precuticle: a model for studying dynamic apical extracellular matrices in vivo. Genetics 2024 Aug; 227(4): .

Weng JW, Park H, Valotteau C, Chen RT, Essmann CL, Pujol N, Sternberg PW, Chen CH, Body stiffness is a mechanical property that facilitates contact-mediated mate recognition in Caenorhabditis elegans. Curr Biol 2023 Sep; 33(17): 3585-3596.e5.

Rejane Rua, Nathalie Pujol, Pathogen metabolite checkpoint: NHR on guard, <i>Immunity</i>, 2023, 56 (4), pp.744-746. <a target="_blank" href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2023.03.004">⟨10.1016/j.immuni.2023.03.004⟩</a>.

Aggad D, Brouilly N, Omi S, Essmann CL, Dehapiot B, Savage-Dunn C, Richard F, Cazevieille C, Politi ..., Meisosomes, folded membrane microdomains between the apical extracellular matrix and epidermis. Elife 2023 Mar; 12(): .

Pujol N, Ewbank JJ, C. elegans: out on an evolutionary limb. Immunogenetics 2022 Feb; 74(1): 63-73.

Zhang X, Harding BW, Aggad D, Courtine D, Chen JX, Pujol N, Ewbank JJ, Antagonistic fungal enterotoxins intersect at multiple levels with host innate immune defenses. PLoS Genet 2021 Jun; 17(6): e1009600.

Omi S, Zhang X, Thakur N, Pujol N, ifas-1 is upregulated by fungal infection in a GPA-12 and STA-2-independent manner in the Caenorhabditis elegans epidermis. MicroPubl Biol 2021 May; 2021(): .

Spanier B, Laurençon A, Weiser A, Pujol N, Omi S, Barsch A, Korf A, Meyer SW, Ewbank JJ, Paladino F..., Comparison of lipidome profiles of Caenorhabditis elegans-results from an inter-laboratory ring trial. Metabolomics 2021 Feb; 17(3): 25.

Sinner MP, Masurat F, Ewbank JJ, Pujol N, Bringmann H, Innate Immunity Promotes Sleep through Epidermal Antimicrobial Peptides. Curr Biol 2021 Feb; 31(3): 564-577.e12.

Omi S, Pujol N, unc-119 mutants have an increased fungal spore adhesion that is not rescued by Cb-unc-119. MicroPubl Biol 2021 Jan; 2021(): .

Martineau CN, Kirienko NV, Pujol N, Innate immunity in C. elegans. Curr Top Dev Biol 2021; 144(): 309-351.

Réjane Rua, Nathalie Pujol, IL-17: good fear no tears, <i>Nature Immunology</i>, 2020, 21 (11), pp.1315-1316. <a target="_blank" href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41590-020-0792-4">⟨10.1038/s41590-020-0792-4⟩</a>.

Watts JS, Harrison HF, Omi S, Guenthers Q, Dalelio J, Pujol N, Watts JL, New Strains for Tissue-Specific RNAi Studies in Caenorhabditis elegans. G3 (Bethesda) 2020 Nov; 10(11): 4167-4176.

Taffoni C, Omi S, Huber C, Mailfert S, Fallet M, Rupprecht JF, Ewbank JJ, Pujol N, Microtubule plus-end dynamics link wound repair to the innate immune response. Elife 2020 Jan; 9(): .

Omi S, Pujol N, Inducible expression of F48C1.9 encoding a nematode specific secreted peptide in the adult epidermis upon Drechmeria fungal infection. MicroPubl Biol 2019 Feb; 2019(): .

Lee SH, Omi S, Thakur N, Taffoni C, Belougne J, Engelmann I, Ewbank JJ, Pujol N, Modulatory upregulation of an insulin peptide gene by different pathogens in C. elegans. Virulence 2018 Dec; 9(1): 648-658.

