Our research activities concern the study of the physiological responses of marine molluscs to environmental constraints, particularly chronic exposure to anthropogenic contaminants. One example relates to the immune system, which represents one of the major actors in maintaining organism integrity. Numerous studies have shown that certain anthropogenic contaminants can have a disruptive effect on immune efficiency (immunosuppression), potentially leading to the weakening or even mortality of individuals. Our work aims to analyze how marine organisms (molluscs) can develop acclimatization strategies in an environment (coastal ecosystems) subject to increasing anthropogenic influence (global and/or local changes), leading to an increasingly fluctuating and “stressful” living environment.

The developed programs consist of combining $in$ $situ$ approaches, controlled environment approaches (organism exposure), and $in$ $vitro$ approaches (primary hemocyte cultures). Thus, the levels of study range from the organism (survival, immune system, reproduction/development, biomineralization) to the cellular/molecular level (cell cultures – real-time PCR). This work is part of programs such as:

1- European Inter-reg IV A Program – CHRONEXPO (2009-14). “Studies on the effects of chronic exposure of marine organisms to contaminants from industry in the English channel.” Col: LERFA, IRSN Cherbourg – Department of Biology & Environmental Science, Brighton – School of Biological Sciences, Plymouth.

2- EMERGENCE Lower-Normandy Region Program – INNOTOX 2 (2009-12). This program falls under the scope of the REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization of Chemicals) regulation concerning chemical substances. Col: CERMN (Centre d’études & de Recherche sur le médicament de Normandie / Center for Study and Research on Medicines in Normandy), EA 4852 UCBN.

3- ANR Pharm@ Ecotox (2011-14). “Pharmaceutical residues and ecotoxicology in the marine environment.” This program aims to investigate the presence of pharmaceutical products (analytical approach) in coastal ecosystems (Seine-Normandy) and to analyze the ecotoxicity of these molecules in marine models (molluscs and algae). Col: CERM, UCBN, Biodiversity, Ecosystems (LIEBE, UMR 7146 CNRS, Metz) and Institute of Molecular Sciences (ISM, UMR 5255, CNRS, Bordeaux).

4- ANR IPOC France-Quebec (2013-16). The purpose here is to analyze the “interactions between the effects of anthropogenic contaminants and global climate change.” Col: LEMAR, UMR CNRS/UBO/IRD/IFREMER 6539, IUEM Plouzané-Brest, SEBIO (UMR-I 02 CNRS, Reims–Le Havre) and INRS – Institut Armand-Frappier, University of Quebec.

5- National Program SEAMINEROIL (2009-2012). A program labeled under the 7th call for projects (FUI – Fonds interministériel des pôles de compétitivité / Interministerial Fund for Competitiveness Clusters) within the AQUIMER cluster. The goal of this project is to valorize the mineral fractions of co-products derived from fishing and aquaculture. The fields of nutraceuticals (osteo-articular) and dermo-cosmetics are also targeted. Col: EA 4652 – Microenvironnement Cellulaire et Pathologies (MILPAT, UCBN).