The University of Toulouse III Paul Sabatier (UPS; created in 1969) is one of the most important scientific research clusters in France at the heart of a European space and aeronautics capital. UPS is one of the leading French universities with 29000 students and one of the top research establishments in France with 2800 teachers and teacher-researchers and 1500 researchers working within 72 laboratories in both core disciplines and transversal scientific applications. Current activity includes projects from ESA and European Union (90 FP7 projects under management). The institute of research for astrophysics and planetology (IRAP) is one of the largest research institutes in France in this field and has been involved in major space missions (e.g. Herschel, Planck, MSL etc.) in close proximity to the French space agency (CNES) and several world-leading companies in the field of space industry (Alcatel, Thales, Astrium).

The Toulouse team is strongly involved in the study of the physics and chemistry of interstellar matter: gas, dust and thier interaction. The team provides an instrumental contribution to ESA space projects (HIFI on board Herschel). The team has also developed an original experimental set-up, PIRENEA for the study of the photophysics and chemistry of large molecules such as Polycyclic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in physical conditions approaching those of interstellar space. Dr C. Joblin has a wide experience in the study of interstellar PAHs using a multidisciplinary approach that combines observations and laboratory experiments. Her group is collaborating with the group of G. Mulas at INAF-OAC to create and maintain PAH databases, more specifically the Theoretical Spectral Database of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons [http://astrochemistry.oa-cagliari.inaf.it/database/], which was part of the VAMDC distributed e-infrastructure from the beginning. The new database Cosmic PAH analogues: experimental properties and kinetics is now being developed and tested, and will apply to join the VAMDC infrastructure when ready.

In addition this partner hosts the CASSIS team that has included VAMDC technology in their software.