This text is part of the special Acfas awards
Researcher at the National Center for Electrochemistry and Environmental Technologies (CNETE) – affiliated with the Cégep de Shawinigan -, Jean-François Lemay this year won the Acfas Denise-Barbeau Prize, which rewards the excellence and influence of the work of a researcher from the college network. This distinction is received with satisfaction by those who have always been passionate about molecular biology.
“I’ve been interested in science since I was in elementary school. At the time I was doing [déjà] experiments and I mixed up a bit of anything and everything. During high school, I became more interested in biotechnology. So I enrolled in Cégep de Shawinigan, in chemistry-biology technique. It was then that I really developed a passion for molecular biology, ”says the researcher.
At the end of this technique, Jean-François Lemay naturally turned to a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology at the University of Sherbrooke, then to a master’s and doctorate in molecular and cellular biology.
“Trying to produce different molecules from microorganisms through genetic modification was a topic that really interested me. […] For example, it can be a question of taking a protein of interest which is in a pathogenic bacterium or outright a bacterium which is very difficult to grow in the laboratory. So we are able to take a portion of its DNA and feed it into a bacterium that is easy to grow in the laboratory. This facilitates, for example, the study or production of molecules of interest, which can be applied in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food, green chemistry, etc. », Explains Mr. Lemay.
This proliferation of possible fields of application is reflected in the diversity of his research. “It’s really very varied. Currently, my goal is to try to produce proteins for industrial applications or to try to understand and find drugs for certain types of diseases. I am also involved in several projects to monitor the various microorganisms that are involved in water treatment, ”says Jean-François Lemay.
One thing is certain, this winner takes great pleasure in his work. “I find it super stimulating to collaborate with both university researchers and companies. Develop projects and, in the end, see that we have succeeded in creating or improving a bioprocess that will help society […] that’s what I like about applied research, ”says the researcher.