Polanowska J, Chen JX, Soulé J, Omi S, Belougne J, Taffoni C, Pujol N, Selbach M, Zugasti O, Ewbank..., Evolutionary plasticity in the innate immune function of Akirin. PLoS Genet 2018 Jul; 14(7): e1007494.

Dodd W, Tang L, Lone JC, Wimberly K, Wu CW, Consalvo C, Wright JE, Pujol N, Choe KP, A Damage Sensor Associated with the Cuticle Coordinates Three Core Environmental Stress Responses in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2018 Apr; 208(4): 1467-1482.

EL, Zhou T, Koh S, Chuang M, Sharma R, Pujol N, Chisholm AD, Eroglu C, Matsunami H, Yan D, An Antimicrobial Peptide and Its Neuronal Receptor Regulate Dendrite Degeneration in Aging and Infection. Neuron 2018 Jan; 97(1): 125-138.e5.

Kim KW, Thakur N, Piggott CA, Omi S, Polanowska J, Jin Y, Pujol N, Coordinated inhibition of C/EBP by Tribbles in multiple tissues is essential for Caenorhabditis elegans development. BMC Biol 2016 Dec; 14(1): 104.

Zugasti O, Thakur N, Belougne J, Squiban B, Kurz CL, Soulé J, Omi S, Tichit L, Pujol N, Ewbank JJ, A quantitative genome-wide RNAi screen in C. elegans for antifungal innate immunity genes. BMC Biol 2016 Apr; 14(): 35.

Ewbank JJ, Pujol N, Local and long-range activation of innate immunity by infection and damage in C. elegans. Curr Opin Immunol 2016 Feb; 38(): 1-7.

Pujol N, Virulence profile: Nathalie Pujol., Virulence 2016; 7(1): 63-4.

Taffoni C, Pujol N, Mechanisms of innate immunity in C. elegans epidermis. Tissue Barriers 2015; 3(4): e1078432.

Thakur N, Pujol N, Tichit L, Ewbank JJ, Clone mapper: an online suite of tools for RNAi experiments in Caenorhabditis elegans. G3 (Bethesda) 2014 Sep; 4(11): 2137-45.

Zugasti O, Bose N, Squiban B, Belougne J, Kurz CL, Schroeder FC, Pujol N, Ewbank JJ, Activation of a G protein-coupled receptor by its endogenous ligand triggers the innate immune response of Caenorhabditis elegans. Nat Immunol 2014 Sep; 15(9): 833-8.

Rouger V, Bordet G, Couillault C, Monneret S, Mailfert S, Ewbank JJ, Pujol N, Marguet D, Independent synchronized control and visualization of interactions between living cells and organisms. Biophys J 2014 May; 106(10): 2096-104.

Ward JD, Mullaney B, Schiller BJ, He LD, Petnic SE, Couillault C, Pujol N, Bernal TU, Van Gilst MR, ..., Defects in the C. elegans acyl-CoA synthase, acs-3, and nuclear hormone receptor, nhr-25, cause sensitivity to distinct, but overlapping stresses. PLoS One 2014;9(3):e92552.

Kagoshima H, Cassata G, Tong YG, Pujol N, Niklaus G, Bürglin TR, The LIM homeobox gene ceh-14 is required for phasmid function and neurite outgrowth. Dev Biol 2013 Aug; 380(2): 314-23.

Pujol N, Davis PA, Ewbank JJ, The Origin and Function of Anti-Fungal Peptides in C. elegans: Open Questions. Front Immunol 2012; 3(): 237.

Labed SA, Omi S, Gut M, Ewbank JJ, Pujol N, The pseudokinase NIPI-4 is a novel regulator of antimicrobial peptide gene expression. PLoS One 2012;7(3):e33887.

Dierking K, Polanowska J, Omi S, Engelmann I, Gut M, Lembo F, Ewbank JJ, Pujol N, Unusual regulation of a STAT protein by an SLC6 family transporter in C. elegans epidermal innate immunity. Cell Host Microbe 2011 May; 9(5): 425-35.

