3

Evaluation report

This report is the result of the evaluation by the experts committee, the composition of which is specified below.

The assessments contained herein are the expression of an independent and collegial deliberation of the committee. MFP is composed of five teams (T1 to T5). Research focuses on the study of molecular mechanisms of hostpathogen interactions. Five viruses (HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), adenoviruses (Ad), parvoviruses (PV)), mobile elements of bacteria, Trypanosoma species (T. brucei, T. congolense and T. vivax) and Candida species are studied. Trypanosoma research of the unit will undergo some changes: whereas T3 (African trypanosome virulence factors and pathogenicity, head T. Baltz) will definitively stop its activities within the next six months, a new team (Intermediate Metabolism of Trypanosomes (iMET) head F. Bringaud) specialized in parasite's metabolomic will join the unit for the next contract. The head of this team is a co-founder of the LabEx Parafrap.

Unit name:

MFP founded this year a so-called "Laboratoire international associé" (LIA) with the Immunology Unit of Bordeaux and the Heinrich-Pette Institute, Hamburg, Germany (HPI).

MFP manages the only BSL3 laboratory of the University of Bordeaux and the only facility for live cell imaging in a BSL2 containment. The unit has developed long-lasting collaborations with the Bordeaux Imaging Center (BIC) and the Bordeaux-based ISPED (Institut de Santé Publique, d'Épidémiologie et de Développement) and is member of the TransBIoMed research federation.

Management team

Head: Mr Michael KANN.

Deputy head for the next contract: Mr Frédéric BRINGAUD. 2  Overall assessment of the unit

HCERES

Global assessment of the unit

The MFP laboratory is a research unit that derived from the fusion of previous units on distantly related fields. The MFP is focusing its efforts towards three major axis of research: Virology, Parasitology and Microbiology. Excellent research teams are operating with an international stand and strong productivity together with teams that have yet to fully develop their potential. A strategy to homogenize the research efforts focussing on specific topics is in place. Teams that are being terminated due to retirement of the team leader within next contract are being substituted by a new team of high quality. The unit has shown a proven capacity to attract funding for research from various sources. A good interaction with translational partners is present and needs to be reinforced. In summary, the unit is at a critical stage of its renovation from a group of laboratories with a diverse set of expertises to a unified group with a clear common strategy. This effort should be endorsed because of the quality of the research being undertaken.

Fondamental

  Mr Alessandro MARCELLO, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Trieste, Italy Experts: Mr Frédéric DALLE, Laboratoire de Parasitologie Mycologie, Université de Dijon Ms Shaynoor DRAMSI, Institut Pasteur Paris (representative of the CoCNRS) Ms Isabelle FLORENT, MCAM CNRS, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris Mr Philippe RIONGEARD, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Tours Scientific delegate representing the HCERES: Ms Catherine SCHUSTER Representatives of the unit's supervising institutions and bodies: Mr Pierre DOS SANTOS, Université de Bordeaux Mr Franck LAFONT, CNRS Mr Yannick LUNG, Université de Bordeaux Mr Roger MARTHAN (director of the Doctoral School N°154) 1  Introduction History and geographical location of the unit The MFP laboratory (Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité) was founded in 2011 under the direction of Pr Michael KANN. MFP is a research Unit depending on the Université de Bordeaux and the CNRS. Based on the fusion of the ancestor UMR 5234 « Microbiologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire et Pathogénicité » interested in parasitology, mycology and virology, directed by Pr Théo BALTZ and the ancestor EA 2968 « Variabilité Génomique des Virus » of medical virology directed by Pr Hervé Fleury. The resulting unit is under the authority of the « Département des Sciences de la Vie et de la Santé » for the University and of the "section 27" of the "Institut National des Sciences Biologiques" for the CNRS.The unit is located at the Campus Carreire of the University Bordeaux Segualen. The unit's laboratories are dispersed in three different floors and/or buildings next to the University Hospital Pellegrin.

Unit workforce Number as at 30/06/2014 Number as at 01/01/2016

	Unit workforce
	N1: Permanent professors and similar positions	18	16
	N2: Permanent researchers from Institutions and similar positions	9	8
	N3: Other permanent staff (without research duties)	21	22
	N4: Other professors (Emeritus Professor, on-contract Professor, etc.)	1
	N5: Other researchers (Emeritus Research Director, Postdoctoral students, visitors, etc.)	6	4
	N6: Other contractual staff (without research duties)	2
	TOTAL N1 to N6	57	50
	Unit workforce	Number as at 30/06/2014	Number as at 01/01/2016
	Doctoral students	9
	Theses defended	29
	Postdoctoral students having spent at least 12 months in the unit	6
	Number of Research Supervisor Qualifications (HDR) taken	1
	nomenclature
	Qualified research supervisors (with an HDR) or similar positions	16	16
	SVE1_LS1 Biologie moléculaire et structurale, biochimie
	SVE1_LS6 Immunologie, microbiologie, virologie, parasitologie
			6

Strengths and opportunities in relation to the context

Excellent research teams and an important critical mass in virology and parasitology.

Originality of research programs and quality of scientific output.

Good interaction with the local scientific environment.

National and international recognition.

Good relationship with translational partners and opportunity to develop industrial partnerships.

Good capacity to attract funding.

Weaknesses and threats related to the context

The unit still suffers from a non-homogeneuos organization, which may impact on its recognition as a compact group with defined objectives. Common strategic plans in critical areas such as teaching through research of postgraduate students and translation of research to the patient are required. Management of the turnover of personnel is critical to shape the Unit in the future.

Recommendations

Continue in the program of unifying the teams, possibly in the same building.

Develop strategic plans for research by selecting the topics and recruiting leaders in the field.

Become attractive for young investigators with new ideas in the areas of interest.

Increase visibility of the Unit as a whole for a better quality of international recruitment and recognition.

Increase internal seminars and collaborations between teams.

Implement output quality in terms of publication in international journals across all the teams.

Invest in selected new ideas/projects 'high risk, high gain'. Establish a common strategy for 'bench to bedside' transfer.


experts committees and signed by their chairman.

This report is the result of the evaluation by the experts committee, the composition of which is specified below.

The assessments contained herein are the expression of an independent and collegial deliberation of the committee.

Unit name:

Mycoplasmal and chlamydial infection in humans Overall the output of the research entity is very good.

Strengths and opportunities in relation to the context

 The team has national and international notoriety on human mycoplasmas, and strong local scientific interactions (especially with the Mollicutes INRA team, UMR 1332 Biologie du fruit et pathologie).

 It has been successful in establishing pertinent international collaborations which are documented in common publications.

 Many members of the team have clinical and medical laboratory activities, including activities for the National Reference Centre for Chlamydia, which are beneficial opportunities for research development.

 The team has access to state-of-the art facilities to conduct its project.

Weaknesses and threats related to the context  Despite the international scientific collaborations and notoriety, the team is poorly attractive for postdoctoral scientists from abroad due to lack of funding. The number of PhD students trained within 5 years is low relative to staff holding an HDR. There is a lack of fresh blood: most permanent positions are hold by former trainees.

 A decreasing rate of funding for fundamental research limits the ability to undertake ambitious projects.

 The Mollicute research community is small, and the international recognition of the team beyond this circle is not big, in spite of the emerging medical importance of Mycoplasma infections in industrialized countries.

Recommendations

The team has a very high potential for further development of its research competences as it consists of a greatly motivated and well trained group of scientists and technicians, enjoys a broad national and international recognition and is well established in the field of human chlamydial and mycoplasmal infection biology. To reach this aim, the group should take advantage of the creation of the study group on human Mycoplasma, chaired by the Head of unit, at the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) to further strengthen this field and to build strongs networks in order to apply to European calls for funds.

In the same view, the committee strongly recommends the team to get closer integrated to the Hospital-University's Microbiology groups in order to valuate their competences and broaden the interactions in the field of medical microbiology. This is of particular scientific and societal importance in the field of antibiotic resistance research and diagnosis.

As the expertise of the team comprises both chlamydial and mycoplasmal infectious diseases, The committee recommends to extend the current reference center 'CNR Chlamydiae' into a broader 'CNR Chlamydiae and Mycoplasma' in order to cover these two important subjects.

Since difficulties to raise research funding is an emerging problem world wide, the committee strongly recommends to focus on few main research topics in order to fully valuate the competences of the group, avoiding dispersal into too many smaller projects. The group's competences would strongly profit from renewal of human resources. The committee therefore suggests to evaluate the possiblity on future employments to attract researchers with an excellent work experience from renown international Universities.

