An interdisciplinary research laboratory

The M.I.O is a research laboratory in Oceanology of the Universities of Aix-Marseille, Toulon, CNRS and IRD. It is part of the OSU Pytheas and is a partner of the Labex OT-Med.

Its objectives are to better understand the oceanic system and its evolution in response to global change. It is a centre of expertise in biology, ecology, biodiversity, microbiology, fisheries, physics, chemistry, biogeochemistry and marine sedimentology. Its frameworks are the world ocean, its interfaces with the continent, the atmosphere and the sediment.

The M.I.O. is :

• A staff of 250 people, including a hundred researchers (CNRS, IRD) and university lecturers, around fifty engineers and technicians, more than seventy doctoral and post-doctoral students, as well as a team of administrative staff at the service of research.
• 5 sites: the Marseille-Luminy campus, the University of Toulon, the IFREMER Marine Base in Seyne-sur-Mer and the IRD Centre in Nouméa (New Caledonia)
• 5 disciplinary teams
• 4 transversal thematic research axes, 2 clusters, 9 analytical platforms
• A marine environment observation service within the OSU-Pythéas, with the support of the coastal oceanology vessel L'Antédon II

MIO scientists conduct research in the areas of :

• oceanic and atmospheric circulation
• understanding marine ecosystems and biodiversity from bacteria to fish
• biological functioning in extreme environments and ocean pollution.

This research requires oceanographic campaigns, the use of underwater instruments equipped with sensors (buoys, towed instruments, gliders or underwater drones), radars installed on the coast and satellite image analysis, as well as analytical and experimental laboratory resources. This research involves numerical analysis and modelling. These research themes are part of national research axes such as MERMEX/MISTRALS, HYMEX/MISTRALS, LEFE/CNRS, EC2CO/CNRS and international research axes of the IGBP within the IMBER, SOLAS and LOICZ programmes and require interventions on all the oceans of the planet.