Research at PURPAN Engineering School is supported by five research departments and is structured around eight shared research platforms which are available to these departments.
Four are located on the Toulouse Campus, grouped together in the “Pôle de Recherche en agro-alimentaire et nutrition” (agri-food and nutrition research hub):
- – the Agri-food Technologies Hall
- – the TOAsT platform (oxidative technologies for agriculture and food processing in Toulouse)
- – the TFFFC (Toulouse Field-Flow Fractionation Center) platform, renowned for its analytical chemistry tools for characterizing very large molecules
- – physical and chemical analysis, microbiology and molecular biology laboratories
The other four are located on the Lamothe Campus and are grouped together at “Pôle de Recherche et d’expérimentation de Lamothe” (Lamothe research and experimentation hub):
Finally, there is a “Center of Excellence” with two chairs: In’FAAQT and BASE
Summary
Lamothe Research & Experimentation Hub
Agronomy, Agro-physiology and Plant Improvement Platform
Microplots, greenhouses, growth chambers, phytotrons.
Three objectives:
– Design and evaluation of sustainable
crop systems: innovating in input management and guaranteeing profitability.
– Sustainable partnerships at plot, farm and regional levels: start-ups, agricultural supply companies, farmers and cooperatives, etc.
– Scientific dissemination, extension and
direct transfer of knowledge and experience to farms.
Dairy Cow & Poultry Living Lab
Analyze the milk production of our herd of 120 cows, improve immunity and assess animal welfare through nutrition in poultry.
Methanization/Carbon/Energy workshop
The prototype micro-methanization unit positions PURPAN as a key player in the development of micro-methanization, and as a strong influence in the field of renewable energies and energy transition.
The prototype was developed between 2017 and 2022 as part of the MCube research project in partnership with ADG (Atelier des Graves), SIREA, INSA CRITT GPTE (Haute-Garonne), Ovalie Innovation. The project also included a thesis on the agronomic value of methanization digestates. The “EPUROGAZ” biogas purifier pilot (LCA UMR INPT/INRAE 1010, EPURTEK, GRDF, ADG) is also hosted on site. In 2024, a study is underway to develop this prototype into a fully-fledged production tool on the farm, as well as to develop research and teaching activities there.
Biodiversity observatory
The Lamothe Campus built and launched a wide-ranging territorial and skills partnership by launching the “Reconquering Biodiversity in Agroforestry Environments” program.
This program benefits from the support and expertise of the Conservatoire des Espaces Naturels d’Occitanie (CEN Occitanie), as the Lamothe Campus is part of the network of 50 pilot farms in the Life Biodi’Paysanne project. PURPAN and CEN Occitanie formalized this collaboration by creating the “Agro-Silvicultural Biodiversity and Environment” (BASE) Chair
Launched in a pedagogical context, the first significant actions won the Lamothe Campus an award at the 8th annual “Trophées des Campus Responsables” awards in 2022. This ambitious program is searching for the human and financial resources to bring the following current or scheduled actions to fruition:
– Planting/restoring hedgerows
– Digging ponds
– Securing a mature and established ten-hectare forest
– Arboretum in the grounds of the Lamothe Campus château
– Creating three types of agro-silvo-pastoral rangelands
Food & Nutrition Research Hub
Agri-food Technologies Hall
The role of this 735 m² facility is as much related to research as it is to teaching. It enables students to experiment with projects in different sectors of the agri-food market: milk, yogurt, cheese, bread, beer, pasta, fruit juices, wine, etc.
They study food processing in practice while respecting its nutritional and health qualities.
The hall is of great interest to research and development companies looking to design new products. PURPAN’s research professors can support them in their endeavors, sometimes with help from the school’s students if the project allows.
TOAsT* platform
Created in 2017, the objective of the TOAsT platform is to identify oxidative technologies and their conditions of use. The low persistence of these oxidizing products would reduce phytosanitary product residues on consumer foodstuffs.
Ozone in particular has been tested in these technologies, and the results obtained are promising for key stages in the production of plants, fruits, vegetables or cereals as a total or partial substitute for phytopharmaceutical products.
*Oxidative Technologies for Agriculture and Food Processing
TFFFC platform (Toulouse Field-Flow Fractionation Center)
Field-Flow Fractionation (FFF) techniques are of great interest in characterizing various complex samples (proteins, polypeptides, nanoparticles, polymers, emulsions, cells/viruses, etc.) that are frequently encountered in many industrial sectors (pharmaceuticals, nanotechnology, agri-food, biotechnology, materials, etc.).
The Toulouse FFF Center, the only platform of its kind in Europe, provides industrial and academic partners with access to the various FFF techniques currently available (AsFlFFF, SdFFF, ThFFF, EAF4, etc.) coupled with different types of detectors (UV, RI, Mals, DLS, particle analyzers, etc.) as part of collaborative research projects.
Physical and Chemical Analysis, Microbiology and Molecular Biology Laboratory
Physical and Chemical Analysis Laboratory
This laboratory is equipped with the following techniques: GC, GC-MS, UHPLC, preparative HPLC, elemental analyzer, UV-visible spectrophotometer, NIRS, RAMAN, used to quantify and identify a broad spectrum of molecules (pesticides, metabolites, etc.)
Microbiology and Molecular Biology Laboratory
This laboratory is equipped with laminar flow hoods, PCR, RT-PCR, electrophoresis, extraction systems, etc.
It enables the identification and quantification of different types of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, etc.) that make up either flora of interest in agricultural matrices (lactic bacteria in milk), or pathogenic flora on plants or fruit.
It also enables gene expression analysis, mainly of plant defense genes.
Chairs
BASE Chair (Agro-Silvicultural Biodiversity and Environment)
Launched in 2022, this chair aims to design and implement communication, teaching and research activities, in particular in the fields of improving knowledge and implementing biodiversity conservation means in agrosystems and in forests.
This mission involves several activities:
- Promoting to as many stakeholders as possible, and in particular to the general public; approaches to operational biodiversity conservation, taking part in or organizing information events.
- Contributing to teaching initiatives: the BASE Chair contributes to the development and implementation of courses in applied biology and operational biodiversity conservation, targeting PURPAN undergraduates in particular.
- Contributing to research initiatives: thanks to the support it receives, the BASE Chair proposes or contributes to research projects involving, for example, the use of shared equipment on different sites (Lamothe and Toulouse campuses for PURPAN, CEN d’Occitanie sites).
In’FAAQT Chair (Innovation in the fields of Agricultural and Agri-food, Quality and the Regions)
Launched in 2019, and the first teaching and research chair dedicated to qualification processes in agriculture, the In’FAAQT Chair aims to support the transition of agricultural and agri-food businesses through socio-economic innovation within quality sectors in France.
Local presence, generational renewal, governance and collective action, value chains, environmental sustainability, new consumer expectations, etc.
Its 2020–2025 program focuses on research, training and disseminating the scientific insights generated in close collaboration with industry professionals. As it is not a separate legal entity in its own right, it is backed by the Fonds de Dotation de l’Université Fédérale de Toulouse for its administrative and financial framework, as a sponsorship chair (up to 66% tax-free donations).