Ewbank JJ, Pujol N, Cellular homeostasis: coping with ER overload during an immune response. Curr Biol 2010 May; 20(10): R452-5.

Engelmann I, Pujol N, Innate immunity in C. elegans. Adv Exp Med Biol 2010; 708(): 105-21.

Lee KZ, Kniazeva M, Han M, Pujol N, Ewbank JJ, The fatty acid synthase fasn-1 acts upstream of WNK and Ste20/GCK-VI kinases to modulate antimicrobial peptide expression in C. elegans epidermis. Virulence 2010; 1(3): 113-22.

Ziegler K, Pujol N, [C. elegans defense mechanisms]. Med Sci (Paris) 2009 May; 25(5): 497-503.

Ziegler K, Kurz CL, Cypowyj S, Couillault C, Pophillat M, Pujol N, Ewbank JJ, Antifungal innate immunity in C. elegans: PKCdelta links G protein signaling and a conserved p38 MAPK cascade. Cell Host Microbe 2009 Apr; 5(4): 341-52.

Tong A, Lynn G, Ngo V, Wong D, Moseley SL, Ewbank JJ, Goncharov A, Wu YC, Pujol N, Chisholm AD, Negative regulation of Caenorhabditis elegans epidermal damage responses by death-associated protein kinase. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2009 Feb; 106(5): 1457-61.

Pujol N, Zugasti O, Wong D, Couillault C, Kurz CL, Schulenburg H, Ewbank JJ, Anti-fungal innate immunity in C. elegans is enhanced by evolutionary diversification of antimicrobial peptides. PLoS Pathog 2008 Jul; 4(7): e1000105.

Pujol N, Cypowyj S, Ziegler K, Millet A, Astrain A, Goncharov A, Jin Y, Chisholm AD, Ewbank JJ, Distinct innate immune responses to infection and wounding in the C. elegans epidermis. Curr Biol 2008 Apr; 18(7): 481-9.

Pradel E, Zhang Y, Pujol N, Matsuyama T, Bargmann CI, Ewbank JJ, Detection and avoidance of a natural product from the pathogenic bacterium Serratia marcescens by Caenorhabditis elegans., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2007 Feb; 104(7): 2295-300.

Wong D, Bazopoulou D, Pujol N, Tavernarakis N, Ewbank JJ, Genome-wide investigation reveals pathogen-specific and shared signatures in the response of Caenorhabditis elegans to infection. Genome Biol 2007; 8(9): R194.

Cardoso C, Couillault C, Mignon-Ravix C, Millet A, Ewbank JJ, Fontés M, Pujol N, XNP-1/ATR-X acts with RB, HP1 and the NuRD complex during larval development in C. elegans. Dev Biol 2005 Feb; 278(1): 49-59.

Couillault C, Pujol N, Reboul J, Sabatier L, Guichou JF, Kohara Y, Ewbank JJ, TLR-independent control of innate immunity in Caenorhabditis elegans by the TIR domain adapter protein TIR-1, an ortholog of human MRSA. Nat Immunol 2004 May; 5(5): 488-94.

Pujol N, Ewbank JJ, [A worm's life]., Med Sci (Paris) 2003 Dec; 19(12): 1209-17.

Mallo GV, Kurz CL, Couillault C, Pujol N, Granjeaud S, Kohara Y, Ewbank JJ, Inducible antibacterial defense system in C. elegans. Curr Biol 2002 Jul; 12(14): 1209-14.

Stringham E, Pujol N, Vandekerckhove J, Bogaert T, unc-53 controls longitudinal migration in C. elegans. Development 2002 Jul; 129(14): 3367-79.

Terranova R, Pujol N, Fasano L, Djabali M, Characterization of set-1, a conserved PR/SET domain gene in Caenorhabditis elegans. Gene 2002 Jun; 292(1-2): 33-41.

Funding