Projects awarded labels

SIGNALIFE

The “SIGNALIFE” program was awarded LabEx status in 2011 before joining the UCAJEDI IDEX. LabEx SIGNALIFE aims to develop a research network across six top-level research institutes at Université Côte d’Azur. The project contributes to the development of a novel interactive network in life sciences, focusing on the study of signaling pathways in animals and plants, which are essential for understanding human health and fundamental biological mechanisms. The program is structured around five main research themes:

Cellular architecture | Cellular plasticity | Stress signaling pathways | Aging and disease development | Novel concepts

ICST

The Laboratory of Excellence for Therapeutically Relevant Ion Channels / LabEx ICST was selected in 2012 during the second round of the LabEx call for projects. Out of 195 submitted projects, ICST was ranked first ex aequo by the International Jury. A European-scale national network LabEx ICST is a national network dedicated to understanding ion propagation processes across cell membranes to validate new therapeutic targets for developing drugs against pain, epilepsy, cancer, cystic fibrosis, and various kidney diseases. This unique organization, based on recognized experts and extensive experience in ion channel research and discovery, constitutes one of the most visible consortia at the European level. ICST aims to become a globally recognized group in ion channel research, conducting innovative studies at the interface of medicine and biology. ContextIon channels allow ions to pass through cell membranes. They play a crucial role in numerous biological processes, including ion homeostasis, muscle contraction, heartbeat, hormone secretion, immune response, and the generation and propagation of nerve impulses. Due to their biological importance, ion channels are a major target for current drugs.
 

Research teams

LabEx ICST is supported by 16 teams from 7 research units: the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (IPMC, Sophia Antipolis), the Laboratory of Molecular Physio-Medicine (LP2M, Nice), the Valrose Institute of Biology (IBV, Nice), the Functional Genomics Institute (IGF, Montpellier), the Grenoble Institute of Neuroscience (GIN), the Structural Biology Institute (IBS, Grenoble), and the Laboratory of Cellular Physiology (PhyCell, Villeneuve d’Asq).
 

UCN@SOPHIA

Located on the SophiaTech Campus and integrated into Europe’s first technopole, LabEx UCN@Sophia offers researchers, students, and industry a unique platform for research, training, and innovation dedicated to future networks. Centered on a shared vision that places the user at the heart of the network, 120 computer science and telecommunications researchers from internationally recognized laboratories are developing tomorrow’s Internet services: intelligent content search, reliable and efficient distributed applications, high-performance wired and wireless infrastructures with low energy consumption, and networks ensuring data security and privacy. Intelligent transport and e-health are the two areas of application chosen to demonstrate the benefits of the developed methods and technologies and to conduct real-world experiments. This research program supports the emergence of the digital society, in a context of massive growth in demand (connected citizens), connected devices (Internet of Things), and data volume (Big Data), requiring a new generation of networks (5G) and genuine societal reflection.
 

GaNeXT

GaNeXT is a network of French laboratories working on a common theme: group III nitrides (BAlInGaN), with GaN as the emblematic representative. Nitrides are wide bandgap semiconductors whose intrinsic properties make them suitable for visible/UV emission and electronic components operating at high temperature, high frequency, and in harsh environments.

GaNeXT focuses primarily on electronics and secondarily on optics, both based on nitride materials. GaNeXT’s objective aligns with that of the PIA (Investments for the Future Program), particularly its second phase, which is to enhance the transfer of academic research into the commercial sector. In optics, the following three themes have been identified:

• Nanophotonics and integrated photonics
• Light sources emitting in the ultraviolet
• Flexible light matrices
• Power electronics, including high-voltage and vertical components
• RF electronics, including high-frequency, low-noise, and linear components