1 N5:

 1 Mr Michel SIMONET, Université de Lille (representative of the CNU) Ms Agathe SUBTIL, Institut Pasteur Paris Scientific delegate representing the HCERES: Ms Catherine SCHUSTER Representatives of the unit's supervising institutions and bodies: Mr Pierre DOS SANTOS Mr Yoann JUNG, University of Bordeaux Mr Roger MARTHAN (director of the Doctoral School n°154 « Sciences de la Vie et de la Santé ») Mr Thierry PINEAU, INRA 1  Introduction History and geographical location of the unit In January 2009, the EA 3671 (University Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2) had been renewed for 2 years (2007-2010 four years contract). In January 2011, EA 3671 has also been labelled 'Unité Sous Contrat' (USC) by INRA and has been incorporated into the Animal Health department of INRA, within the context of the "One world, one health" initiative, for the current contract 2011-2014. Since January 2014, USC EA 3671, previously attached to University Bordeaux Segalen, has been part of University of Bordeaux, which has just been created with the merger of 3 universities (Bordeaux 1, Bordeaux Segalen and Bordeaux 4). The team is part of the Federative Structure of Research (SFR) 'Integrative Biology and Ecology' (BIE) (http://www.bordeaux-aquitaine.inra.fr/sfr-bie). The laboratory has also been nominated by the Ministry of Health and the Institut de Veille Sanitaire as the French National Reference Centre (CNR) for chlamydial infections since 1999. Other professors (Emeritus Professor, on-contract Professor, etc.) 1 Other researchers (Emeritus Research Director, Postdoctoral students, visitors, etc.) N6: Other contractual staff (without research duties) 4 spent at least 12 months in the unit 1 Number of Research Supervisor Qualifications (HDR) taken 1 Qualified research supervisors (with an HDR) or similar positions 4 4 2  Overall assessment of the unit Global assessment of the unit The major scientific achievements include (a) comparative genomics of mycoplasmas based on core genome and species-specific genes involved in metabolism and pathogenicity and on molecular markers (variable number tandem repeats or VNTRs) useful for genotyping; (b) the development of new diagnostic assays for infection epidemiology based on VNTRs at multiple loci (multi locus variable tandem repeat analysis, MLVA), to survey human Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma infections; (c) antibiotic susceptibility testing and analysis of antibiotic resistance in Mycoplasma sp. based on real-time PCR; (d) epidemiological investigations of genital infections by the above-mentioned microorganisms at aiming to define prevalence and risk factors during pregnancy and HIV infection (cohort studies); (d) the role of Th17 cells (involved in inflammation and autoimmune diseases) in host defence against Mycoplasma infections. Many members of the team have clinical and medical laboratory activities, including activities for the National Reference Centre for Chlamydia and are involved in master degree studies. The team is involved in the post-graduate research Master's degree "Microbiology and Immunology" and coordinates the educational units Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases.


president Didier Houssin

Muriel Moser

In the name of HCERES, 1

This report is the result of the evaluation by the experts committee, the composition of which is specified below.

The assessments contained herein are the expression of an

The UMR-CNRS 5164 was created in January 2003 and renewed in 2007 and 2011, and is headed by the same unit director, Pr MOREAU, since 2003. It associated two teams: Team 1, with immunologists studying mechanisms of T cell activation and Team 2, with stem cell biologists analyzing the pluripotency of stem cells and early developmental processes. As the structure has evolved in two independent teams for research interests, models and tools, the Team 2 decided to split and the Immunology Team ALYSAI represents now the restructured entity focusing on cellular and molecular mechanisms of human T lymphocyte activation in different patho-physiological models with a special focus made on  T lymphocytes and on autoimmune diseases.

The evaluated research unit is composed of 30 members with 14 researchers and 9 research assistants with several recuitments during the past period (one MCF position from the University of Bordeaux; one researcher recuited as CR1 in 2014 by the CNRS; a technician by CNRS dedicated for flow cytometry). Regarding non permanent staff, two AHU and five post-doctorants were recruited. Several researchers and physicians share their time between the Team 1 and the University Hospital in different departments which facilitates the bench to bedside translation of works and the development of clinical trials.

One specific feature of the unit is to combine basic research addressing mechanistic issues about T cell activation, and clinical research to translate basic data into therapeutic trials or patient monitoring.

Management team

The leadership is changing, but Pr Moreau, PU-PH will stay in the team. The unit will be directed by Julie Dechanet-Merville.

The team comprises 30 staff members including 14 researchers and 9 research assistants and is based on three subgroups with complementary interests and expertise. Six members were recruited in the past years (C. CONTIN-BORDES, C. RICHEZ, P. DUFFAU, E. LAZZARO, M. MANAMI-MATSUDA, S. GONZALEZ). A new researcher (T. PRADEU CR1 CNRS) was recruited in October 2014 to develop a conceptual approach of the immune response.

All management and strategic decisions are discussed in monthly "senior meetings" involving all PI and co-PI. Weekly "work group meetings" take place with all participants of common or related projects, and weekly "journal clubs" are organized with students and young researchers. 2  Overall assessment of the unit Global assessment of the unit Very good scientific record of the unit in basic research (as principal investigators) and in clinical studies (mainly as collorators); well-thought management; long-term potential social and economic impact; excellent training; recruitment of young reseachers; focusing on  T cells in which the unit is recognized internationally; high potential of the combination basic/clinical research.

HCERES

Strengths and opportunities in relation to the context

Good positioning, based on previous data on  T cells, to translate the results into the clinic. Unique opportunity to develop a theoretical approach of the regulation of immunity versus tolerance.

The representatives of the CNRS and the university consider the unit as the only force in Immunology in Bordeaux, showing a strategical, long-term commitment, especially when considering recruitment of new PIs, including at professor level who will all join ALYSAI and thereby strenghtening the unit further.

Weaknesses and threats related to the context

The projects are risky or in a highly competitive environment. The unit is the only center of Immunology in Bordeaux (which is an opportunity and a weakness).

Recommendations

The commission was impressed by the quality of the work and the originality of the projects of the unit and advises to simply continue.

  , Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy (Marseille) Ms Armelle BLONDEL, Paris (representative of the CoNRS) Mr Matthias EBERL, Cardiff, UK Ms Myriam LABALETTE, Lille (representative of the CNU) Ms Marion VORMS, Pantheon-Sorbonne University Scientific delegate representing the HCERES: Mr Kamel BENLAGHA Representatives of the unit's supervising institutions and bodies: Ms Gaëlle BUJAN, CNRS Mr Pierre DOS SANTOS, University of Bordeaux Mr Bruno LUCAS, CNRS Mr Roger MARTHAN (representative of the Doctoral School n° 154) 1  Introduction History and geographical location of the unit

Unit workforce Number as at 30/06/2014 Number as at 01/01/2016

	Unit workforce
	N1: Permanent professors and similar positions	9 (4.5 FTE)	10 (5)
	N2: Permanent researchers from Institutions and similar positions	2	3
	N3: Other permanent staff (without research duties)	10 (8.8 FTE)	10 (8.8 FTE)
	N4: Other professors (Emeritus Professor, on-contract Professor, etc.)
	N5: Other researchers (Emeritus Research Director, Postdoctoral students, visitors, etc.)	3	7
	N6: Other contractual staff
	(without research duties)
	TOTAL N1 to N6	24	30
	Unit workforce	Number as at 30/06/2014	Number as at 01/01/2016
	Doctoral students	5
	Theses defended	12
	Postdoctoral students having spent at least 12 months in the unit	6
	Number of Research Supervisor Qualifications (HDR) taken	4
	nomenclature
	SVE1_LS6 Immunologie, microbiologie, virologie, parasitologie Qualified research supervisors (with an HDR) or similar positions	7


Jean-Jacques Mr

Bessoule

Frédéric Mr

Beaudoin

Management team

The LBM is led by Mr Jean-Jacque BESSOULE since the retirement of the previous director, Mr René LESSIRE, at the end of 2013. Mr Jean-Jacque BESSOULE acted previously as a deputy director of the LBM, from the beginning of this reporting period in 2009, facilitating the transition to his present position as the research unit's director. 2  Overall assessment of the unit Global assessment of the unit Scientific research conducted in the LBM is entirely dedicated to the metabolism, structure and physiological role of cellular and extracellular lipids in plants and fungi. This specialisation and focus give great strength and originality to this laboratory, both nationally and internationally, and is illustrated by a number of innovations and discoveries made in the LBM and by an impressive increase of the number of publications compared to the previous reporting period, many of them in high impact journals. Several LBM research projects are world class and their leaders have achieved international leadership in their field. This resulted in the enhancement of the LBM international academic reputation and appeal and contributed to attracting new talented young scientists and to securing invitation for LBM members to give keynote lectures at important international meetings. LBM members are heavily involved in the training of both undergraduates and PhD students and it is clear that LBM provides a warm and friendly environment for everyone regardless of age, status or experience. The LBM is also actively involved in a number of local and national projects with potential economic and environmental benefit via its state-of-the-art lipidomic platform and the LEB Aquitaine technology transfer unit.

HCERES

Strengths and opportunities in relation to the context

Specialisation and focus on plant and "yeast" lipid research.

Move to a campus dedicated to plant science and agronomy.

Significant proportion of young highly motivated scientists with complementary skills.

Growing reputation and leadership in several fields of plant lipid research.

Training of a large number of undergraduate students, ability to attract strong PhD student candidates.

The evolving lipidomic platform is a strong asset for supporting world class research provided that logistic aspects, access and availability can be improved.

Numerous opportunities for developing closer collaboration between groups within the teams but also with other laboratories on campus.

Weaknesses and threats related to the context

The location of the ESI-MS/MS instrument on a remote campus create logistic but also technical difficulties, hindering the true potential of the lipidomic platform to support LBM research activities.

Collaborative work and service activities provided by the lipidomic platform and the LEB transfer unit should not be detrimental to main high impact research activities. Each of them is managed by single very busy research engineers.

Increasing number of research scientists but decreasing number of technical and support staff.

Decreasing funding resulting in increasing reliance on grant and contractual funding which already represent a large proportion of the LBM budget.

Diversity of research topics and model systems presents a risk of distraction from the main research projects and might limit synergism within team 1.

