Ecophysiology and Ecotoxicology course (EPET)

Due to the transversal and methodological courses in Master 1 that are focused on different types of organisms and life environments, and owing to a specialization in Master 2 (animal/plant/microbes, marine/continental, experimentation/regulation), the courses taught by specialists in the field have the following objectives:

• To train graduates to address the complexity of relationships between organisms and their environment, focusing on the responses of different types of organisms and the consequences at the ecosystem level.
• Know the main mechanisms of acclimatization and detoxification/resistance of organisms: phenotype plasticity, epigenetics.
• Illustrate the different levels of approaches used in an environmental context, in the field and/or in the laboratory: molecular biology, biochemistry, physiology, ethology.
• Put into perspective the different abiotic (temperature, light, salinity, water, oxygen, pollutants) and biotic (food availability, parasitism, symbiosis) constraints in a context of anthropization and climate change.
• To make students aware of the importance of ecophysiological and ecotoxicological studies at the organism level in the resolution of environmental, industrial and management/protection problems of species and ecosystems, in the context of sustainable development.

This training involves many researchers and teacher-researchers from Sorbonne University developing research themes in ecophysiology and/or ecotoxicology on different sites of SU (Pierre and Marie Curie campus at Jussieu, biological stations of Roscoff, Banyuls,...) and on different models (micro-organisms, plants and animals) living in aquatic or terrestrial environments.

First year (M1)

The courses are organized in such a way that students can follow the common core of the BEE mention and progressively acquire knowledge in the fields of the specialization. The core curriculum covers the major environmental issues, data analysis and statistics, databases and remote sensing, English, professional integration, environmental law, and an introduction to the professional field through an internship in a laboratory or company.

A Fundamentals in Biodiversity course is offered to students of all BEE courses. It covers epistemology and history of environmental sciences, questions on evolution, current biodiversity and future issues.

Students in the Ecophysiology and Ecotoxicology track then specifically follow the "Ecophysiology" and "Toxicology and Ecotoxicology" courses. These cross-disciplinary courses deal with the different environments and the different types of organisms in various environmental contexts. The lectures are accompanied by numerous practical work sessions to provide students with the best possible training in the tools of the discipline.

The "Methodological Workshops in Ecophysiology" present a range of analytical tools applicable to any type of organism, regardless of its living environment, and are formalized by fifteen days of continuous practical work.

The internship lasts 2 months or more (if paid) and can take place in a laboratory or company.

Second year (M2)

The range of courses offered in M2 allows students to adapt their training to their professional project. Thus, students can specialize by selecting a combination of UEs of their choice or by choosing a course with predefined UEs.

Therefore, depending on this choice, it is possible to:

• Obtain a "Vegetable Trail" label
• Adapt the course more specifically towards continental or marine areas
• Specialize in environmental toxicology, owing to the scientific and professional courses of the specialty (regulatory (eco)toxicology, environmental law, etc.),
• or enroll in an international program through an ERASMUS exchange with partner universities or foreign universities offering equivalent training programs.

In S3, students must choose between 24 and 30 ECTS in the panel of UE of the specialization. The possibility is offered to select 6 ECTS outside the EPET panel (other specialties of the BEE master, of Sorbonne University or outside).

In S4, students complete a 30 ECTS internship in a laboratory or company.

This training is intended for students with a Bachelor's degree in biology or equivalent (with a focus on cell biology and physiology, organism biology or ecology), who have a solid knowledge of scientific disciplines and who wish to combine experimental approaches with environmental issues.

Applications will be reviewed based on 3 types of criteria:

• the quality of the candidate’s academic record, mainly in organismal biology and physiology, but also in other scientific disciplines such as statistics (level of training, transcripts);
• the relevance and coherence of the training project (motivations and adequacy of the candidate's profile in relation to the targeted professional opportunities);
• the experience acquired in the field of ecophysiology (choice of additional units, internships, professional or extra-professional activities).

• Academic or applied research in public or private institutes in the fields of ecophysiology, ethology, ecotoxicology, ecology, environment: researcher, teacher-researcher, engineer.
• New environmental jobs in biodiversity preservation, sustainable development, management and protection of organisms in the natural environment or in captivity, urban or rural pollution problems (local authorities, nature and zoological parks, associations, foundations and public or private agencies): study manager, mission manager, environment manager, sustainable development manager, regulatory ecotoxicologist.
• Professions involving the transmission of knowledge (teaching, training, etc.), the dissemination of knowledge, communication, and scientific animation and mediation: teacher, trainer, journalist.
• Executive in the bio-industry, food industry, pharmaceutical or chemical industry, R&D manager.