The toxicological platform is made up of a technical section – with which experts in experimental toxicology and modellers are associated – that allows in vitro experimentation on cell models and in vivo experimentation on rodents (rats and mice). It has equipment that is unique in France for exposing these test systems to chemical substances (exposure of cell models at the air-liquid interface, “full-body” exposure of rodents by the nasal route) and physical agents (electromagnetic fields), in order to assess their toxicity (general toxicity, pulmonary toxicity, neurotoxicity, and reprotoxicity). It also has modelling capabilities (modelling of dose-response kinetics, quantitative structure-activity relationship [QSAR] models).
The platform provides a framework for the development of alternative methods in animal experimentation with public and private, national and European actors, thereby responding to multiple health, ethical and societal challenges.
Beyond its use in areas that are of interest to Ineris, the opening of the platform to the scientific community for in vitro, in vivo and in silico studies constitutes high stakes for the institute.
This certification provides the following for the Ineris toxicological platform:
greater national visibility for its technical means and associated expertise, made available to scientists to address current health issues;
community recognition for the quality of its equipment and services;
support in structuring and displaying the resources made available.
This recognition is an important step in the platform-opening and transparency process desired by Ineris. It also underscores the importance of its role in life sciences research.
As a scientific interest group, GIS IBiSA upholds a selective national certification and support policy for biology, health and agronomy platforms and biological resource centres (CRBs). It promotes the organisation and sharing of resources and means of measurement needed in life sciences research.
The IBiSA Platforms call for tenders is annual and is dedicated to the certification of new biology, health, and agronomy platforms and to the funding of already certified platforms.