Recommendations

In the context of decreasing resources and uncertain future external funding it might become even more important to focus teams efforts on a limited number of model systems and subjects. This would help maintaining critical mass and synergism to ensure continuous leadership of flagship projects.

More support is needed for recruiting technical staff and for further development of the lipidomic platform. This would allow a more efficient management and the concomitant running of fundamental and applied projects.

  , University of Nebraska, Lincoln, USA Mr Eric MARECHAL, CNRS/iRTSV-LPCV, CEA, Grenoble (representative of section 23 of CNRS) Mr Yves POIRIER, University of Lausanne, Switzerland Scientific delegate representing the HCERES: Mr Pierre COUBLE Representatives of the unit's supervising institutions and bodies: Mr Pierre DOS SANTOS, Université de Bordeaux Mr Thierry GAUDE, CNRS Mr Yannick LUNG, Université de Bordeaux Mr Roger MARTHAN (representative of Doctoral School n°154 " Sciences Biologiques et Médicales") 1  Introduction History and geographical location of the unit The Laboratory of Membrane Biogenesis (LBM) has been associated with Bordeaux University and CNRS (UMR 5200) since 1994. Initially located near the Bordeaux 2 campus (Université 5 Segalen), the LBM moved to the INRA "green campus" in Villenave d'Ornon in June 2012 (in the course of this reporting period) and is now more logically integrated in a campus dedicated to plant biology and agronomy.

  nomenclature

	Principal:	SVE1_LS1 Molecular Biology, Structural Biology, Biochemistry
	Secondary:	SVE2_LS3 Cell Biology, Developmental Biology of Plants
	Unit workforce
		Unit workforce	Number as at 30/06/2014	Number as at 01/01/2016
	N1: Permanent professors and similar positions	7	7
		)	1	1
	N6: Other contractual staff (without research duties)	1
	TOTAL N1 to N6		26	24
		Unit workforce	Number as at 30/06/2014	Number as at 01/01/2016
	Doctoral students	5
	Theses defended	8

N2: Permanent researchers from Institutions and similar positions 10 10 N3: Other permanent staff (without research duties) 7 6 N4: Other professors (Emeritus Professor, on-contract Professor, etc.) N5: Other researchers (Emeritus Research Director, Postdoctoral students, visitors, etc.Postdoctoral students having spent at least 12 months in the unit 5 Number of Research Supervisor Qualifications (HDR) taken 2 Qualified research supervisors (with an HDR) or similar positions 12

signed by their chairman." (Article 8, paragraph 5) 2 The evaluation reports "are signed by the chairman of the expert committee".

6

Seek funding from alternative sources (Marie-Curie, EMBO, etc.) to recruit more post-doctoral scientists to improve financial stability and increase scientific output.

Several fundamental projects have generated sufficient knowledge to initiate translational research and transition to more applied projects with biotechnological and/or agronomic applications. This should generate opportunities to attract funding from public and private sectors both nationally and internationally. The LEB Aquitaine technology transfer unit could play a role in this.


president Didier Houssin

Alain Dubois

Evaluation report

This report is the result of the evaluation by the experts committee, the composition of which is specified below.

The assessments contained herein are the expression of an independent and collegial deliberation of the committee.

Unit name:

Centre Lasers Intenses et Applications CELIA is composed of 50 permanent staff members, about 40% from CNRS and equally balanced between CEA and UB. CELIA has a rather low ratio of support staff with respect to its involvement in experimental and instrumental activities (13, including research engineers, mainly from CNRS). The support services correspond to administration, IT and technical service, including instrumentation and mechanical design office and workshop. At the beginning of the present contract the research activities at CELIA were organized around five teams, which were restructured into four in 2012:

team 1: Optics and Femtosecond Lasers Group (GOLF); -team 2: Harmonics in the XUV, ultra-short processes and applications (HXUV); -team 3: ParticlEs and Transport, ultra-short Radiation matter Under eXtreme conditions (PETRUX); -team 4: Interaction, Inertial Controlled Fusion, and Astrophysics (IFCIA).

Management team

The management team is composed of a director, Mr Philippe BALCOU, one (two) deputy director(s), Mr Vladimir TIKHONCHUK (with, until December 2013, Ms Ghita GEOFFROY) and an administrator, Ms Sophie HEURTEBISE.

HCERES nomenclature

ST2 Physique (main) and ST5 Sciences pour l'Ingénieur (secondary). 2  Overall assessment of the unit

Unit workforce

Unit workforce

Global assessment of the unit

CELIA is a very dynamic research unit covering with coherence a wide domain of laser-matter interaction physics and technology. With an excellent scientific production and an active participation in the community of highpower, high-intensity, ultrafast laser sciences and dense and hot plasmas physics, CELIA holds indisputably a high national and international recognition. The originality of CELIA stems from the mixing of experimental and theoretical activities, with mutual synergy, and also from the good balance between high profile fundamental research and industry transfer activities. The latter have a real impact in the socio-economic environment in Aquitaine.

CELIA is an excellent research center that is immersed in a rich ecosystem and in an outstanding laser environment, in-house, in France (Le Barp and Saclay) and in Europe. This is a fertile ground that will strengthen the expertise and visibility of CELIA staff in the coming years.

Strengths and opportunities in relation to the context

excellent teams covering a large spectrum of high energy density and ultrafast physics;

synergy between theory/modeling and experimental activities;

good expertise and visibility in a very competitive domain;

proximity with LMJ/Petal facilities; -strong activity in industry transfer and societal applications, with a very good recognition in the photonics and laser technology world in Aquitaine;

integration of a new team covering laser-matter interaction thematics and which can open good synergies with CELIA team.

Weaknesses and threats related to the context necessity to continuously upgrade lasers chains and equipments in a context of decreasing ANR funding;

funding of fundamental research projects in the new regional political priority moving towards societal issues;

low ratio of technical support staff while CELIA is at the same time expanding scientifically;

decreasing numbers of students in laser and fusion master.

Recommendations

to upgrade CELIA laser facilities to stay international competitive and in synergy with team scientific strategy with projects set at the scale of CELIA capabilities in terms on human and financial resources;

to prioritize recruitments to strengthen the technical services and laser engineering;

to establish a coherent balance between applied and fundamental research for the benefits of all the CELIA teams;

to fix the recurrent problem of limited office space, especially in the context of the integration of a new team.

  Mr Alberto BRAMATI, Université Pierre et Marie Curie Ms Pascale HENNEQUIN, École Polytechnique (représentant du CoNRS) Mr Paul-Antoine HERVIEUX, Université de Strasbourg (représentant du CNU) Mr Reinhard KIENBERGER, Université Technique de Munich, Allemagne Mr Gilles MAYNARD, Université Paris-Sud Mr Fabien QUERE, IRAMIS CEA Mr Roland SMITH, Imperial College London, Royaume Uni Scientific delegate representing the HCERES: Ms Sylvie MAGNIER Representatives of the unit's supervising institutions and bodies: Mr Bertrand AUDOIN (représentant de l'École Doctorale n°209 -SPI) Mr Noël DIMARCQ, CNRS-INP Mr Éric FREYSZ, Département Sciences et Technologies Ms Susana GOTA-GOLDMANN, CEA/DSPG Mr Francis HARDOUIN, CEA/DAM Mr Yannick LUNG, Université de Bordeaux Mr Thierry MASSARD, CEA/DAM Mr Jean-Luc POZZO, Département Sciences et Technologies Ms Pascale ROUBIN, CNRS-INP 1  Introduction History and geographical location of the unit Centre Lasers Intenses et Applications (CELIA) was officially created in 1999 in the context of the launch of the Laser MegaJoule (LMJ) project. It is located in Talence, in a building (C6) owned by the Université of Bordeaux and has partial responsibility for another building at Le Barp, which hosts Institut Lasers Plasmas in the neighbourhood of LMJ. CELIA is a joint research unit (UMR 5107) affiliated to the Université de Bordeaux (UB), to Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA), through Direction des Applications Militaires (DAM) and Direction des Sciences de la Matière (DSM), and to Institut de Physique (INP) and Institut des Sciences de l'Ingénieurs et des Systèmes (INSIS) of Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS).

Number as at 30/06/2014 Number as at 01/01/2016

	N1: Permanent professors and similar positions	13	16
	N2: Permanent researchers from Institutions and similar positions	24	22
	N3: Other permanent staff (without research duties)	12	11
	N4: Other professors (Emeritus Professor, on-contract Professor, etc.)
	N5: Other researchers (Emeritus Research Director, Postdoctoral students, visitors, etc.)	9
	N6: Other contractual staff (without research duties)	3	1
	TOTAL N1 to N6	61	50

Unit workforce Number as at 30/06/2014 Number as at 01/01/2016

	Doctoral students	27
	Theses defended	31
	Postdoctoral students having spent at least 12 months in the unit	18
	Number of Research Supervisor Qualifications (HDR) taken	6
	Qualified research supervisors (with an HDR) or similar positions	18	20


Evaluation report

This report is the result of the evaluation by the experts committee, the composition of which is specified below.

The assessments contained herein are the expression of an independent and collegial deliberation of the committee. This situation is in line with the broadening of an internationally acknowledged tradition of a "Bordeaux research line" initially combining electrophysiology and behaviour in the study of memory and consolidation in cognitive functions. Such multilevel approach is now indispensable. It emphasizes the accent put on various translational research strategies in the context of the strong development of neuroscience in the Bordeaux region with the INCIA being among the largest biology laboratories in Bordeaux.

