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Activities


Published on 20 June 2018

The François Jacob Institute of Biology is located at the Fontenay-aux-Roses site, known as the birthplace of French nuclear power, and at the Évry site.


With nearly 700 scientists, the François Jacob Institute of Biology benefits from an international presence in the fields of imaging, new therapies, radiobiology, toxicology, infectiology and genomics. 

From left to right: 7-Tesla MRI of the brain in preclinical research, MIRCen (CEA-Inserm); Adjustment of a cell sorter, CEA-IRCM; Immunological study in a high-security microbiological laboratory, STI. Credits: P.Stroppa/CEA.

 

Developing new approaches for emerging and re-emerging diseases

The teams of the IDMIT department are dedicated to studying emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases and their pathophysiology, as well as the interactions between organisms and pathogenic agents such as HIV, chikungunya virus, influenza, and tuberculosis. The teams develop new therapeutic, vaccinal and prophylactic approaches.

Studying the effects of radiation and toxic substances on living organisms

Researchers in the IRCM department work on the cellular responses to ionizing radiation and certain toxic substances (nanoparticles, endocrine disruptors, etc.). They are particularly interested in the response of stem cells, as well as the mechanisms of transmitting radiation-induced damage and its long-term consequences.

Designing innovative therapies

Multidisciplinary teams design new approaches to gene, cellular and molecular therapies in order to treat inherited blood disorders (such as beta thalassemia and sickle-cell disease) and neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases). The teams participate in preclinical and clinical trials, as part of a translational research approach to accelerate the transfer of innovations from the laboratory to the patient.

Exploring biodiversity and interpreting genomes

Using their sequencing capabilities and expertise in genome analysis, the teams of the Institute based at Évry can explore biodiversity and interpret the human genome in order to understand human pathologies. They also analyze genomes so as to propose energy-saving synthesis processes (biocatalysis, synthetic biology, etc.) to industry.