AniRA Phenotyping
PRESENTATION
The AniRA-Phenotyping department provides comprehensive phenotyping services focused on various physiological systems, including the cardiovascular system, metabolism, the immune system, and the skeletal system. Phenotyping allows standardized and functional characterization of rodent models. This department aims to better understand gene function, fundamental biological mechanisms, and the pathophysiology of infectious diseases, as well as to identify and validate potential new drug targets.
Currently, AniRA-Phenotyping offers customized phenotyping services to the entire scientific community (academic or private), including:
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Immune system phenotyping, cellular/tissue metabolism analysis, and mineralized tissue phenotyping by micro-CT (AniRA-ImmOs). These services largely rely on the flow cytometry platform (AniRA-Cytométrie) and the (AniRA-PBES) animal facility.
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Phenotyping in metabolic, cardiovascular, and autonomic nervous system domains (AniPhy).
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Neurotransmitter studies using custom-developed biosensors for small molecule detection (AniRA-BELIV).
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Cardiac phenotyping and studies of ischemia-reperfusion syndromes in the heart, kidney, and brain (AniRA-IxPlora)
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SERVICEs offered
Immune System – Cellular Physiology
The AniRA-ImmOs platform enables comprehensive immune system analysis using standardized, quantitative, and validated methods, along with cellular metabolism assessment.
The platform provides the necessary equipment and expertise for experiments in three main areas:
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Immune System: Complete immunophenotyping of genetically modified mice, validated animal models for immune system assessment, and innovative multiparametric testing.
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Cellular Metabolism: Measurement of oxygen consumption (respiration) and extracellular acidification rate (glycolysis) in proliferating cells (adherent or suspension), tissues, biopsies, or small organisms (Drosophila larvae, zebrafish embryos, nematodes, etc.).
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Skeletal System: Micro-CT analysis, ideal for studying osteoporosis, osteopetrosis, or other mineralized tissues (teeth, jaw, etc.).
AniRA-ImmOs offers expertise, guidance, and technical support to all users. Cutting-edge equipment is available after training (Seahorse Analyzer, Fluorospot/ELISpot, Luminex, Micro-CT, etc.). The platform relies heavily on AniRA-Cytométrie and the AniRA-PBES animal facility, which possess extensive equipment.
More details: AniRA-ImmOs
metabolism
The AniPhy platform provides expertise and support through specific experiments (on demand) and comprehensive metabolic analyses to evaluate in vivo energy balance in mice. Phenotyping is performed under basal or modified energy conditions using standardized techniques to detect defects in energy metabolism, glucose homeostasis, and more. AniPhy also provides guidance and scientific support for experimental design and the development of new metabolic research techniques.
The platform has the equipment and expertise to conduct in vivo experiments in four major areas:
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Metabolic: Food and water intake, acute metabolic tests (ITT, GTT), spontaneous and forced physical activity, functional body composition assessment by MRI (fat mass/lean mass/fluid).
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Cardiovascular: Blood pressure telemetry (systolic, diastolic, mean) with or without ECG, plethysmography, catheterization, etc.
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Autonomic Nervous System: Measurement of sympathetic nerve activity, peripheral nerve electrical stimulation, etc.
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Muscular: Various surgical procedures (catheter implantation, osmotic pumps, flow probes, telemetry sensors) and development of new surgical techniques as needed.
AniPhy is located at the Rockefeller campus (SFR Santé) and is part of the Claude Bernard University of Lyon shared platform network.
More details: AniPhy services
Neurochemistry
The AniRA-BeLIV platform enables biochemical analysis of the nervous system or neuronal tissues using custom-developed microsensors. AniRA-BeLIV also provides tools to research teams within IFNL (Lyon Federative Neuroscience Institute) and external teams (research groups, hospitals, pharmaceutical industry) through service offerings or training programs.
More details:
Cardiovascular System
The AniRA-IxPlora platform offers services, advice, and advanced equipment to detect key cardiac phenotypes and study ischemia-reperfusion syndromes in the heart, kidney, and brain.
By evaluating in vivo cardiovascular function, iXplora can detect:
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Congenital heart defects
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Systolic and/or diastolic dysfunction
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Myocardial infarction
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Valvular diseases
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Hypertrophy, arrhythmias, and more
AniRA-IxPlora also provides pathological models (ischemia-reperfusion) to reveal pathological phenotypes in rodents and pigs.
Additional AniRA-Phenotyping Offerings
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Access to technological instruments
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Collaborative research projects
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Custom-tailored service offerings
"ANIRA R&D" PROGRAM
Since 2014, SFR Biosciences has organized an annual call for proposals to support collaborative projects in methodological or technological innovation. Projects are evaluated by a scientific committee of 4 researchers and 4 platform staff members based on:
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Scientific quality and innovation
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Relevance to the scientific community
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Potential to develop new services within SFR Biosciences platforms
MANAGEMENT QUALITE
To better meet users’ needs and ensure transparency and reliability of research results, SFR Biosciences initiated an ISO 9001 quality management process and created a Quality Management Unit.
This unit actively coordinates the operational implementation of quality projects across SFR technical platforms, including AniRA, which is IBiSA-labeled.
More information: Management Qualité