Unit name:

Management team

Mr Jean-René CAZALETS is the manager ("directeur") of the unit, and Mr Wim CRUSIO is assistant manager ("directeur adjoint"). The laboratory steering committee (20 persons, among which 4 ITA/IATOS, at least 3 researchers and 3 teachers) has a consultative role for scientific policy, resource management (all grants are announced and a 10% overhead on material is charged) and general functioning. Three committees are designed for questions of general interest (career follow-up, hygiene & safety, scientific and technical training). 2  Overall assessment of the unit Global assessment of the unit "Integrative neuroscience" is mediated by a program aimed at capturing how multilevel activity and information exchanges are involved in animal and human adaptive processes. This is a pivotal contribution to the relevance of the neuroscience in many fields. It tackles how function emerges from permanent interactions at molecular, cellular, systemic and individual levels. Naturally, this perspective has brought together different scientists working on various neural models, from isolated neural networks models -in vitro or artificial ones -to animals or humans during normal or pathological cognitive processes.

HCERES nomenclature

An exceptionally creative context is guaranteed by an intimate connection between research, clinical and teaching activities. It favors the merging of fundamental theoretical concepts with questions from the clinical field for the association of teaching and research activities: the best students are in need of critical and coherent explanations or questioning and clinicians require the identification of adaptive processes for rehabilitation to be combined with specific biomarkers. This ambition associates sophisticated techniques (represented here in particular by three highly efficient technical platforms, the Motion Analysis Platform, the Human Neuroimaging Platform, the Physiological Cell Platform and an Integrative Imaging plateau) with an effort to develop conceptual knowledge in order to overcome the dangerous illusion that a single molecule could mediate in itself a complex "mental function".

A major quality of this unit is that it proves mastery of both technical and conceptual developments, in the laboratory as well as in its numerous teaching tasks (overall lectures, individually supervised Master and Doctoral students).

Strengths and opportunities in relation to the context

The different teams in the INCIA associate researchers from the fundamental laboratory perspective with clinicians and academic teachers to favor the interdisciplinary production of scientific knowledge relevant to "real life". This unit has an excellent academic level, due to the relevance of the scientific results qualified from the high level international publications and from national and international collaborations. It does also satisfy the need of the general public to be informed of relevant research. The members of the INCIA respond to the public curiosity for what is conducted in the laboratories and also proposes ventures to support the clinical and economic effort aimed at reducing the burden of numerous neurological illnesses, accidents or societal diseases such as risk taking, drug dependencies and stress related pathologies. No social problem being isolated from the others, the INCIA research programs represent a realistic effort to tackle these interactions. The unit is also engaged in a considerable and successful effort towards academic education (tutoring Master and doctoral students, providing regular university lectures, attracting post-doctoral researchers).

The five-year set of projects combines in an optimal manner the pursuit of some promising research lines developed during the previous period with team reorganizations to tackle original and new questions. There is a good proportion of innovation and short term tackled questions.

Weaknesses and threats related to the context A competitive scientific approach might tend to hinder cooperation, whereas this unit promotes an integrative effort. This relies on an optimal combination of separation and association of ideas and techniques. The visit of the experts committee has revealed that such delicate balance was possible and favored by the direction management. This is however a dynamic process that requires permanent movement and diversity in research strategies, each with the risk of inducing dysbalance. This means that the effort for a better geographic distribution of the teams (buildings in projects) must be encouraged. An effort in the management of the technical platforms is also indispensable. A platform is more than just a list of apparatuses with carefully scheduled access. It requires a honest pooling of skills and knowledge, often dedicated persons, the effort of whom must be acknowledged and facilitated with flexibility. This is not always easy, but it is indispensable for these platforms to respect the monetary investments and expensive apparatuses.

The administrative activity of the unit is presently maintained via a maximal engagement of the staff and this situation must certainly be improved to guarantee adequate administrative management.

Recommendations

During the visit, the experts committee has been able to notice that the management of the unit relied as much as possible on open community rules and expresses the wish that this policy be strongly encouraged for the development and sharing of technical platforms as well as for an effort in conceptual clarifications. The actual technical resources of the INCIA are in adequation with the projects, however, one of the technical platforms has been started by researchers of the INCIA and favored access to this resource must be maintained to guarantee the optimal development of part of the proposed projects. Among the classical though permanently indispensable resources, animal facilities and adequate administrative effort must be better supported during the coming period.

Finally, cognitive neuroscience does not only rely on material structures such as brain pieces and molecules, it uses words such as attention, memory or decision. Their use is worth some definition and explicit focus.

  , LNC, Aix-Marseille Université Mr Jean BLOUIN, LNC, Aix-Marseille Université Mr Benjamin BOUTREL, University of Lausanne, Switzerland Mr Youri IVANENK, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Roma, Italia Ms Chantal MATHIS, LNCA, Université de Strasbourg (representative of the CoNRS) Mr Jean-Philippe RANJEVA, CRMBM, Aix-Marseille Université (representative of the CNU) Ms Agnès ROBY BRAMI, ISIR, UPMC, Paris Mr François TRONCHE, IBPS, UPMC, Paris Ms Isabelle VIAUD-DELMON, STMS, IRCAM UPMC, Paris Scientific delegate representing the HCERES: Mr Jacques NOEL Representatives of the unit's supervising institutions and bodies: Mr Hubert BOST, EPHE Mr Yannick LUNG, Université de Bordeaux Mr Roger MARTHAN (representative of the Doctoral School n° 154 « Sciences de la vie et de la Santé ») Mr Jean Louis VERCHER, CNRS 1  Introduction History and geographical location of the unit The INCIA has been created in 2011 as the "Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine". It is presently situated in three nearby loci on the Carreira and Talence campuses of the University of Bordeaux. This creation resulted from the getting together of several teams issued from UMR 5227, 5228 and 5231 in order to constitute a network of research aimed at studying integrative neurosciences, as a common perspective. The proximity of the university campuses and of clinical units, the development of multifunction technical platforms formed a basis for translational research in that the specificity of clinical symptoms and handicaps can inspire specific experimental or training protocols.

Unit workforce Number as at 30/06/2014 Number as at 01/01/2016

	Doctoral students	43
	Theses defended	45
	Post-doctoral students having spent at least 12 months in the unit	17
	Number of Research Supervisor Qualifications (HDR) taken	7
	Qualified research supervisors (with an HDR) or similar positions	27
	SVE1_LS5 Neurobiologie
	SHS4_2	Psychologie
	SVE1_LS7 Épidémiologie, santé publique, recherche clinique, technologies biomédicales
	Unit workforce
		Unit workforce	Number as at 30/06/2014	Number as at 01/01/2016
	N1: Permanent professors and similar positions	24	30
	N2: Permanent researchers from Institutions and similar positions	21	27
	N3: Other permanent staff (without research duties)	11	15
	N4: Other professors (Emeritus Professor, on-contract Professor, etc.)	3	2
	N5: Other researchers (Emeritus Research Director, Post-doctoral students, visitors, etc.)	14	10
	N6: Other contractual staff (without research duties)	2	2
	TOTAL N1 to N6	75	86


Evaluation report

This report is the result of the evaluation by the experts committee, the composition of which is specified below.

The assessments contained herein are the expression of an independent and collegial deliberation of the committee.

Unit name:

Nutrition et neurobiologie Intégrée The main research aim of the UMR 1286 "Nutrition and integrative neurology" is to clarify, from the points of view of the definition of the principles of preventive nutrition for the brain, the repercussions of varying supplies of essential nutrients on mood and memory capacities in subjects. The research unit combines experimental and clinical research, along two complementary axes: i) studies on the neurobiological effects of unbalanced nutritional contents and obesity; ii) studies on the neurobiological effects of nutritional supplements. The translational approach benefits from the presence of clinicians within the unit.

At its creation, the UMR 1286 was already directed by the proposed director and comprised two teams that had merged together prior to the creation of the unit. In the two years preceding its creation, there had been a significant increase in the number of scientific staff, the unit having recruited 1 INRA researcher, 1 professor, and 1 associate professor. Since it creation, the unit has recruited 2 INRA researchers and 1 clinician psychologist.

The unit has been able to establish/update state of the art platforms including (1) animal facilities, (2) a phenotyping core facility for rodents, (3) an in vivo imaging core facility including access to a 2-photon microscope, (4) an electrophysiology core facility, (5) a molecular biology core facility, (6) a microdialysis and HPLC analysis core facility and, (7) a biochemistry core facility. All these core facilities are mutualized and shared among the unit.

Management team

The proposed director is a research director at INRA who has been key in the creation of the unit, managing to merge two existing laboratories into a single unit. Her previous management of UMR 1286 has proven to be efficient in promoting the growth of the lab by attracting new researchers and in establishing technological platforms and industrial partnerships.

The new organization chart corresponds to 2 teams, that are well balanced in terms of size and competences, partly due to the transfer of some researchers from one team to the other one, aiming at combining within a team the necessary competences. This slight adjustment when compared to the initial organization seems very adequate and reflects the capacity of the director to appropriate decisions for optimizing the research and her capacity to put these decisions into practice.

