PRESENTATION – EN

Genotoul in a nutshell …

Genotoul is Toulouse’s network of life sciences research platforms (fundamental biology, agronomy, environment, health) involved in research, technological development and innovation.

Its mission is to pool equipment and human resources, facilitate the development of new technologies, and provide leadership and training. These resources come from public research and higher education establishments.

The platforms offer high-level skills and technological resources. These resources enable studies to be carried out at the scale of the atom, the molecule, the cell, the tissue or organ, the whole organism or the whole population.

The platforms are committed to opening up to teams on the site and to external experimenters (public sector, companies, etc.), to a quality policy and to ensuring effective technological monitoring.

At the cutting edge of technology, Genotoul contributes to the initial training of students and the ongoing training of staff from private and public organisations.

Support for platforms

Genotoul provides support and guidance to platforms in their quest for technological excellence.
The main areas of intervention to support the network’s 12 platforms are as follows:

• Participation in the funding of scientific events involving our platforms;
• Funding technological projects involving several platforms, with the aim of encouraging interaction;
• Support for platforms in putting together funding applications (calls for tenders from the Occitanie region);
• Training for platform staff;
• Implementation of communication tools (information leaflet, annual brochure on the highlights of the platforms, etc.);
• Representing the network at technology-related events (conferences, meetings, ESOF 2018, etc.) and with local and national institutions.

Pierre-Emmanuel Gleizes, UT3 Paul Sabatier

In 2021, Pierre-Emmanuel Gleizes, Professor at the University of Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier, will be appointed Director of Genotoul.

From 2012 to 2020, he directed the Laboratory of Eukaryotic Molecular Biology and was one of the driving forces behind the Centre for Integrative Biology project, of which he was deputy director from 2016 to 2020.

He is currently coordinating a European research programme on ribosomopathies. His research activities have led him to set up an electron microscopy platform, integrated into the Genotoul TRI platform, which specialises in cryomicroscopy.

The Genotoul GIS is currently managed by INRAE Occitanie Toulouse and administered by Christelle Gérardin.

Luc Pénicaud, INSERM

On 1 January 2017, Luc Pénicaud, Director of Research at the CNRS, former Director of the Laboratoire Métabolisme, Plasticité, Mitonchondrie (Toulouse) and then of the Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l’Alimentation (Dijon), took over as Director of the GIS Génotoul.
He set about expanding the circle of technology platforms affiliated to Génotoul (12 to date), developing the network’s activities and raising its profile.

During this period, the GIS Génotoul was managed by the Inserm Occitanie Pyrénées Delegation and administered by Sébastien Kandel.

Nic Lindley, INSA

In June 2011, Claude Chevalet handed over to Nic Lindley, CNRS Research Director and Director of the Biological Systems and Process Engineering Laboratory (LISBP).

At Genopole Toulouse, Nic Lindley was head of the ‘Microbiology’ programme and a member of the Scientific Council of the GIS Génotoul.

Claude Chevalet, INRAE
Founder of Gis Genotoul

From its creation in 1999 until 2011, the Génopôle Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées (GIS Génotoul) was directed by Claude Chevalet, Director of Research at INRA. He set up the regional network of life sciences research platforms during this decade.

In France, this network is a good example of a consolidated operational structure for the life sciences as a whole.

Under the leadership of Claude Chevalet and Nic Lindley, the GIS was managed by INRA’s Occitanie Toulouse Centre and administered by Monique Falières.

Genotoul is a scientific interest group (GIS) with 15 members. The GIS operates through various bodies.

Visit Claire Gatecel & Philippe Haertel, Occitanie Region

 GET plateforme, INRAE Occitanie Toulouse, 11 may 2022

The Management Committee is made up of the Director and the members of the Management Committee. It is responsible for applying the policy of the GIS Genotoul. In addition to the Director, the members of the Management Committee are : Valérie Lobjois (Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier University), Xavier Collet (INSERM), Denis Milan (INRAE) and Michel Rivière (CNRS).

The Genoburo brings together the heads of the GIS Génotoul platforms on a monthly basis. It is a forum for discussion and consultation on the GIS Génotoul’s orientations and acts as a relay between the Director and the platforms for the implementation of decisions taken.

The Strategic Orientation Committee (COS) brings together every year the directors of the life sciences research units based in the Toulouse metropolitan area. Its role is to make proposals on the long-term direction and development of Génotoul and to coordinate the management of structuring calls for tenders.

The Group Council defines the strategy, ensures the coherence of the actions implemented and approves Génotoul’s programme of activities. It brings together representatives of the 15 members of the GIS. It meets at least once a year and is chaired by the President of the University of Toulouse.

The Petit illustré special “Biology” published by the CNRS in Toulouse in collaboration with the Dépêche du midi, has included a presentation of Genotoul in the heart of its booklet, which you can find on the CNRS website.

The Genotoul booklet gives details of highlights and new developments at the platforms: projects, collaborations and partnerships, high-tech equipment, etc.
It is updated annually and available online.