Science, Agriculture - Food

Microorganism-Host-Environment Interactions (MHEI)

  • ECTS

    120 credits

  • Duration

    2 years

  • Training structure

    Faculty of Science

  • Language(s) of instruction

    French

Presentation

The IMHE ʻInteractions Microorganisms-Hosts-Environmentsʼ training program is original and unique in the regional offer by offering students training, both theoretical and through research, in environmental and applied microbiology. Environmental microbiology here integrates the study of microorganisms (prokaryotes, eukaryotes and viruses) in ecosystems associated or not, with humans and animals.

The IMHE master's degree aims at an in-depth knowledge of microbial systems with an integrative approach, addressing the study of microorganisms as cells, populations and communities in their environment, as well as the interactions with their hosts (humans, animals, plants) and vectors. The training addresses interactions at the molecular, cellular and microbial community levels, as well as the effect of biotic and abiotic factors on these interactions. It also explores the role of microorganisms in the functioning of natural and anthropized ecosystems. The practical and finalized aspects of microbiology are also covered, in particular the applications of microbial biomass and diversity in the fields of agriculture, the environment, health and biotechnology.

Combinations of Teaching Units (TU) allow us to offer two profilesOne is oriented towards "Fundamental Research" (profile 1), while the other is more oriented towards "Research & Development" (profile 2). This training thus offers students the possibility of meeting diversified professional objectives, with a high rate of placement of students in doctoral studies (40 to 50%) or professional opportunities in companies directly after the training. The program is open to apprenticeship.

This training is based on the strong regional research community in the field of microorganisms and relies on a strong involvement of researchers, teacher-researchers, and industrialists of this community present in Montpellier and more widely in the Occitanie region.

Key words: Microorganisms, Environmental microbiology, Microbial ecology, Microbiota, Emergence, Resistance, Adaptation, Symbiosis, Parasitism, (Meta)genomics, Microbial valorizations, Bacteria, Archaea, Viruses, Fungi, Eukaryotic microorganisms.

Website : https://bioagro.edu.umontpellier.fr/interactions-microorg-hotes/

 

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  • 95%

    Success rate

Objectives

The IMHE training aims at deepening the knowledge on the diversity of microorganisms (prokaryotes, eukaryotes and viruses) and their interactions with their host(s) and their biotic and abiotic environment(s).

The specific objectives are:

  • knowledge of microbial diversity and techniques for studying this diversity.
  • the understanding of the functioning of microorganisms and their implication in the evolutionary history of life.
  • understanding the role of microorganisms in the functioning of ecosystems (natural and anthropized), particularly in the context of the integrated "One Health" approach.
  • understanding the environmental actors that explain the dynamics and emergence of microorganisms as human, animal and plant pathogens.
  • knowledge of the possible applications of microbial biomass, including non-cultivable ones, including new approaches to bioenergy, bioremediation and biological control.

The transversal objectives of the Biology-Agrosciences mention are:

  • Introduction to research and its process.
  • mastery of bibliographic research and analysis with a critical scientific mind, writing reports and syntheses, written and oral communication.
  • respect for legal, ethical and scientific rules related to experimentation, publication and use of documents, sharing of biological resources and partnerships.
  • mastery of statistical tools for data analysis.
  • proficiency in written and spoken scientific English.
  • the acquisition of professional experience through two long internships (4 months in M1 and 6 months in M2).
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Organization

Open in alternation

This course is open on a sandwich basis.

Internships, tutored projects

Internship

Mandatory

Duration of the course

4 months in M1 and 6 months in M2

Internship abroad

Possible

Duration of the internship abroad

4 months in M1 and 6 months in M2

Students complete two long internships (4 months in M1 and 6 months in M2) in a public or private research laboratory or in a company, with the writing of a dissertation and an oral defense before a jury of specialists.

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Program

The IMHE program is divided into 4 semesters, each of which includes teaching units (UE) validated by ECTS credits (30 ECTS per semester). It proposes a common core and optional UEs which allow to propose two profiles, one turned towards "Fundamental Research" (profile 1), while the other is more focused on "Research & Development" (profile 2).

The students of the profile 2 (on selection of file) have the possibility of acquiring a double degree by following 4 additional UE of 5 ECTS carried by the IAE of Montpellier (2 UE per year, for a total of 20 ECTS). The program is open to apprenticeship.