The management structure has been clearly described: the director of UMR 1286 acts as the representative of the laboratory and of the executive committee with respect to the supervisory organizations. The decision-making body of the laboratory is the Executive Committee, which is composed of the leaders of the teams. The focus is put on consensus, with a clear concern to promote the collective interest. This is exemplified by the budget management policy which requires that 20 % of the external grant budget from all teams be pooled in order to finance activities of general interest such as shared equipments. The laboratory council acts as an advisory board and gives its views on the decisions of the Executive Committee.

The PhD students and post-docs appear to be well integrated. They have very good interactions with their supervisors and with the PIs, and showed a good team spirit. The technical members are happy to be an integral part of this laboratory and feel involved in the experiments. They are very dynamic and get involved in the laboratory life, offering suggestions.

Overall, the governance appears excellent, the organization efficient and collegial, the atmosphere studious, consensual and friendly.

HCERES nomenclature :

SVE1_LS4 Physiologie, physiopathologie, endocrinology. 2  Overall assessment of the unit

Unit workforce

Unit workforce

Global assessment of the unit

During the last 5 years, under the dynamic and excellent leadership of the director, the research unit has structured an innovative and translational project on the role of nutrition on brain function and cognition. The unit has acquired a leading position in this emerging field that has potentially a major impact on public health. The research is of great quality as demonstrated by an increasing number of papers in high impact journals. The integration of the unit in the Bordeaux neurosciences is very good and could further benefit from a membership within the Labex Brain. The unit has developed several state-of-the art technological platforms that allow the researchers to propose ambitious projects. The structuration of the unit in 2 teams is very relevant. The governance is excellent and the atmosphere in the unit is very friendly, favoring interactions between researchers. Technical staff is perfectly integrated and participates to the different projects. The unit has demonstrated its capacity to obtain numerous research grants and to build collaborations with industrial partners.

Overall, the unit has reached the excellence.

Strengths and opportunities in relation to the context

-Dynamic leadership by a highly driven and committed director who is a well-recognized neuroscientist in her field, and by a co-director who has strong links with clinicians and industry.

-Key French actor in the field.

-Unique configuration and expertise at the interface between basic and clinical research.

-Strong collective dynamic.

-Multidisciplinary team.

-Phenotyping platform of healthy and sick subjects and access to numerous platforms to explore human subjects in the fields of nutrition and neurosciences.

-Young and promising scientists.

-Very good integration in the Bordeaux neuroscience community.

-Good capacity to obtain external funding.

-Strong industrial partnerships.

-The proposed organization chart includes 2 well-balanced teams. This organization corresponds to a well thought-of plan to allow a few subgroups to emerge within the next 5 years, while providing them with a secure, consistent transitional environment.

-Ambitious, innovative and promising project with far reaching objectives aimed at implementing high level translational research in the field of nutrition in neurosciences.

-Strong support from INRA.

Weaknesses and threats related to the context -Size of the unit in regard to competitors in the field and in regard to local neuroscience units.

-Not integrated in the Labex Brain.

-Lack of significant interaction with SHS.

-Lack of large grant funding (Horizon2020).

Recommendations

-The unique configuration of the unit at the interface between basic research and clinic should be exploited to attract young scientists.

-The committee feels that it will be of strategic importance to increase the interactions with groups of SHS as this would be an original and extremely useful addition to the present projects.

-The committee feels that the integration of the unit in the Labex"Brain" would significantly increase the long-term stability of the unit.

-In order to enhance the prominence of the unit and solidify its position as a leader in the field via publications in high profile journals, the PIs should focus on a more in-depth analysis of cell and molecular mechanisms.

-The acquisition of in-house competence in in vivo imaging particularly in human would strengthen the links with imaging facilities and enhance the translational aspects of the unit.

-Collaborative studies between the two teams on the potential interactions between neuroinflammation and HPA axis appears as a strategic opportunity.

  Mr Luc PENICAUD, Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, CNRS Mr Jérôme TROUSLARD, (representative of the CNU) Scientific delegate representing the HCERES: Mr Jean-Marie ZAJAC Representatives of the unit's supervising institutions and bodies: Mr Marc BONNEU, INP Mr Jean DALONGEVILLE, INRA Mr Yannick LUNG, Université de Bordeaux Mr Roger MARTHAN (representative of Doctoral School n°154 ) Mr Hubert de ROCHAMBEAU, INRA 1  Introduction History and geographical location of the unit NutriNeuro (UMR 1286) is an INRA -Bordeaux University -INP unit, located in the Pharmacy school. The research laboratories (1,450 m 2 ) are located in the school of Pharmacy.


 Introduction History and geographical location of the unit

The premises of the research unit are located close to the CHU and the physical and rehabilitation medicine department of the MDs involved in the unit, and close to the University especially to the building of INRIA where a part of the permanent researchers are working.

Management team

The team is coordinated by a professor of physical and rehabilitation medicine. Regular meetings are organized. A weekly meeting is scheduled with the junior and senior researchers to organise their scientific activities. A scientific seminar is scheduled monthly. Once a year, a general meeting is scheduled, bringing together all the team. No technical or administrative meetings are organized but the size of the team is small and communication is easy between researchers of the same site. The research unit is active on two sites, requiring a coordination.

HCERES nomenclature

Primary SVE1 -LS7 Secondary SHS4-2, ST6 2  Overall assessment of the unit

Unit workforce

Unit workforce

Global assessment of the unit

The research unit, Health Activity Cognition Handicap (HACS) is composed of around fifteen researchers with varied backgrounds (Human sciences, Health sciences, Technology Sciences). Their good connexions between the University and the Hospital allow them to perform fundamental and clinical research in the field of adult and geriatric neurorehabilitation. More specifically, they cover two domains: on one hand "motor action, action and posture"; and on the other hand "cognition, communication and interaction". Their research fields are particularly relevant to the society and for the rehabilitation's world: how to improve the participation of disabled persons? Their approach is also interesting: building a multidisciplinary team, and combining laboratory and ecological intervention and assessment.

The HACS unit established strong national and several international collaborations (e.g. Canada), for research and teaching activities. They also established many collaborations with the industry and with the local and regional community.

During the last five years, they published about fifty papers in national (40%) and in international journals (60%).

During the last five years, about ten PhD theses were concluded, while about ten PhD theses projects are ongoing. The mean PhD theses duration is 44.5 months.

Strengths and opportunities in relation to the context

This multidisciplinary research unit gathered researchers around a strong research theme related to disability. All completed projects aim to improve the knowledge, the treatment and compensation means of the disabled persons, with the final aim being to improve their social participation.

Their activities concern the world of the health sciences, human sciences and technology sciences.

The strong link between clinical research in the rehabilitation unit of faculty hospital of Bordeaux and INRIA gives the opportunity to develop high quality level technological projects in the field of disability.

The small size of the group enables simple and reactive ways of working.

The strong relationship with clinical activities of medical researchers who collaborate with fundamental researchers creates the emergence of innovative projects directly related to clinical problems.

Involving non-physician rehabilitation specialists (occupational therapist, physical therapist, psychologist…) is of great interest to improve the knowledge in their field and to improve the quality of care.

The laboratory has access to several well-equipped technological platforms.

The number and the quality of publications improved. They presented many oral and poster communications at national and international congresses.

Research projects are regularly funded at local or national level.

They collaborate at national and international levels for research and teaching activities.

Weaknesses and threats related to the context

This unit is a composed of a small number of researchers with no full time senior scientist. They currently do not have their own technological support team. They have a very limited administrative support.

The research unit addresses a large number of topics, performed on several sites, which requires a strong coordination.

Recommendations

Maintain the close collaboration between the clinicians and the researchers.

Maintain the global patient's approach: in the laboratory and in the community.

Maintain the national and develop the international collaborations.

Maintain a good team organisation and collaboration. Maintain the coherence of the team despite the fact that the team is active in several sites, and that their members collaborate with other research organisation (e.g. INRIA). Insure that all the members are fully involved in research unit activities, maintaining its identity.

Maintain the publications rate, but try to publish in higher rated journals, to enhance the visibility of the group.

Try to develop international collaborations and to apply to European research funds.

Try to focus research activities in some specific subdomain to develop expertise and avoid dissipation.

Develop a strategy concerning the future of the research unit within the context of the evolving university's policy.

Number as at 30/06/2014 Number as at 01/01/2016 N1: Permanent professors and similar positions 5 6 N2: Permanent researchers from Institutions and similar positions N3: Other permanent

	staff (without research duties)	4 [1,7]	5 [1,9]
	N4: Other professors (Emeritus Professor, on-contract Professor, etc.)	5	5
	N5: Other researchers from Institutions (Emeritus Research Director, Postdoctoral students, visitors, etc.)	2 [1,5]	2 [1]
	N6: Other contractual staff(without research duties)		3 [1,1]
	TOTAL N1 to N6	16 [13,2]	21 [15]

Unit workforce Number as at 30/06/2014 Number as at 01/01/2016

	Doctoral students	4
	Theses defended	12
	Postdoctoral students having spent at least 12 months in the unit	4
	Number of Research Supervisor Qualifications (HDR) taken	4
	Qualified research supervisors (with an HDR) or similar positions	5	7


Jean-Louis Mr

Mergny

Jean-Louis Mr

Ms Pascale Romby

Jean-Marie Mr

Aubry

Patrick Mr

IGBMC Schultz

Keywords:

This report is the result of the evaluation by the experts committee,the composition of which is specified below.

The assessments contained herein are the expression of an independent and collegial deliberation of the committee.

