Axis 1 – Functioning and Response Mechanisms of Biological Models to Environmental Stressors

Presentation

The research activities of Axis 1 are centered on our biological models, which form the foundation of our approaches for assessing aquatic environmental quality. This axis aims to improve our understanding of their biological functioning, physiological mechanisms, and responses to various environmental stressors.

1. Functioning of Our Biological Models

The objective is to acquire knowledge on the physiology and ecophysiology of our biological models through the characterization of relevant indicators of their overall health status, in order to distinguish baseline conditions, adaptive responses to stressors, and pathological states. Mechanisms of resilience, plasticity, and recovery capacity are also investigated to better characterize the ability of our biological models to cope with environmental changes.

2. Vulnerability and Adaptability of Biological Models Exposed to Stressors

The vulnerability of biological models and their capacity to adapt to exposure are studied through three complementary research themes:

2.1. Understanding Bioaccumulation Mechanisms and Characterizing Toxicokinetics

This theme focuses on exposure pathways, factors influencing uptake, and the processes governing contaminant storage, distribution, and excretion within organisms.

2.2. Defining and Characterizing Ecotoxic Effects Induced by Chemical and Biological Stressors

This theme addresses the identification and characterization of toxic modes of action and disrupted biological pathways across different levels of biological organization (molecular, cellular, and individual). The assessment of the combined effects of multiple stressors is also considered.

2.3. Characterizing Toxicodynamics

This theme aims to describe the relationships between exposure dose and the magnitude of observed biological responses, and to understand how effects propagate across different levels of biological organization. It also seeks to characterize the influence of environmental stressors, which may modulate biological responses and alter the trajectories of toxic effects.

The axis is coordinated by Aurélie Bigot-Clivot