About
Mathieu Picardeau is Head of the Biology of Spirochetes Unit at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, France. The unit serves as the French National Reference Center (NRC) for Leptospirosis and a WHO Collaborating Center for Research and Reference on Leptospirosis. He leads research on the genomics, epidemiology, and diagnostics of Leptospira, a significant zoonotic pathogen affecting tropical and underserved populations globally.
His research focuses on:
- Whole-genome sequencing and cgMLST genotyping of Leptospira strains
- Development of improved diagnostic tools, including ELISA and point-of-care tests
- Characterization of Leptospira biodiversity and discovery of novel species
- Epidemiological surveillance in France and overseas territories
- Application of targeted genome capture to overcome cultivation challenges
His recent publications reveal strong trends in molecular epidemiology, diagnostic validation, and global pathogen surveillance. He contributes to international taxonomic efforts and One Health approaches, with studies spanning human, animal, and environmental health across multiple continents. His work is central to improving healthcare outcomes for neglected tropical diseases.
Scientific contributions and recognitions include:
- Leadership of the French NRC and WHO Collaborating Center for Leptospirosis
- Development of the publicly accessible cgMLST database at https://bigsdb.pasteur.fr/leptospira/
- Principal investigator on multiple national and international research projects
- Active participation in the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes
As a principal investigator, Dr. Picardeau mentors junior scientists and collaborates extensively with teams in endemic regions such as Laos, Costa Rica, Algeria, and French Guiana. His research is supported by institutional funding and international collaborations. The Biology of Spirochetes Unit maintains a large, curated collection of Leptospira strains and plays a key role in public health response and outbreak investigation. Future work is expected to focus on real-time genomic surveillance, vaccine development, and expanding diagnostic accessibility in low-resource settings.