Scientific delegate representing the HCERES:

Mr Georges MASSIOT Representatives of the unit's supervising institutions and bodies: The ARNA laboratory is a Inserm unit (U 869) associated with the University of Bordeaux. ARNA unit has been created in January 2007 and was initially led by Mr Jean-Jacques TOULMÉ until 2010. Mr Jean-Louis MERGNY took the leadership of the Inserm unit in january 2011. The general goal of the unit is to create a specific environment for interdisciplinary projects covering chemistry, physical chemistry and biology dedicated to basic and applied research on nucleic acids. The ARNA unit is tightly linked to the Institut Européen de Chimie et de Biologie (IECB, executive scientific director Mr Jean-Jacques TOULMÉ), which is an international and interdisciplinary research team incubator supported by CNRS, Inserm and the University of Bordeaux. IECB also hosts support services, a company and a technology transfer unit Novaptech, as well as technology platforms that are controlled by the UMS 3033/US 001 (executive scientific director Mr Jean-Louis MERGNY). The teams of the ARNA laboratory are located at two different sites, the Carriere campus of the university (Bordeaux) and IECB (Pessac). In the future project, the ARNA laboratory will integrate two other units specialized in organic chemistry, pharmacochemistry and analytical chemistry but the overall project will not change. With the creation of the unique University of Bordeaux in January 2014, ARNA unit became a major component of the "Health and Life Sciences" (SVS) research department of the University of Bordeaux, and will be a member of the federation TecSan "Technologies for Health" of the SVS department.

Management team

Director and project leader: Mr Jean-Louis MERGNY The research groups (12) of ARNA (U 869, Inserm) will be organized into five federative teams: Molecular and supramolecular systems for therapeutic applications (ChemBioPharm); Functional oligonucleotides and structured nucleic acids (OLIFANS); Transcription, Maturation and Structures (TMS); Small RNAs, translation and aptamer (STRAMES); Mass spectrometry for nucleic acids biophysics (BiophyMS). Each team will be under the supervision of a group leader, including the head of unit. The management of the unit is collegial and consensual creating a stimulating and excellent atmosphere. 2  Overall assessment of the interdisciplinary unit

HCERES nomenclature

Global assessment of the unit ARNA is a multidisciplinary unit at the interface of the chemistry, physical chemistry and biology that has an excellent visibility at both the national and international levels. Overall, the productivity of the research teams is excellent. The scientific policy of the unit shows a strong internal coherence in the developed scientific themes with a continuum from basic to applied research focusing on nucleic acids and gene regulation. ARNA organization facilitates the development of internal collaborative projects between the research groups with complementary expertise. International collaborations have been established in all teams. All research groups were successful in ANR funding and benefit from the IECB structure to attract outstanding young group leaders awarded with national and European starting grants. ARNA scientists participate actively in teaching and training action at the University of Bordeaux in chemistry, molecular biology and genetics. The unit is a major component of the "Health and Life Sciences" (SVS) research department of the University of Bordeaux and will participate in several transversal actions such as regenerative medicine and synthetic biology. Although the groups benefit from platforms of IECB, the technical support for several teams is clearly insufficient. ARNA unit is a key player in technology transfer with strong potential for applications in biotechnology and in health. Overall, ARNA is an excellent multidisciplinary unit.

Strengths and opportunities in relation to the context

Research groups from ARNA have access to and have developed innovative and cutting-edge technologies present in the unit or at the IECB. ARNA also benefits from the IECB organization for the recruitment of outstanding international young research groups. ARNA gathers experts from various disciplines creating a positive environment to facilitate internal and transversal joint projects centered on nucleic acids and gene regulation, and for technology transfer with potential applications to human diseases and health.

Several team members of ARNA are deeply involved in teaching in biology and genetics and new programs have been initiated to provide chemistry background for biologists. The recruitment of several post-doctoral fellows, participation to Marie Curie grants (ITN), recruitment of international teams, invitation to international meetings, are positive signs for the international recognition of ARNA.

The research unit has very strong forward momentum based on successful fundings, the recruitment of outstanding young teams and the leadership of the director. During the visit to the unit, it became evident to the experts committee that the smooth transition of the direction of ARNA during the period of the evaluation, and the present director had major roles in the renewal and invigoration of the ARNA unit.

The collegiality and the excellent spirit with the ARNA unit have been obvious during the visit as has been the high degree of motivation of all team members at all levels, which is considered as a clear strength of the unit and of its structure.

The biological systems and topics of the ARNA unit, the reinforcement of chemistry and molecular biophysics, and the development of innovative methods would fully deserve a dual recognition from INSERM and CNRS (Institute of Chemistry) to support the future of this highly promising unit.

Weaknesses and threats related to the context ARNA will significantly increase the size of the unit and will face a major challenge, which is the integration of one CNRS unit and one relatively large team affiliated to the university. The integration of the CNRS chemistry unit into the OLIFANS team is effective and the experts committee feels that reinforced communication will in the long run bring an added value to the existing team. For the university unit, the experts committee acknowledges the acquisition of new expertise (analytical chemistry, pharmacochemistry), but the success of this new integration will require a major effort of the reorientation of the researchers to apply their know-how to the CHEMBIOPHARM's project, to enhance their scientific production and quality, and their international visibility.

Caution is required to maintain the international competitivity of some of the research groups with limited size.

The various research groups are scattered over several places, IECB and in two different buildings at the University Campus in Carreire, which is not ideal to facilitate interactions and scientific discussions. However, monthly seminars including all researchers, post-doctoral fellows, PhD students, engineers and technicians, and the fact that the ARNA director is also part of the executive scientific direction of IECB, should impact positively the evolution of the ARNA projects. One of the objectives of the University of Bordeaux is the construction of a novel center at Carriere, planned in 2020, that would include the various ARNA teams.

Recommendations

The experts committee recommends that ARNA should have a specific Scientific Advisory Board whose role would be to monitor the progress of the scientific projects of the ARNA teams, i.e. especially of the two newly incoming chemistry groups.

The ARNA unit would benefit from the recruitment of team or researchers with expertise in molecular modeling and molecular dynamics.

Because each research group within a team is completely independent in term of research and funding, the experts committee feels that a minimal workforce in some of the groups should be ensured, i.e. providing technical support for emerging groups. The collegial management of the unit should be reinforced to maintain cohesion and collaborations between the research groups, to recruit new outstanding teams, and to ensure that the IECB science policies impact positively the ARNA projects.

The high level of collaboration between groups of the unit should be maintained. The experts committee encourages the director to take a small overhead from the grants in order to facilitate the emergence of transversal collaborative projects and favor their maturation for an ANR application, and to reinforce the communication between chemists and biologists so that innovative chemistry can be developed to solve fundamental biological questions.

ARNA projects require specific knowledge and skills in physico-chemistry. Therefore, the affiliation of several ARNA teams to the Doctoral Chemistry School will be essential for recruting outstanding PhD students.

Although the teams have been successful in obtaining funding coming mainly from ANR, the most competitive research groups should apply to EU fundings and to international ANR grants.

Organizing international conferences would help to enhance the visibility of the multidisciplinary ARNA unit at the international level.

Although several teams have been successful in technology transfert, more efforts should be made in getting returns and revenues from patent licensing.

  Mr Roger MARTHAN (representative of the Doctoral School n°154 "Life Sciences and Health") Ms Stéphanie POMMIER, Inserm Mr Thierry TOUPANCE (representative of the Doctoral School n°040 "Chemistry") 1  Introduction History and geographical location of the unit

Unit workforce Unit workforce Number as at 30/06/2014 Number as at 01/01/2016

	SVE1_LS1, SVE2_LS9, SVE1_LS2, ST4
	N1: Permanent professors and similar positions	11	19
	N2: Permanent researchers from Institutions and similar positions	11	14
	N3: Other permanent staff (without research duties)	11	13
	N4: Other professors (Emeritus Professor, on-contract Professor, etc.)
	N5: Other researchers (Emeritus Research Director, Postdoctoral students, visitors, etc.)	22	27
	N6: Other contractual staff (without research duties)	2.5	2.5
	TOTAL N1 to N6	57.5	75.5

Unit workforce Number as at 30/06/2014 Number as at 01/01/2016

	Doctoral students	17
	Theses defended	21
	Postdoctoral students having spent at least 12 months in the unit	12
	Number of Research Supervisor Qualifications (HDR) taken	3
	Qualified research supervisors (with an HDR) or similar positions	13	22


Evaluation report

This report is the result of the evaluation by the experts committee, the composition of which is specified below.

The assessments contained herein are the expression of an independent and collegial deliberation of the committee.

Unit name:

Pathophysiology of neuronal plasticity The Neurocentre Magendie, located on the Campus of the Pharmacy and Medical Sciences of the University of Bordeaux, was founded in 2007 and is a multidisciplinary Institute focused on understanding the pathophysiology of neuronal plasticity. After a first phase (2007)(2008)(2009)(2010) during which the main aim was to develop integrated structures sharing common scientific goals with high attractiveness for young people, the strategy of the second phase (2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015) was to increase the number of personnel through the recruitment of new teams and to provide new energy to the senior team in order to improve its competitiveness. At the end of the second period, 9 teams reached the status of senior team and the work force was around 175 people. At the same time, much effort was made to increase the available space (increase of about 3850 m 2 ) and to increase the number of tenure personnel (23 new tenure personnel). This strategy has been successful and year-by-year the Neurocentre Magendie has increased its visibility becoming one of the leaders in neuroscience research as also attested by the very high profile of publications in outstanding journals.

