Who are we ?

Founded in 1872, the Roscoff Biological Station (SBR), located on the northern coast of Brittany, is an internationally recognized research and training center dedicated to marine biology and marine ecology. It operates under the joint supervision of the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and Sorbonne University (SU). Our scientific activities are guided by a shared set of core values: excellence, equity, inclusion, innovation, the training of future generations of scientists, the protection of marine life and the marine environment, and global scientific cooperation.

From Genes to Ocean Ecosystems: Research Addressing Major Contemporary Challenges in Biology and Ecology

Research conducted at SBR spans the full continuum of biological organization—from genes and molecules to marine organisms, populations, and the functioning of entire marine ecosystems. We promote an interdisciplinary research framework, encompassing fundamental studies of cellular, molecular, and evolutionary processes in marine organisms; the discovery and characterization of bioactive marine metabolites (“blue bioactives”) with potential therapeutic or biotechnological applications; and the analysis of environmental change and its impacts on biodiversity, organismal physiology, population dynamics, and ecosystem structure and function.

Our research teams combine mechanistic experimentation with integrative and systems-level approaches, leveraging advanced methodologies at the forefront of modern biology (e.g., multi-omics, systems biology), enriched with analytical tools and concepts from mathematics, chemistry, computer science, and oceanography.

Training Sorbonne University Students to the Highest Scientific Standards

The Roscoff Biological Station is one of three marine stations of Sorbonne University, in association with Banyuls-sur-Mer and Villefranche-sur-Mer. Collectively, these stations provide complementary, research-integrated training opportunities within SU academic programs.

SBR offers three undergraduate degree programs and eighteen master-level teaching units across three specializations, with a strong emphasis on marine sciences. Instruction is delivered by a faculty of approximately twenty teacher-researchers from Sorbonne University.

In recent years, the scope and diversity of initial academic training at SBR have expanded significantly, notably through the development of innovative, professionally oriented programs with high biotechnological content. All academic levels—from bachelor’s to doctoral training—are represented on site. A continuing education program has also been developed to provide specialized modules tailored to the needs of academic and industrial scientists.

With its modern teaching infrastructure and unique “hands-on-the-shore” location, the Roscoff Biological Station provides exceptional conditions for experiential learning. Students benefit from individualized supervision and direct exposure to ongoing research activities conducted in SBR laboratories.

Training facilities at the Station are likewise open to students from other French and international universities, and more than twenty field or laboratory courses are hosted annually.

Observation 

SBR is a member of the OSU STAMAR (Observatoire des Sciences de l’Univers – Stations Marines), which federates the three marine stations of Sorbonne University and the CNRS: Roscoff, Villefranche-sur-Mer, and Banyuls-sur-Mer.

OSU STAMAR supports the implementation of coordinated coastal and open-ocean observation programs across the three stations, the archiving and open dissemination of the resulting datasets, and their scientific valorization.

Its primary mission is to develop a shared strategy for marine observation activities, strengthen training and knowledge dissemination in the domain of marine monitoring, and manage technical resources for the benefit of the Sorbonne University scientific community and its partners.

Science Shared with Society

Understanding the ocean is fundamental to anticipating the future of life on Earth. For many years, researchers at the Station have been actively engaged in scientific outreach, participating in numerous initiatives aimed at the general public, school audiences, and artists inspired by the marine world.

Since 2024, SBR has contributed to two European-funded projects dedicated to science communication in partnership with the association Les Petits Débrouillards Grand Ouest.

Contribution to the Breton Innovation Ecosystem

The Roscoff Biological Station is strongly involved in local and regional networks at the interface with the socio-economic sector and is a leader in marine biotechnology in Brittany.

Our research activities contribute to developments in the field of marine bioresource valorization, leading to the creation of start-ups and long-term collaborations with industry partners. Hosted start-ups have access to a maturation laboratory as well as to the Station’s experimental infrastructures.

The Station is a founding partner of the Blue Valley® project, led by the Pays de Morlaix, which aims to promote the development of the blue bioeconomy—regarded as a key lever for regional economic growth and for the creation of new companies and jobs.