SCR&Tox

Prof. Marc Peschanski

Scientific Coordinator of SCR&Tox, based at the Institute for Stem cell Therapy and Exploration of Monogenic diseases (I-Stem) at Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (Inserm), France

Research field

Stem Cells, Toxicology

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Who?

“My passion for stem cells began 30 years ago. These cells form the basis of the regenerative medicine of the future. The cells enable me to do what I dreamed of: to treat patients”, confesses Professor Marc Peschanski. Prof. Peschanski has been exploring the therapeutic application of embryonic stem cells for years now.

Why?

It is vital to identify toxic compounds at an early stage in their development. Human pluripotent stem cell lines can divide indefinitely and can be triggered to differentiate into any cell type. This makes them uniquely suited to develop a wide variety of human cell-based tests, providing an alternative to animal testing.

What?

SCR&Tox aims to develop methods to predict the toxicity of drugs and cosmetics in tissues derived from pluripotent stem cells. “We will measure if cellular pathways within tissues are altered by chronic exposure to these products, focussing on five organs: the liver, heart, skin, nervous system and musculoskeletal system.”

How?

SCR&Tox brings together 13 internationally renowned research teams and manufacturers from France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and the UK. Its members provide a wide range of expertise needed to develop biological and technological resources. SCR&Tox is closely associated with other European consortia to form the SEURAT-1 consortium.

Stem cells: an alternative to animal testing

Differentiation of stem cells into neurons

Image credit: Inserm / A. Perrier

Stem cells in culture at Inserm unit “Institute for Stem cell Therapy and Exploration of Monogenic diseases" (I-Stem)

Image credit: Inserm / P. Latron

Immunofluorescence microscopic observation of a cluster of cells undergoing differentiation

Image credit: Inserm / P. Latron

November 2012: meeting of Marc Peschanski, Scientific Coordinator of SCR&Tox, with Nobel Prize winner Shinya Yamanaka

Image credit: L. Audinet / AFM

European SCR&Tox team

Image credit: Inserm

Induced pluripotent stem cells reprogramming (iPS)

Video in French

Drug discovery using screening in cell models

Video in French

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SCR&Tox project website I-Stem TV YouTube channel Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century SEURAT-1 (the related projects) Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (Inserm) SyStemAge (a related project)

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Background image: SCR&Tox

Portrait of the project coordinator: SCR&Tox

Timeline (in chronological order): 1950: Inserm / F. Koulikoff; 1958: Inserm / M. Depardieu; 1991: Inserm / M. Peschanski; 2012: Abhijit Bhaduri on Flickr Creative Commons