MetaboRUN: the first metabolomics platform in the Indian Ocean is now operational at CYROI

CYROI and the IRD announce a major advance for research in the Indian Ocean with the launch of MetaboRUNthe region's first metabolomics platform. The result of close co-creation between the CYROI teams (Dr Jennyfer Yong-Sang, Dr Jimmy Chane-Ming) and the IRD teams within the international SUDMYCOTOX network (Dr Mohamed Haddad), this new infrastructure marks a turning point for the analysis of contaminants, bioactive compounds and metabolites of interest in the region.

Thanks to the support of the FEDER (European Regional Development Fund), MetaboRUN is being equipped with a range of state-of-the-art instruments, including a UPLC-HRMS Orbitrap IQ-X Tribrid, the only one of its kind in the Indian Ocean. This technology provides an unprecedented level of sensitivity and precision, paving the way for ambitious projects in the fields of health, food and agriculture, environment and the valorisation of natural resources.

A platform geared towards scientific and regional impact

MetaboRUN has been designed as a shared-access infrastructure, open to researchers, institutions, professional sectors and regional partners. It will enable the analysis of a wide variety of molecules, including:

• pesticides,
• mycotoxins,
• veterinary drug residues,
• environmental contaminants,
• compounds from aromatic and medicinal plants,
• metabolites of interest for health, agriculture or the environment.

By strengthening the analytical capacity available in the Indian Ocean, the platform plays a strategic role in addressing regional challenges: food safety, environmental monitoring, contaminant control, biomedical research and the valorisation of natural resources.

A structuring investment in local skills

Beyond the acquisition of high-technology equipment, the project also relies on strong investment in human capital. Young researchers and technicians at CYROI – David Hoarau, Maxime Picard and Williams Perianin – are receiving dedicated support and training to develop high-level expertise in metabolomics techniques.

This skills development contributes to the sustainable structuring of analytical capacity in the region and fosters its scientific autonomy.

A resource for regional and international scientific networks

MetaboRUN soutiendra les projets du réseau SUDMYCOTOX ainsi que les collaborations avec les partenaires africains et régionaux engagés dans l’étude des mycotoxines, des contaminants et des bioactifs.

The platform is also open to:

• university laboratories and research organisations,
• health and environmental agencies,
• food and agriculture sectors and regulatory bodies,
• startups and innovative companies.

It is intended to become a structuring tool for the entire Indian Ocean region, contributing to the development of research, innovation and health monitoring projects.