Project-based teaching and pedagogical innovation are emphasized. Thanks to the sharing of skills with the Bioinformatics master's degree of the Faculty of Sciences, and the setting up of a BioInfoLearning Lab (BILL), an innovative interdisciplinary learning laboratory, students are encouraged to be actors in their training, by managing a mini research project from A to Z (from sampling in the field, to extraction, sequencing and analysis of microbial sequences, in M1) and to valorize their results (publication, presentation in congresses, in M2) 

The first year M1 of the course constitutes the base of the training with acquisition of the fundamentals in microbial ecology. The second year of the Master IMHE deepens the fundamental and applied knowledge initiated in the first year, and the associated skills. Students interact with numerous researchers who come to present their research work, around themes that deal with the molecular mechanisms of interactions between microorganisms and hosts (with a great diversity of models), the role of microorganisms in ecosystems or their valorization.

Students work on bibliographic resources (research, comprehension, criticism and bibliographic synthesis) and pedagogical methods of communication. They complete two long internships (4 months in M1 and 6 months in M2) in a public or private research laboratory or in a company, with the writing of a dissertation and an oral defense before a jury of specialists.

Several courses are dedicated to professional integration, in which students work on their professional and personal projects.

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Select a program

M1 - Microorganism-Host-Environment Interactions (MHEI)

The first year of the M1 program constitutes the foundation of the training with the acquisition of the fundamentals in microbial ecology. It proposes a common core and optional courses that allow to propose two profiles, one oriented towards "Fundamental Research" (profile 1), while the other is more oriented towards "Research & Development" (profile 2).

Project-based teaching and pedagogical innovation are emphasized. Thanks to the sharing of skills with the Bioinformatics master's degree of the Faculty of Sciences, and the setting up of a BioInfoLearning Lab (BILL), an innovative interdisciplinary learning laboratory, students are encouraged to be actors in their training, by managing a mini research project from A to Z (from sampling in the field, to extraction, sequencing and analysis of microbial sequences, in M1) and to valorize their results (publication, presentation in congresses, in M2) 

The training aims to acquire the scientific research process. Students work on bibliographic resources (research, comprehension, criticism and bibliographic synthesis) and pedagogical methods of communication. They complete a 4-month internship in M1 in a public or private research laboratory or in a company, with the writing of a thesis and an oral presentation before a jury of specialists.

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  • Biostatistics with R

    5 credits
  • English

    5 credits
  • Immunity and genetics of microorganism interactions

  • Microbial ecology

    6 credits
  • CHOICE 3

    3 credits
    • Choice of 1 of 3

      • Phytochemistry and valorization of biomolecules

        3 credits
      •  Phylogeny and Evolution

      • Elements of plant pathology

        3 credits
  • Emergences Resistances Adaptations

    3 credits
  • CHOICE 1

    6 credits
    • Choice of 1 of 3

      • Biology of Symbiotic and Parasitic Interactions

        6 credits
      • CHOICE 2

        6 credits
        • Food microbiology and toxicology 2

          3 credits
        • Food microbiology and toxicology 1

          3 credits
      • Molecular basis of infectious diseases

  • Bioinformatics Learning Lab

    2 credits
  • Internship preparation and professional integration

    2 credits
  • Molecular microbial ecology 1

    3 credits
  • Molecular Microbial Ecology 2

    2 credits
  • M1 internship 4 months

    18 credits
  • CHOICE 4

    3 credits
    • Choice of 1 of 5

      • Integrative parasitology (UE Univ. Perpignan)

        3 credits
      • MicrobiEAU

        3 credits
      • Bioenergy

        3 credits
      • Pollution in agro-environmental systems

        3 credits
      • Project management

        3 credits

M2 - Microorganism-Host-Environment Interactions (MHEI)

The second year of the IMHE Master program deepens the fundamental and applied knowledge initiated in the first year, and the associated skills. Students interact with numerous researchers who come to present their research work, around themes that deal with the molecular mechanisms of interactions between microorganisms and hosts (with a great diversity of models), the role of microorganisms in ecosystems or their valorization.

