Portrait of Paul François

Paul François

Associate Academic Member
paul.francois@mila.quebec
Full Professor, Université de Montréal
Adjunct Professor, McGill University, Department of Physics
Research Topics
Computational Biology
Dynamical Systems
Information Theory
Machine Learning Theory
Google Scholar

Biography

Paul François is a full professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, and an adjunct professor in the Department of Physics at McGill University.

François is a biophysicist whose research focuses on the application of computational methods (including machine learning) to evolution, embryonic development and immunology. He is an associate academic member of Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute.

Past positions:

- Associate professor of physics, McGill University (2016–2023)

- Assistant professor of physics, McGill University (2010–2016)

Education and training:

- Postdoc, Siggia Lab, The Rockefeller University, U.S. (2005–2010)

- PhD in theoretical physics, Hakim Lab, École Normale Supérieure / Université Paris VII, France (2002–2005)

- MSc in theoretical physics, École Normale Supérieure / École Polytechnique, France (2001–2002)

- BEng, major in physics, École Polytechnique (1998–2001), Promotion X 98

Some awards:

- 2019 Rutherford Memorial Medal in Physics, Royal Society of Canada

- 2017 CAP Herzberg Medal, Canadian Association of Physicists

- 2015 McGill Principal’s Prize for Outstanding Emerging Researcher

- 2014 Simons Investigator in Mathematical Modeling of Living Systems

- 2007 Lavoisier Postdoctoral Fellowship (from France’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

- 2007 Prix Le Monde de la recherche universitaire (awarded by the French newspaper Le Monde)

Current Students

Qichen Huang
Master's Research - Université de Montréal
qichen.huang@mila.quebec
Website
Github
Philippe Martin
PhD - Université de Montréal
Principal supervisor :
Guy Wolf
philippe.martin@mila.quebec
Victoria Mochulska
PhD - McGill University
viktoriia.mochulska@mila.quebec
Maria Yampolskaya
Postdoctorate - Université de Montréal
maria.yampolskaya@mila.quebec
Website
Github
Google Scholar

Publications

Endocytic proteins with prion-like domains form viscoelastic condensates that enable membrane remodeling
Louis-Philippe Bergeron-Sandoval
Sandeep Kumar
Hossein Khadivi Heris
Catherine L. A. Chang
Caitlin E. Cornell
Sarah L. Keller
Paul François
Adam G. Hendricks
Allen J. Ehrlicher
Rohit V. Pappu
Stephen W. Michnick
The uptake of molecules into cells, known as endocytosis, requires membrane invagination and the formation of vesicles. A version of endocyt… (see more)osis that is independent of actin polymerization is aided by the assembly of membraneless biomolecular condensates at the site of membrane invagination. Here, we show that endocytic condensates are viscoelastic bodies that concentrate key proteins with prion-like domains to enable membrane remodeling. A distinct molecular grammar, namely the preference for glutamine versus asparagine residues, underlies the cohesive interactions that give rise to endocytic condensates. We incorporate material properties inferred using active rheology into a mechanical model to explain how cohesive interactions within condensates and interfacial tensions among condensates, membranes, and the cytosol can drive membrane invagination to initiate endocyosis.
2021-12-08
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (published)
doi.org