About

François-Joseph Lapointe

François-Joseph Lapointe is an artscientist from Montréal with a PhD in evolutionary biology and a PhD in dance and performance studies. As a scientist, he has published over 120 papers ranging from molecular systematics and population genetics to metagenomics. As an artist, he applies biotechnology as a means of dance composition, and has created the field of choreogenetics. For his most recent project, he is currently sequencing his microbiome (and that of other human beings) to produce microbiome selfies. His work has been exhibited in Canada, France, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Australia and the USA.

Medias

Mapping the microbiome between us

We inhabit the microbial world. Microbes live on us, around us, and inside of us. Every single orifice of our bodies is populated by millions of microbes. We eat microbes, digest microbes, and defecate microbes. Whereas our genome defines what we are as a species, our microbiome now redefines what is means to be a human being. This talk will present an overview of scientific projects and experimental performances with the microbiome as a way of questioning the concept of self.