Julie Brassard

Image Julie Brassard
Research scientist

Dr. Julie Brassard has been a research scientist in food virology for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada since 2004. She has multi-disciplinary expertise in biochemistry, microbiology and virology, among others. Her area of expertise is the study of viruses that cause food-borne illnesses and, in particular, determining the source of human pathogenic viruses and viruses with zoonotic potential in horticultural and animal production and in the food chain; and developing and applying concentration methods, molecular tools and model/substitute viruses to detect and study virus persistence/survival and develop farm-to-table control strategies; virome studies and improve the gut health. 

Current research and/or projects

Enteric infections affecting both human and animal intestinal health are recognized as having negative impacts on the agri-food sector and animal production due to the economic losses they generate each year. Pathogenic and zoonotic enteric viruses represent a threat to the value chain as they are present in the food chain and in the Canadian livestock causing disease in animals and some of these viral agents can be transmitted to humans through Agri-food products and some agricultural practices. J. Brassard has expertise in veterinary microbiology and food virology, which gives her unique expertise in the field. She participates in integrated approaches in order to face the challenges and issues in animal health and food safety through her various collaborative projects.

Research and/or project statements

  • Determining the source of human pathogenic viruses and viruses with zoonotic potential in horticultural and animal production and in the food chain
  • Developing and applying concentration methods, molecular tools and model/substitute viruses to detect and study virus persistence/survival and develop farm-to-table control strategies
  • Virome studies and improve the gut health
  • Intestinal health gut improving by the use probiotics against enteric viruses 

Fields of Science

Learn more about my research and how it impacts you by visiting Fields of Science, a campaign featuring 11 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientists from coast to coast.

Professional activities / interests

  • Lead and collaborate on research projects
  • Supervision of graduate students
  • Ad hoc reviewer for several scientific journals
  • Member of the local biosafety and biosecurity committee of the Saint-Hyacinthe RDC  

Education and awards

Academic qualifications

B. Sc. Biochemistry,  Université Laval, 1997

Ph.D. Veterinary sciences, opt. Microbiology, Université de Montréal, 2003

Postdoctoral fellow, Food virology, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 2003

 

Awards

Excellence in response to Covid-19 awards, given by Janice Charrette, Interim Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet to all members of Food Safety COVID-19 Working Group

Key publications

  1. Béland, K., Doré-Nguyen, M., Gagné, M.-J., Patey, N., Brassard, J., Alvarez, A., and Halac, U. (2012). "Impact of Immunosuppression and Hepatitis E virus infection on viriome of children with orthotopic liver transplantation.", 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases: The Liver Meeting, Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA, USA, November 9-13, 2012. (Poster)

    2012 - View publication details

  2. Hannibal, L., Collins, D., Brassard, J., Chakravarti, R., Vempati, R., Dorlet, P., Santolini, J., Dawson, J.H., Stuehr, D.J. (2012). Heme binding properties of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Biochemistry, [online] 51(43), 8514-8529. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/bi300863a

    2012 - View publication details

  3. Brassard, J., Gagné, M.J., Généreux, M., Côté, C. (2012). Detection of human food-borne and zoonotic viruses on irrigated, field-grown strawberries. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, [online] 78(10), 3763-3766. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/AEM.00251-12

    2012 - View publication details

  4. Halac, U., Béland, K., Lapierre, P., Patey, N., Ward, P., Brassard, J., Houde, A., Alvarez, F. (2012). Chronic hepatitis E infection in children with liver transplantation. Gut, [online] 61(4), 597-603. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/gutjnl-2011-300708

    2012 - View publication details

  5. Halac, U., Béland, K., Lapierre, P., Patey, N., Ward, P., Brassard, J., Houde, A., Alvarez, F. (2012). Cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis e infection in a child post-bone marrow transplant. The Journal of Pediatrics, [online] 160(5), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2012.01.028

    2012 - View publication details

  6. Fellahi, S., Bezanson, G.S., Brassard, J., Delaquis, P.J., Houde, A., and Mattson, K. (2011). "Long-term stability of norovirus on farm and agriculturally-relevant environments.", 56th Annual Meeting of the International Association of Food Protection (IAFP 2011), Milwaukee, WI, USA, July 30-August 3, 2011, (Poster).

