Since its creation in 1530, the Collège de France has always hosted Chairs of Medicine. From the time of François Magendie onwards, these chairs were devoted to teaching " research in progress " : experimental physiology by François Magendie himself from 1831 to 1855 ; then physiological experimentation by Claude Bernard, holder of the Chair of Medicine from 1855 to 1876, whose discoveries on digestion, carbohydrate metabolism, the nervous system, circulation and the introduction of the concept of the internal environment made a decisive contribution to the understanding of human physiology and pathology.

After Claude Bernard, the various holders of the College's Chair of Medicine set out to develop and teach research with applications of direct or indirect interest to medicine. Antoine Lacassagne, an oncologist and experimenter, changed its title to Chair of Experimental Medicine in 1951, in reference to Claude Bernard and the scientific approach specific to this chair, i.e. what is known today as " translational research " : an activity at the interface between fundamental and clinical research, and whose discoveries directly or indirectly benefit patients. The lectures given here are unique in that they are not - and cannot be - provided by medical faculties, whose mission is to pass on validated teaching for the professional training of young doctors.

The Chair of Experimental Medicine, held by Pierre Corvol from 1989 to 2006, is part of this approach. His fundamental research and lectures have focused on the renin angiotensin aldosterone system. This powerful hormonal system regulates blood pressure, cardiac function and water and salt metabolism. It is implicated in many cardiovascular and renal diseases. The structure and function of the genes of this system have been elucidated, enabling the design of new therapeutic agents. A series of lectures has also focused on the mechanisms of vessel formation (angiogenesis) during embryogenesis and in various pathological conditions. All this work has led to clinical and therapeutic applications in cardiovascular and renal pathology.