The RicE FUnctional GEnomics platform Refuge, set up by the Agap and Diade units with the support of  Agropolis Foundation, uses well established functional analysis methods and takes advantage of the large bioinformatic, molecular and biological resources available in the model plant species rice to elucidate the function of genes of agronomical interest. Refuge hosts scientists and students from North and South countries who wish to benefit of that environment for a part of their research project during one to several visits lasting 1 to 3 months each.

In the last 3 years, Refuge has hosted 26 research projects conducted by students from 15 different nationalities. Refuge supported work so far yielding 5 theses and 9 publications in peer reviewed journals. Seventeen other PhD students are currently hosted. Besides these supervisions, the platform pursues methodological improvements aiming at increasing the precision of genome manipulation and the representativeness of the plant materials under analyses. These actions will allow maintaining the attractiveness of the platform

A 3mn trailer movie has been produced by the Pygmée Productions studio and co funded by Cirad and the AGAP unit. It shows the range of know-hows and methods implemented on the platform as well as interviews of hosted students.