Management team

The Neurocentre is governed by three bodies each of them with different powers: 1) the Board of Directors constituted by the director, the general secretary and all the group leaders; 2) the Executive Committee constituted by the director, the general secretary and two deputy directors and 3) the Institute Council constituted by all the team leaders, the general secretary, the health and safety officers and the veterinarian in charge of the animal facilities. Moreover other members are elected at the beginning of each term as follows: 5 representatives of researchers, 5 of technicians, 2 of PhD and 2 of post-docs.

The board of directors takes decisions concerning both day-to-day management issues and more important decisions concerning the purchase of new equipment, hosting new teams, redistribution of space, etc. It generally works by consensus, or when impossible, after a positive vote of a two thirds majority.

The Executive Committee decides how to implement the decisions taken by the Board of Directors. Moreover the Executive Committee also takes care of the organizational aspects of the center.

The Institute Council meets every 3 months and reports and gives updates on the board of director's decisions and their implementation by the Executive Committee. It also suggests new actions and points out problems that should be resolved. This organization works very efficiently allowing decisions to be reached rapidly, agreement reached on their implementation and notably, allowing the choices to be shared with the Institute Council thus receiving an important feedback from the users.

Finally, the center has a centralized administrative services organized in specialized departments that provides administrative assistance allowing the research team to spend minimum time on administrative tasks and offers personalized assistance for all administrative issues.

In 2013, 50% of the Neurocentre Magendie total budget was dedicated to salaries and 50% to the operational budget. 10% of the operational budget is allocated to a common budget while the remaining 90% is directly managed by the team leaders. The common budget is administered by the director and general secretary after approval of a provisional budget by the Board of Directors. It is divided into two areas, one for general services and the other for the common services and platform. 2  Overall assessment of the unit

HCERES nomenclature-

SVE1_LS4 SVE1_LS5

Global assessment of the unit

The Neurocentre Magendie is an outstanding institute where young teams study the pathophysiology of behavioural pathologies. The center has gained an outstanding international reputation producing very original results on the basic mechanism of the pathologies studied and opening a new focus on the translation of the data for new therapies. The unit organization is of such an excellent, dynamic and positive standard that it could be proposed as a model for other institutions. The interaction between the different teams is excellent and extremely productive allowing them to integrate their knowledge for a common aim. Several important awards and international funding has been obtained and the center contributes in an excellent manner to improving the training programmes in Neurosciences and Neuropharmacology at the University of Bordeaux and is extremely active in the recruitment of PhD students. The center is very well integrated with the environment supporting several cultural activities and organizing national and international events. The presence of common and modern services and platforms is a valuable asset allowing the rapid development of research. The future 5-year plan is very ambitious and aims to put the center in pole position for the discovery of new therapies for the diseases studied. The strategy is excellent and well delineated and will allow the center to maintain its outstanding profile. free access to top-notch facilities within the unit;

collaboration with pharmaceutical companies.

Weaknesses and threats related to the context

Collaboration with companies and clinicians could be improved.

Recommendations

extending partnership with industry; -extending partnership with clinicians.

  , University of Bristol, UK Mr Pierrick POISBEAU, CNRS, Strasbourg (representative of the CNU) Mr Jean-Luc PUEL, Inserm, Montpellier (representative of the CSS Inserm) Ms Nathalie ROUACH, Collège de France, Paris Scientific delegate representing the HCERES: Mr Jean-Marie ZAJAC Representatives of the unit's supervising institutions and bodies: Mr Yannick LUNG, Université de Bordeaux Mr Roger MARTHAN (representative of the Doctoral School n°154 "Sciences de la Vie et de la Santé") Ms Anne ROCHER, Inserm 1  Introduction History and geographical location of the unit

  Strengths and opportunities in relation to the context outstanding scientific output; -outstanding academic appeal; -outstanding organization of the unit; -excellent interaction with environment; -excellent activity of training through research; -excellent /outstanding future plan with participation of clinicians; -involvement in network of excellence;

The president of HCERES "countersigns the evaluation reports set up by the experts committees and signed by their chairman." (Article 8, paragraph 5)

The evaluation reports "are signed by the chairman of the expert committee". (Article 11, paragraph 2)


Evaluation report

This report is the result of the evaluation by the experts committee, the composition of which is specified below.

The assessments contained herein are the expression of an independent and collegial deliberation of the committee. The LPNC officially exists since 2002. At that time it included 3 teams: "Espace, action, perception" (resp.: Ms Sylvie CHOKRON); "Perception et mémoire" (resp.: Mr Christian MARENDAZ) and "Langage" (resp.: Ms Sylviane VALDOIS). In 2007, Ms Sylviane VALDOIS was named Director of the unit, which then included two teams: "Psychologie et neurocognition des systèmes perceptive-moteurs" (resp.: Mr Edouard GENTAZ) and "Psychologie et neurocognition des systèmes mnésiques et langagiers" (resp.: Ms Monica BACIU). It now again includes three teams, as described below.

Unit name:

Management team

Following the resignation of Ms Sylviane VALDOIS for personal motives, Ms Monica BACIU (PR) became director of the unit in January 2013. Given the increasing number of affiliated researchers, and following the recommendations of the former HCERES committee, at the same time the laboratory was restructured into three teams: "Language/Langage" (resp.: Ms Marie Line BOSSE, MCF), " 2  Overall assessment of the interdisciplinary unit

Global assessment of the unit

Thanks to converging research areas between three distinct research teams, to an interdisciplinary approach and to share technological tools and human resources, the LPNC presents a solid program that is well integrated with the local environment. In addition to an impressive scientific track record (e.g., high-level publications), numerous other outputs (diagnostic or reeducation tools, patents, databases) show the unit's implication in society and its interaction with the social, economic and cultural environment. The contribution of the unit to the general research community is also invaluable, as it has developed and made accessible several tools aimed at helping experimental psychologists to design rigorous experimental materials. In addition, the LPNC is a quite convivial and collegial unit, and its involvement in training through research is strong, as it comprises a large effective of teachers who are associated to the coordination of several national masters and actively participate to undergraduate teaching programs. The team also seems very attractive to PhD students as they supervise numerous students with a financial support and training abroad. All these aspects contribute to make the LPNC one of the strongest national units in their field of expertise. In comparison to other teams in the field worldwide, the scientific quality and outputs of the LPNC are excellent (top 20%), its academic reputation and appeal is very good (top 40%), its social, economic and cultural interaction with the environment is outstanding (top 5%), its organisation and life is excellent, its involvement in training through research is excellent, and it presents several excellent scientific projects with a good 5 year plan and strategy.

Strengths and opportunities in relation to the context

The unit has developed several research programs in a collaborative and international context, using cuttingedge interdisciplinary scientific methods. The unit shows an impressive track record of PhD students, grants, publications in high impact-factor peer-reviewed journals and implication in society. Several topics are very original and highly promising.

Weaknesses and threats related to the context

The main risk is the number and diversity of the research topics addressed by the unit, which may eventually impact the visibility of its activity and the coherence of its strategy and five-year plan. While all of the various scientific sub-projects are related to a general theme developed by one of the three teams (e.g., language, perception and sensorimotricity, memory and development), their theoretical coherence, even within team, is not always clear. In addition, considering the diversity both of the topics and of the methods used, the support in terms of both full time researchers (without teaching commitment) and technicians/engineers is insufficient. Collaborative projects and fundraising at the European level, as well as the contribution to scientific responsibility on the international scene, could be enhanced.

Recommendations

Increasing the degree of cohesiveness across the (at least within-team) sub-projects would enhance the visibility of the obviously excellent scientific expertise of the unit. This could be achieved, for example, by reducing the number of research topics through reorganizing the existing ones as a function of theoretical approaches. This could be paralleled by an increase of the number of full time researchers (without teaching commitment) and technicians/engineers. Increasing the number of international financial supports and international visitors would help to achieve this aim.

  , Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgique Experts: Ms Muriel BOUCART, Université Lille 2 Mr Yann COELLO, Université Lille 3 (representative of the CNU) Ms Cheryl FRENCK-MESTRE, Université Aix-Marseille (representative of the CoNRS) Scientific delegates representing the HCERES: Ms Céline SOUCHAY Mr Jean-Marie ZAJAC Representatives of the unit's supervising institutions and bodies: Mr Jérôme GENSEL, UPMF Grenoble Ms Anne GUERIN (director of the Doctoral School, EDISCE n°215) Mr Roman KOSSAKOWSKI, Université de Savoie Mr Jean-Louis VERCHER, CNRS 1  Introduction History and geographical location of the unit Originating from the very well-known LPE ("Laboratoire de Psychologie expérimentale"), created in 1975, the LPNC unit ("Laboratoire de Psychologie et NeuroCognition") is located at Campus Universitaire de Saint Martin d'Héres, Bâtiment des Sciences Humaines et Mathématiques (BSHM) of the Université Pierre Mendès France, Avenue centrale Domaine Universitaire, Grenoble.

Unit workforce Number as at 30/06/2014 Number as at 01/01/2016

  Memory and Cognitive Development/Mémoire et Développement Cognitif" (resp.: Mr Olivier PASCALIS, DR CRNS) and "Perception and Sensory-Motricity/Perception et sensori-motricité" (resp.: Ms Carole PEYRIN, CR CRNS).

