The Biological Resources Centre 'Interactions Gène-Environnement en Physiopathologie Cardio-Vasculaire’ (BRC IGE-PCV) which identification number is BB-0033-00051 was initiated by the UMR U1122; IGE-PCV in 2002 under the leadership of Sofia Siest.

The BRC IGE-PCV responded to the need of available collections, starting from the STANISLAS cohort (principal research population of the Unit), in order to promote familial, gene-gene (epistasis) and gene-environment studies for the identification of genetic variants regulating cardiovascular risk factors (STANISLAS Family Study, SFS).

Today, the STANISLAS cohort is the only familial cohort composed of supposedly healthy individuals with such a large stature. Its DNA, RNA, total blood, lymphocytes and proteins availability allows the study of the influence of genes and environment on the interindividual variability of cardio-vascular intermediate phenotypes. The STANISLAS cohort is at the origin of numerous scientific national and international partnerships.

Today, our BRC gathers supposedly healthy cohorts (STANISLAS, ApoEurope) for the study the of cardio-vascular pathophysiology, and pathologic populations (Hypertension, Obesity, Alzheimer) for case-control purposes.

Each sample is linked to clinic, anthropometric, lifestyle, biological, genetic and proteomic data (serum, plasma and DNA samples). The STANISLAS cohort also has lymphocytes and total blood for transcriptomics studies and lymphocyte extract banks for protein studies in lymphocytes.

Given the growing number of access requests, the BRC aims:

• To enlarge the collections available (numerous French and international collections are now part of the platform)
• To optimize the use and sharing of collections according to strict managing rules.

In order to match the BRC missions defined by the Ministry of Research, the BRC IGE-PCV is involved in the sustainability of collections and optimization of their use for scientific purposes.