The Labelled Research Unit ULR 4483-IMPECS (Impact of the Chemical Environment on Health), from the University of Lille, is attached to the Laboratory of Genetic Toxicology of the Pasteur Institute of Lille for the five-year period 2026-2030The laboratory's scientific program is based on a multidisciplinary approach focused on the impacts of airborne contaminants (fine and ultrafine particles, cigarette smoke, welding fumes, fire smoke, etc.) on human health. The work of the Laboratory of Genetic Toxicology consists of analyzing, using in vitro and in vivo models, the genotoxic and pre-cancerous mutagenic mechanisms of action of airborne contaminants at the pulmonary level.

Since genetic toxicology is a cross-disciplinary science, the Laboratory of Genetic Toxicology at the Pasteur Institute of Lille also participates in many other projects covering various public health topics and generates results essential for the assessment of health risks.

Discover our expertise in toxicology

Cross-functional projects

Study of the effects of mixtures of potentially endocrine-disrupting substances

The objective is to study the effects of mixtures representative of dietary exposure in France to potentially endocrine-disrupting (ED) substances. The team is attempting to identify the main mixtures of potentially endocrine-disrupting substances to which the French population is exposed according to different dietary patterns in infants and adults. The team is therefore conducting in vitro tests that provide data on certain mechanisms and pathways of endocrine activity, including the binding affinity and activation of estrogen and androgen receptors, steroidogenesis, and thyroid dysfunction assays.

Develop new models

This project aims to validate an innovative 3D model of human hepatocytes for analyzing genotoxicity related to chemically induced human hepatocellular carcinogenesis. The objective is therefore to implement in vitro models of 3D spheroid cultures of hepatocytes and to compare these in vitro results with those obtained in standard in vivo genotoxicity assays, with the ultimate goal of replacing the animal model.

Project SOFTGLUE: A pain-relieving tissue closure ("glue")

Pain is now the most common reason why patients consult a doctor. After surgery, it is considered one of the most distressing symptoms, and poor tissue adhesion causes irritation and tension, which are an additional source of pain. In such cases, analgesics are administered to relieve the pain, but their effect lasts only a few hours. In this context, the SOFTGLUE project, coordinated by Dr. Ruxandra Gref (Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay), aims to develop a non-toxic "flexible adhesive" that can suture skin and liver wounds without mechanical stress (i.e., without rigidity) while providing long-lasting analgesic relief. This project, funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR), is being conducted in partnership with Priscille Brodin (CIIL).

PACKSAFE Project: Integrated chemical safety assessment of food contact articles

Food packaging is a source of chemical contamination of food due to the migration of substances, sometimes toxic, whether intentionally added (compounds used in the packaging's base formulation) or unintentionally added (degradation products, impurities, etc.). In this context, the PACKSAFE project, funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR) and coordinated by Professor Marie-Christine Chagnon (AgroSup Dijon), aims to develop a multidisciplinary approach (physicochemical analysis, toxicology, chemometrics) to guarantee the safety of finished packaging (paper, cardboard, plastics) and thus ensure consumer health.

Project on the Evaluation of the Carcinogenic Potential of Heated Tobacco Emissions

Tobacco use poses a major public health problem, causing 8 million deaths worldwide each year. Smoking cessation is currently the only effective way to slow the progression of tobacco-related cancers. In recent years, new nicotine delivery devices have appeared on the market and rapidly gained popularity even before sufficient scientific evidence of their safety for users existed. This is the case with electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and heated tobacco products (HTPs), which are claimed to be less harmful than cigarettes due to the absence of tobacco combustion. However, most toxicological analyses concerning heated tobacco have been conducted by the tobacco industry itself. Consequently, authorities urgently need further independent scientific investigations into the potential toxicity of heated tobacco in order to regulate these products in the future. Our project, funded by the INCA (National Cancer Institute), in collaboration with Philippe Gosset's team (CIIL), aims to assess the carcinogenic potential of heated tobacco emissions using two approaches: (i) an in vivo carcinogenicity study in a mouse model with repeated exposure to heated tobacco, and (ii) an in vitro study in human lung cells to better understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the carcinogenic processes associated with new tobacco products. This project should provide relevant and independent information on the carcinogenic potential of heated tobacco emissions and thus contribute to a better risk assessment of these new tobacco products by health agencies.

OZONO-TOX Project: Comparison of the toxicity of fire smoke residues present on firefighters' protective clothing, before and after decontamination by ozonolysis.

As part of their firefighting efforts, firefighters are directly exposed to smoke during fire suppression operations or indirectly to smoke residue on their personal protective equipment (PPE). Decontaminating their PPE remains a major concern. Ozone (O3) cabinets have recently been integrated into decontamination protocols as an alternative to traditional washing. However, no studies have yet evaluated the toxicity of the oxidation products formed, such as the oxygenated and nitrated derivatives of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). The objective of this study, funded by ANSES, is to compare (1) the chemical composition of PAHs and their derivatives (i.e., oxy- and nitro-PAHs) and the oxidizing potential of combustion residues on fire jackets, before and after ozonolysis, and (2) to evaluate their toxicity in terms of mutagenicity/genotoxicity, oxidative stress, inflammatory response and alteration of critical signaling pathways in in vitro models of human pulmonary and cutaneous epithelia.