	HCERES nomenclature
	SVE1
	SHS4_2 Psychologie
	Unit workforce
	N1: Permanent professors and similar positions PR, MCF	25 (12.5)	26
	N2: Permanent researchers from Institutions and similar positions (CR, DR, PH, ITA-R) 10 chercheurs, 6 ITA recherche, 3 PH	19 (16.83)	19
	N3: Other permanent staff (without research duties) ITA-administratifs	5 (3.23)	5
	N4: Other professors (Emeritus Professor, on-contract Professor, etc.) PREM, ATER,PH	10 (2)	8
	N5: Other researchers from Institutions (Emeritus Research Director, Postdoctoral students, visitors, etc.) Post-doctorat, CDD chercheur	7 (7)	2
	N6: Other contractual staff
	(without research duties)
	TOTAL N1 to N6	66 (41,56)	60
	N1, N2, N3 =

permanents (49 membres ; 32,56 ETPT) N4, N5 = non-permanents (17 membres ; 9 ETPT) Unit workforce Number as at 30/06/2014 Number as at 01/01/2016

	Doctoral students	33
	Theses defended	25
	Postdoctoral students having spent at least 12 months in the unit	8
	Number of Research Supervisor Qualifications (HDR) taken	4
	Qualified research supervisors (with an HDR) or similar positions	22	26


Evaluation report

This report is the result of the evaluation by the experts committee, the composition of which is specified below.

The assessments contained herein are the expression of an independent and collegial deliberation of the committee.

Unit name:

Hypoxie PhysioPathologie Unit acronym: For the past 5 years the structure of the laboratory and its scientific project have been based on 4 groups 2 in animal research (one on Vascular remodelling and atherosclerosis and one on Adaptation to chronic intermittent hypoxia: HIF-1 and its target genes, both located on the 6th floor of the Jean Roget Building, medical faculty campus, Grenoble University) and 2 in translational and clinical research (one on sleep apnea and hypoxia, and the other on exercise and hypoxia located in the Hôpital Michallon and the Hôpital Sud, respectively). The HP2 laboratory will be one of the main cornerstones of the CReSi Center for integrative health a core project of University Grenoble-Alpes in the coming years. This center will promote cross-disciplinary approaches and innovative technologies for both the healthy ageing population and chronic diseases including sleep apnea

Management team

The former director is Mr Patrick LEVY and the future director is Mr Jean-Louis PEPIN.

There are three subteams: 1) Preclinical team; 2) Clinical and Translational research team: Intermittent Hypoxia and Sleep Apnea; 3) Exercise-Hypoxia team HCERES nomenclature 2  Overall assessment of the unit

SVE1_LS4

Unit workforce

Unit workforce

Global assessment of the unit

This unit is an outstanding translational program on Sleep disorders and related intermittent hypoxia. They focused their research on cardiovascular diseases and on the metabolism disorders after sleep disturbance and intermittent hypoxia. Their reasearch is based on novel cell studies, unique and strong murine models and cutting edge clinical tools. Their findings have societal impact due to the high proportion of inhabitants afflicted by sleep apnea and obesity. They are highly supported by the industry which is eager to use new devices and is willing to value several patents. They have developped website for patient education in the presence of sleep disorders and created rehabilitation programs based on knowledge developped on the benefits of exercice and of exposure to hypoxia.

Their translational research is attractive and has allowed the emergence of very talented young principal investigators (two of them from INSERM) and the arrival of doctorants and post-doctorants including 3 of them from abroad coming with their own resources. They have received remarkable public and private fundings which are well diserved and will allow to expend their program and exploit results .

The future is promising with not only strong research background but also the arrival young researchers with very structuring projects supported by their university and by national and international collaborations where they have leader positions. The creation of a new plattform CReSI center for integrative health, a core project of the University Grenoble-Alpes will allow to give the best environment for basic sciences to unravel physiopathologic mechanisms involved in major chronic diseases some of which are chaired in Cancer genesis.

Strengths and opportunities in relation to the context

This group has built a unique entity addressing adverse cardiovascular and metabolic consequences of intermittent hypoxia and sleep apnea, using both in vitro models, unique murine approaches and innovative clinical research.

They are part of prospective observational cohorts, with phenotyping and biobanking of non obese and other wise healthy patients with obstructive sleep apnea cohort addressing the specific impact of intermittent hypoxia without confounders. This is unique in the field. The "Observatoire Sommeil de la Fédération Francaise de Pneumologie (OSFP)"is the largest registry in the world with more than 80.0000 patients lead by this team of Grenoble. Biobanking in at least 3 projects should help to further define personnalized therapeutic strategies to avoid systemic and vascular inflammation or non alcoholic fatty liver disease.

The clinical and transitional exercise team has delopped new tools to quantify microvascular function in healthy subjects and in physiopathological setting to allow pharmacologic studies on microvascular dysfunction related to sleep apnea. One of these tools is a choroid and optic nerve head blood flow analysis by laser doppler flowmetry prototype. This preclinical team cover three main topics related to intermittent hypoxia on vascular remodeling, cardiovascular and their metabolic consequences with elaborated basic biologic approaches. Among the metabolic pathways the role of leukotrienes, the stress of endoplasmic reticulum and of oxidative stress are the most successful and promising for new therapeutic approaches.

The exercise-hypoxia team show a strong new impetus. Powerfull tools such as magnetic resonance imaging or transcranial magnetic stimulation have been implemented into a platform to provide exhaustive and integrated evaluation of cardiometabolic and neuromuscular functions. These tools are used to see how exercise training can impact cardiovascular and metabolic status in various patient population such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), obese patients or rheumatic diseases. Similarities between hypoxic pathways in these later diseases and the hypoxic environment of tumor is of great promise.

The socio-cultural impact is already obvious for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders related to sleep diseases. With patient organisations telemetric projects have been built and teaching program organised part of which are website based.

The organisation of the unit has been strenghten lately with the emergence of new team leaders recognised internationally and highly appreciated by doctorants and post-doctorants recruited in greater number. The three groups meet on a regular rythm and exchanges occur despites dispersion of sites between the south and north of Grenoble.

The impact on the academic community is clear with more than 210 publications since 2011, a large number of invitations internationally. The group has shown himself attractive for young scientists but also for phase 1 and 2 trials in pharmacologic developements, and is remarkable for the use of new tools and of promising patents to correct apneas for instance.

The scientific strategy is excellent with many complementarities in the research from cell biology, murine model and clinical studies either in hypoxic environment, hypoxic diseases or during exercise. The similarities between hypoxic conditions and the tumors hopen new venues. The new platform CReSI center for integrative health, a project of the University Grenoble-Alpes will allow to involve further basic sciences to facilitate even further translational research.

Weaknesses and threats related to the context

The presence of the group on two campus (north and south) is an handicap which is been overwhelmed by regular meetings from the PhD students and researchers. The transition of director will need a close coordination of projects to facilitate further in depth research and focus on mechanisms . The young rising team leaders will facilitate these approaches and exchanges

The number of full time INSERM researchers needs to be increased.

There is a lack of sufficient technical staff especially for animal experiments.

Recommendations

The translational approach of sleep disorders and intermittent hypoxia makes this unit a leader in the field. They have established unique models to try to unravel physiopathologic pathways further in depth. There are opportunities to build on actual cohorts, to further define biomarkers and new therapeutic targets. In this regard omics, in particular proteomics or metabolomics could open great opportunities.

  Christine ALESSI (représentante des CSS INSERM) Mr Konrad BLOCH, UniversitätsSpital Zürich, Switzerland Ms Geneviève DERUMEAUX, représentante du CNU Mr Raphaël HEINZER, Centre d'Investigation et de Recherche sur le Sommeil, Switzerland Scientific delegate representing the HCERES: Mr Patrick LACOLLEY Representatives of the unit's supervising institutions and bodies: Mr Jean-Luc BOSSON, Joseph Fourier University Ms Chantal LASSERRE, INSERM 1  Introduction History and geographical location of the unit The HP2 laboratory has been created in 2001 to develop an original research project addressing adverse cardiovascular and metabolic consequences of intermittent hypoxia and sleep apnea, using both animal models and innovative clinical research.

  Both animal and clinical research was supported through active cooperation with various French INSERM and CNRS teams (INSERM U870/ INRA 1235 Lyon, UMR 5241 CNRS Toulouse, Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition, Pitié-Salpétrière Hospital, Paris and INSERM U872, INSERM U1063 in Angers as well as local and international cooperation

Number as at 30/06/2014 Number as at 01/01/2016

	N1: Permanent professors and similar positions	22	25
	N2: Permanent researchers from Institutions and similar positions	2	2
	N3: Other permanent staff (without research duties)	6	6
	N4: Other professors (Emeritus Professor, on-contract Professor, etc.)	1	1
	N5: Other researchers (Emeritus Research Director, Postdoctoral students, visitors, etc.)	4	4

N6: Other contractual staff (without research duties) 12 11 TOTAL N1

to N6 45 47 Unit workforce Number as at 30/06/2014 Number as at 01/01/2016

	Doctoral students	11
	Theses defended	16
	Postdoctoral students having spent at least 12 months in the unit	1
	Number of Research Supervisor Qualifications (HDR) taken	4
	Qualified research supervisors (with an HDR) or similar positions	19	26