CryoStore diary - Oleksandra Hubenia
Secondment at IMV Technologies, France | February/March 2026
What is the difference between academic research and industrial practice in cryobiology?
How are reproductive cells cryopreserved under strict industrial standards?
And how are quality control and field applications organized when technologies are used in real conditions?
I have just returned from my secondment at IMV Technologies in L’Aigle, France, where I had the opportunity to observe how cryobiological technologies are applied in an industrial environment.
During my stay, I followed the workflow of bovine semen cryopreservation, from sample processing to freezing and quality assessment. It was particularly interesting to see how industrial standards focus on reproducibility, protocol stability, and strict quality control, which is essential when products are used directly in breeding practice.
I also learned more about the work of field application scientists who support breeding centers and clinics, help implement new technologies, and ensure that cryopreservation protocols are correctly applied in practice.
I am especially grateful to Lucie Gavin-Plagne, who supervised my secondment and provided valuable guidance throughout this experience.
Due to company confidentiality policies, I cannot share photos from the laboratory. However, this secondment gave me valuable insight into how academic cryobiology connects with industrial application.
Experiences like this are an important part of the CryoStore project, helping researchers better understand the pathway from fundamental research to real-world implementation.
