Our laboratory was recognized as a joint research unit of INSERM and Aix-Marseille University in 2008, under the leadership of Catherine Nguyen. It is located in the Luminy campus and has continuously grown from 30 people in 2008 to 68 today. Using genetics, genomics, and bioinformatics, we seek to decipher the complex biological mechanisms involved in the physiological functioning of organisms, as well as those leading to pathologies in humans such as malignant hemopathies, sepsis, malaria, or heart disease. To develop such a project, our laboratory brings together researchers and engineers with a wide range of skills (cellular and molecular biology, genetics, genomics, bioinformatics), convinced that we are that the combination of experimental and bioinformatics approaches will allow the emergence of new knowledge and concepts. The research activity benefits from our genomics (TGML) and CRISPR facilities.
Our research project is organized around two axes, one entitled "bioinformatics and genomics of molecular networks", the second "genetics and genomics of multifactorial diseases". The first axis is dedicated to deciphering the functional organization of the genome, characterizing the functional role of non-coding RNAs, analyzing networks of molecular interactions through genomics and bioinformatics, and developing new strategies to integrate heterogeneous biological information into predictive theoretical models. The second axis aims at characterizing genetic, transcriptomic, epigenomic or proteomic profiles associated with malignant hemopathies, sepsis, malaria or cardiomyopathies, to identify regulatory elements and networks disturbed by these pathologies, as well as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for these pathologies.
Our laboratory is voluntary turned towards interdisciplinary interaction and education. We conduct not only basic research projects, but also collaborative projects with hospitals and biotech companies. This policy is fully in line with INSERM's strategic plan. In addition, we are strongly involved in the university training from bachelor to doctorate.
Our laboratory develops numerous interactions with the laboratories of the University of Aix-Marseille. We participate in research in the disciplines considered as priorities by the university's scientific commitiee (genetics, immunology, cancer) and those carried out by the university hospital departments of immunology, reproduction and neurosciences. Also, our laboratory is a member of the genetics Marmara, the onco-immunology ICI and the interdisciplinary CenTuri Institutes (http://centuri-livingsystems.org/) that aimed at deciphering the complexity of life with interdisciplinary approaches.