The training aims to acquire the scientific research process. Students work on bibliographic resources (research, comprehension, criticism and bibliographic synthesis) and pedagogical methods of communication. They complete a 6-month internship in M2 in a public or private research laboratory, or in a company, with the writing of a dissertation and an oral defense before a jury of specialists.

Several courses are dedicated to professional integration, in which students work on their professional and personal projects.

See the complete page of this course

  • Role of microorganisms in functioning ecosystems 2

    3 credits
  • English

    3 credits
  • CHOICE 1

    6 credits
    • Your choice: 1 of 2

      • CHOICE 5

        6 credits
        • Choice of 2 out of 6

          • Bioproduction and valorization of microbial biodiversity

            3 credits
          • Thematic school

            3 credits
          • Interactions and signalling

            3 credits
          • Project management

            3 credits
          • Virology

            3 credits
          • In-depth phylogeny: methods and application in evolution

      • Molecular and Cellular Bacteriology

  • Critical analysis and synthesis of scientific articles

    6 credits
  • Role of microorganisms in functioning ecosystems 1

    3 credits
  • Interactions of microorganisms with their hosts

    6 credits
  • Research project

    3 credits
  • CHOICE 2

    30 credits
    • Your choice: 1 of 2

      • CHOICE 3

        30 credits
        • Choice of 2 out of 2

          • Networks and professional projects

            3 credits
          • M2 internship in a laboratory

            27 credits
      • CHOICE 4

        30 credits
        • Choice of 2 out of 2

          • M2 internship in a company 5 months

            25 credits
          • Creation and setting up of R&D projects

            5 credits

Admission

Conditions of access

The IMHE program is open to students with a Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences with a specialization in Microbiology, acquired in France or abroad. It is also part of a logic of specialization in microbiology for students in medicine, pharmacy, dentistry and for student-engineers from schools in life biology and agronomy (such as Montpellier SupAgro/L'Institut Agro Montpellier) or veterinary schools.

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How to register

Applications are made on the following platforms: 

French & European students:

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Target audience

The Master IMHE is part of the training offer that follows the Bachelor of Life Sciences, Microbiology course of the University of Montpellier (Faculty of Sciences, Biology-Living Mechanisms Department). It is open to students with a Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences with a specialization in Microbiology, acquired in France or abroad. It is also a logical extension of the specialization in microbiology for students in medicine, pharmacy, dentistry and for student-engineers from schools of life sciences and agronomy (such as Montpellier SupAgro/L'Institut Agro Montpellier) or veterinary schools.

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Necessary pre-requisites

Microbiology, Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology at the Bachelor's level.

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Recommended prerequisites

A minimum level of computer skills and English is recommended.

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And then

Further studies

At the end of M2, students can take the entrance exams to doctoral schools, in particular GAIA, which is the domain of the Master, or they can enter the R&D sector in companies; these choices of orientation are made possible by the continuity of the two profiles from M1 to M2.

We encourage students who wish to go into entrepreneurship to enroll in the IMHE FdS/IAE Management and Business Administration double-degree program, which will be open from the beginning of the academic year 2021 (on file).

Students can complete their studies by integrating an M2 in Bioinformatics or a MEEF master's degree to prepare for the teaching exams.

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Continuing your studies abroad

Thanks to the network of international collaborations maintained by the Montpellier laboratories and the numerous links between the teaching teams of the Master's program and foreign laboratories, the M1 and M2 internships can be carried out abroad (mainly in Europe and North America, but also in Asia, Africa and Latin America). This gives students the opportunity to do a PhD in the laboratory where they did their internship or to join international PhD programs. This possibility is not restricted to students doing their Master internship abroad, it is also widely open to those doing their internship in Montpellier or in other research centers in France.

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Professional integration

The IMHE program offers students the possibility of meeting diversified professional objectives, with a high rate of placement of students in doctoral studies (40 to 50% depending on the year) or professional opportunities in companies directly after the program.

The professions resulting from this training are :

  • Teacher-researcher and researcher
  • Study and research engineer
  • R&D managers in the fields of plant protection, agri-food, health, microbial biotechnologies
  • Experts and project managers
  • Teacher and trainer

The fields of employment in microbiology are vast, they cover health, agriculture, food, cosmetics, hygiene and safety, environment, biotechnology...

Specific courses provide students with the basic knowledge and tools necessary for their professional integration.

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