The Institute brings together all the biology research activities carried out on the Collège de France sites, in particular the Berthelot site. These activities are carried out by the professors' chair teams and the host teams.
The scope of research fields and themes varies significantly as professorships are renewed. Traditionally, physiology (particularly cardiovascular), embryology and neuroscience have been among the Collège's flagship disciplines. Just over ten years ago, A. Prochiantz breathed new life into biology at the Collège de France by creating the Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en biologie (CIRB). At a time when new tools (imaging, genomic explorations, targeted intervention on genomes, etc.) are opening up possibilities unimaginable just a few decades ago, closer ties and cross-fertilization with other sciences such as physics, chemistry and mathematics are enriching the avenues of exploration.
This philosophy led to the creation of the CIRB, which brings together experimental teams in a wide variety of biological fields (neuroscience, cardiovascular, microbiology, developmental biology, cell biology, evolution, pharmacology, physiopathology, therapeutics) and modeling teams (mathematical or physical). The Cellular and Molecular Oncology Chair has recently merged its research activities with those of the CIRB. This diversity of themes and skills enables us to take a truly interdisciplinary approach to biological issues, enriching them with approaches from other disciplines. This diversity is intended to evolve, with a renewal and mixing of teams and themes. Our teams have won prestigious awards, research contracts (in particular from the ERC), prizes and invitations to tender. They play an active role in the intellectual and social life of the College.
Illustration: In vitro embryos © Nicolas Rivron, Jacob Hannah, Alexandre Mayran.
