PAnTher (UMR703 INRAE/Oniris)
Animal Physiopathology and BioTherapy of the muscle and nervous system
The Unit in a few clicks
The Unit at a glance
Located in the veterinary campus of Oniris, PAnTher combines fundamental and translational research, clinical activity and high-level training in an original organization/team where veterinarians, researchers and physicians cross-fertilize their expertises to promote excellence and innovation for human and animal health.
Our laboratory hosts a state-of-the art core facility in fluorescence bio-imaging and comparative pathology. The platform, in partnership with NeurATRIS, a National labelled infrastructure in Biology and Health, and Emerg'INRAE, a Research infrastructure for animal and zoonotic emerging infectious diseases, acts as a scientific expert on animal models, pathogenesis of infectious diseases, development of preclinical studies and innovative therapeutics assessment.
Our vision: innovate to better understand
Values:
- Integrity and ethics
- Excellence and team spirit
- Innovation and open-mindedness
- Science with and for society
- Respect and social commitment
Located at the gates of Nantes, PAnTher benefits from a scientific environment with a rich and internationally recognized history of pre-clinical and medical research in the fields of oncology, transplantation and cardiology.
PAnTher is ideally integrated within the Nantes Veterinary School Oniris and its universitary hospital, the Boisbonne Gene and Cell Therapy Research Center and the INRAE Animal Health Department to carry out its primary missions of fundamental and applied research for the benefit of human and animal health.
PAnTher deciphers the fundamental mechanisms underlying rare genetic diseases that affect the muscle and the central nervous system and their interface - the neuromuscular junction, advances scientific knowledge and provides resources for advanced medical applications. To carry out its research, teaching and innovation missions, the UMR relies on 3 essential assets:
- an integrated research from gene to animal,
- the implementation of multidisciplinary approaches based on "omics" analysis, microfluidics, biophysics, chemistry and nanotechnologies,
- and a unique platform that combines the latest developments in bio-imaging with an internationally recognized expertise in comparative pathology.
Key words
PHYSIOPATHOLOGY - BIOTHERAPY - MUSCLE - NERVOUS SYSTEM - STEM CELLS - ADENO-ASSOCIATED VIRUS - ANIMAL MODELS - BIO-IMAGING
Unit Director
Pr Marie-Anne COLLE
Thesis offers
No thesis available
Introducing the unit
In 1999, PAnTher was the 1st INRA UMR to be set up at the National Veterinary School in Nantes, initially comprising teacher-researchers specialising in veterinary pathological anatomy and certified by the European College of Veterinary Pathologists (ECVP). The UMR PAnTher rapidly developed nationally recognised expertise in the field of animal models of pathology. In addition to its veterinary team, the laboratory employs scientists and engineers to strengthen its research and training activities.
From 2004, the PAnTher UMR extended its activities to the field of rare diseases affecting the muscle and nervous system, conducting applied research on gene and cell therapy strategies in large animals (dystrophic dogs, SMA cats, non-human primates).
In 2006, with the support of INRA, UMR PAnTher created a comparative pathology expertise platform - APEX - open to the scientific community.
In 2011, APEX strengthened its offering by developing new expertise in fluorescence bio-imaging and then in high-tech microscopy. Close collaboration with Nikon and the MicropiCell platform at the University of Nantes led to the creation of the Nikon Nantes Centre of Excellence (CENN) in 2016.
UMR PAnTher's work on innovative therapies has gradually opened up fundamental questions about the mechanisms of target diseases, leading to the current strategy of developing integrated approaches that address biological, pathophysiological and therapeutic issues as a continuum.
Research themes
Our research work is structured in 3 complementary axes:
- Stem cells: identity, Niche & Muscle repair
- Fundamental mechanisms in Pompe Disease
- Motor neuron - Myofiber - Schwann cell cross-talk in Pompe disease & SMA
Director of the unit
The unit at a glance
The UMR PAnTher deciphers the fundamental mechanisms underlying rare genetic diseases affecting the muscle, the nervous system and their interface - the neuromuscular junction, advances scientific knowledge and provides resources for advanced medical applications.