Yves Le Loir

**Yves Le Loir** is a research scientist working at the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA). He dedicates his scientific carrier to the microbiology of the milk production chain (with food and veterinary aspects). He originally studied Biochemistry at the University of Rennes (France). In 1992, he passed the diploma of Engineer in Agronomy of the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Agronomie (ENSA), in Rennes. He moved to INRA Jouy en Josas, France, (Unit of Microbial Genetics, headed by S.D. Ehrlich) to work on conjugative DNA transfer in *Lactococcus lactis*, the model lactic acid bacterium (LAB). He stayed in the same team to prepare a PhD thesis (University of Paris XI) in Microbiology on heterologous proteins secretion in *L. lactis*. He defended in 1996 and was recruited in INRA to go on working on protein secretion and lately on respiration in *L. lactis*. In February 2001, Y. Le Loir moved to INRA Rennes to start a new laboratory (Unit of Microbiology, INRA ENSA, Rennes, France). His new projects focused on host adaptation (ruminants) in *Staphylococcus aureus* and interactions between *Staphylococcus aureus* and Lactic Acid Bacteria. In 2008-2016, he headed a research team (12 permanent positions) called Bacterial Biodiversity and In Situ Interactions. From 2011 to 2016, he was alos deputy director of the Research Unit STLO. Since January 2017, he is heading the STLO Unit in Rennes. **STLO (Science and Technology of Milk & Eggs)** is a joint research unit comprising INRA and Agrocampus Ouest staff members (83 permanent positions, 130-140 staff). Since 2000, Y. Le Loir tightly collaborates with Pr Vasco Azevedo (UFMG, Belo Horizonte) and he has been Pesquisador Visitante Especial at UFMG in 2014-2016 (PVE400721/2013-9; CNPq). He also coordinates an International Associated Laboratory involving STLO and Micalis Research Units at INRA and 3 research teams at UFMG, in Brazil.