    2011 - View publication details

  7. Brassard, J., Côté, C., Gagné, M.-J., and Généreux, M. (2011). "Human Foodborne and Zoonotic Viruses Detected on Fresh Strawberries.", Annual Meeting of the International Association of Food Protection (IAFP 2011), Milwaukee, WI, USA, July 31-August 3, 2011. (Poster)

    2011 - View publication details

  8. Mattison, K., Grudeski, E., Auk, B., Brassard, J., Charest, H., Dust, K., Gubbay, J., Hatchette, T.F., Houde, A., Jean, J., Jones, T., Lee, B.E., Mamiya, H., McDonald, R., Mykytczuk, O., Pang, X., Petrich, A., Plante, D., Ritchie, G., Wong, J., Booth, T.F. (2011). Analytical performance of norovirus real-time RT-PCR detection protocols in Canadian laboratories. Journal of Clinical Virology, [online] 50(2), 109-113. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcv.2010.10.008

    2011 - View publication details

  9. Brassard, J., Guévremont, E., Gagné, M.J., Lamoureux, L. (2011). Simultaneous recovery of bacteria and viruses from contaminated water and spinach by a filtration method. International Journal of Food Microbiology, [online] 144(3), 565-568. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2010.11.015

    2011 - View publication details

  10. Houde, A., Leblanc, D., Poitras, E., Ward, P., Brassard, J., Trottier, Y.-L., and Simard, C. (2010). "Detection of Norovirus Genogroups I and II using the conventional and real-time Reverse-Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction.", in Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch - The Compendium of Analytical Methods. Vol. 5, Health Canada, Chapter OPFLP-10.

    2010 - View publication details

  11. Halac, U., Béland, K., Lapierre, P., Patey, N., Ward, P., Brassard, J., Houde, A., and Alvarez, F. (2010). "Hepatitis E virus isolates capsid protein gene, partial cds.", published in GenBank # HM772982- HM772986. (Technology transfer)

    2010 - View publication details

  12. Brassard, J., Côté, C., Gagné, M.-J., and Généreux, M. (2010). "Fresh Vegetables Contaminated Directly in the Field by Pathogenic Human and Zoonotic Foodborne Viruses.", 97th Annual Meeting of the International Association of Food Protection, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA, USA, August 1-4, 2010. (Poster)

    2010 - View publication details

  13. Brassard, J., Guévremont, É., Gagné, M.-J., and Lamoureux, L. (2010). "Combined Concentration And Extraction Method For Bacteria and Viruses From Contaminated Water And Leafy Vegetables.", 97th Annual Meeting of the International Association of Food Protection, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA, USA, August 1-4, 2010. (Poster)

    2010 - View publication details

  14. Houde, A., Poitras, E., Leblanc, D., Ward, P., Guévremont, É., Brassard, J., Trottier, Y.-L., and Simard, C. (2010). "Detection of Hepatitis A virus using the conventional and real-time Reverse-Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction.", in Food Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch - The Compendium of Analytical Methods. Vol. 5, Health Canada, Chapter OPFLP-07.

    2010 - View publication details

  15. Brassard, J., Côté, C., Gagné, M.-J., and Généreux, M. (2010). "Fresh strawberries contaminated directly in the filed by pathogenic human and zoonotic foodbornes viruses.", 14th Annual Federal Food Safety and Nutrition Research Meeting (FFSNRM), Ottawa, ON, Canada, November 3-4, 2010. (Poster)

    2010 - View publication details

  16. L'Homme, Y., Brassard, J., Ouardani, M., Gagné, M.J. (2010). Characterization of novel porcine sapoviruses. Archives of Virology, [online] 155(6), 839-846. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00705-010-0651-y

    2010 - View publication details

  17. Brassard, J., Gagné, M.J., Houde, A., Poitras, E., Ward, P. (2010). Development of a real-time TaqMan PCR assay for the detection of porcine and bovine Torque teno virus. Journal of Applied Microbiology, [online] 108(6), 2191-2198. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2672.2009.04624.x

    2010 - View publication details

  18. Jones, T.H., Brassard, J., Johns, M.W., and Gagné, M.-J. (2009). "The effect of pre-treatment and sonication of centrifugal ultrafiltration devices on virus recovery.", 13th Annual Federal Food Safety and Nutrition Research Meeting (FFSNRM), Ottawa, ON, Canada, November 4-5, 2009. (Presentation)

    2009 - View publication details

  19. Guévremont, É., Lamoureux, L., Gagné, M.-J., and Brassard, J. (2009). "Optimization of a Campylobacter jejuni recovery technique from fresh spinach.", 13th Annual Federal Food Safety and Nutrition Research Meeting (FFSNRM), Ottawa, ON, Canada, November 4-5, 2009. (Poster)

    2009 - View publication details

  20. Brassard, J., Gagné, M.-J., Lamoureux, L., and Guévremont, É. (2009). "Combined recovery and concentration method for bacteria and viruses from contaminated water and leafy vegetables.", 13th Annual Federal Food Safety and Nutrition Research Meeting (FFSNRM), Ottawa, ON, Canada, November 4-5, 2009. (Poster)

    2009 - View publication details

Research facility

3600 Casavant Boulevard West
Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 8E3
Canada

Affiliations

Associate professor to the Pathology and microbiology department of the Veterinary medicine faculty of the University of Montréal

Member of the Editorial and revision Board of the Journal of Food Protection

Associate member to the Centre de recherche en infectiologie porcine et avicole (CRIPA).

Member of Groupe d'experts sur les zoonoses entériques de l'Institut de santé publique du Québec

Member of the Food Safety COVID-19 interdepartmental Working Group

Language

English
French