Isabelle Saves –
Directrice du Service de coopération internationale
Ses missions :
Définir et mettre en œuvre la stratégie de coopération internationale
Contact : isabelle.saves@univ-tlse3.fr
Bureau 1030 – bâtiment Nicole Le Douarin – CBI
+33(0)561556907
Justine Fontaine –
Chargée de projets européens
Ses missions :
Participer au suivi des projets européens. Développer la communication sur les projets européens auprès de la communauté scientifique et du grand public
Contact : justine.fontaine@univ-tlse3.fr
Bureau 1030 – bâtiment Nicole Le Douarin – CBI
+33(0)561556907
Presentation
Research conducted at the CBI involves numerous international collaborations; over 100 laboratories from abroad, across all five continents, maintain relationships and share their expertise with various CBI teams. Significant efforts are made to increase CBI’s participation in European and international research networks, which are essential for the quality and visibility of our research, and in welcoming and training foreign students and postdoctoral researchers to foster the exchange of expertise among internationally renowned institutions.
The mission of the International Cooperation Department is to strengthen the CBI’s global visibility and attractiveness while encouraging engagement in European projects supported by the Horizon Europe research and innovation framework programme.
The activities of the Office of International Cooperation are as follows:
– Developing an international partnership strategy in direct coordination with the Direction of Europe and International of the CNRS and in alignment with the policies of the University of Toulouse and the Occitanie Region
– Enhancing the CBI’s attractiveness and visibility by organising international conferences, representing the institute abroad, expanding the CBI’s global network, and strengthening its alumni network
– Being the primary contact point for international partners and agencies, the “Agence Campus France” and both French and foreign diplomatic networks
– Managing international recruitment campaigns for new group leaders and supporting young foreign researchers through each step of their integration at the CBI
– Informing, encouraging, and guiding researchers in their applications for international project calls
The mission of the international cooperation office is to develop the international network of CBI. The CBI international strategy aims to strengthen cooperation, increase CBI’s international visibility and attractiveness, and enhance its participation in European research and innovation initiatives.
This strategy for developing and structuring CBI’s international cooperation is led by Dr. Isabelle Saves, head of the International Cooperation Office. It is carried out in close collaboration with the CNRS Europe and International Direction and the CNRS Partnerships and Innovation Office, in connection with the University of Toulouse, the Occitanie Region, and the French Ministries of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation and of European and Foreign affairs. Strengthening CBI’s international network also involves direct interactions with Campus France and French diplomatic networks abroad, as well as foreign diplomatic networks in France. Participation in the National Thematic Groups (GTN ERC, GTN Health) organized by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research helps strengthen CBI’s influence and communicate its priority areas to the program committees of the European Commission.
The efforts in fostering and supporting international collaboration over the past few years have already led to very positive results. These include the award of 13 European Research Council (ERC) grants, CBI’s involvement in numerous consortia under the Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe project calls, the establishment of a Franco-Indian international research network (IRN MIRA), as well as the development of several international research partnership projects (IRP), joint doctoral programs, and the recruitment of multiple Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA) fellows. Furthermore, there has been a significant increase in researcher mobility through the acquisition of mobility grants, such as the Hubert Curien Program, among others.
The CBI has been involved in various research networks funded by the European Commission (framework programs for research and innovation from FP5 to Horizon Europe) and several European partnerships (such as JNPD, and EJP-RD, among others). The CBI regulary hosts and trains doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers supported by Erasmus and MSCA programs.
In recent years, the European Reserch Council (ERC) individual research grants awarded to CBI researchers have played a key role in enhancing CBI’s international visibility and recognition. With a high participation rate and a success rate close to 60%, 13 grants have been awarded to 10 CBI researchers since 2015.
Currently, CBI is currently hosting 7 ERC projects.
– 1 ERC Advanced Grant :
– 3 ERC Consolidator Grants :
The BEE-MOVE project, launched in 2021, led by Gaelle Legube from the MCD laboratory, « GENome and Epigenome integrity Consecutive to DSBs in Active REgion »
the RESILI-ANT, project, launched in 2025, led by Antoine Wystrach from the CRCA laboratory, « Ant navigation : understanding the resilience and self-developing nature of mini-brains in interaction with their environment »
The RENOME project, launched in 2025, led by Fabian Erdel, from the MCD laboratory, “Reshaping the nucleome to reveal its gene and mechano-regulatory function”
– 3 ERC Starting Grants :
The REGULADOSIX project, launched in 2025, led by Rafael Galupa, from the MCD laboratory, « Regulation of gene dosage on the mammalian X chromosome » (More)
The CARDIOCALC project, launched in 2022, led by Anabela Bensimon-Broto, from the MCD laboratory, « The fundamentals of cardiovascular calcification: from cells to therapy »
Participation in Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) projects also increases every year, with more than 10 applications to MSCA calls annually. Gaëlle Legube’s team is currently involved in the Doctoral Network Cohesinet , and a postdoctoral researcher who was awarded a prestigious MSCA individual postdoctoral fellowship will soon join Guy Theraulaz’s team to develop his BUGI project in collaboration with ENAC.
From January 2025, 2 new European research projects will involve CBI teams:
– TheLUMEN project “Linked User-driven Multidisciplinary Exploration Network” funded by the European Innovation Council (EIC) and coordinated by the CNRS “Direction des Données Ouvertes de la Recherche” (DDOR), in which Mr. Chavent’s team is involved for the CNRS biology
– The MESEPAD project “MEchanisms of SEx-specific vulnerability of Parvalbumin interneurons in early Alzheimer’s Disease” funded by the European Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND) partnership involving Laure Verret.
Furthermore, numerous bilateral intra-European actions with Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Spain, Estonia, Portugal, the United Kingdom, etc., have already led to positive results.
CBI has been involved in numerous European projects since the 5th European Framework Program.
Parmi les projets récents marquants, on Among the recent key projects, two are focused on rare diseases from the European Joint Programme on Rare Diseases (EJP RD ): RIBOEUROPE, which was completed in August 2024 and coordinated by Pierre-Emanuel Gleizes, and DEVDBA with Marie-Françoise O’Donohue as a participant. Another significant project is MADGIC, addressing Alzheimer’s disease funded by the EU Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND), which involved Claire Rampon’s team
In addition, from 2018 to 2023, Kerstin Bystricky coordinated the COST network INC “INTERNATIONAL NUCLEOME CONSOTIUM” aimed at aims to establish a worldwide community of cooperation among multi-disciplinary nucleome scientists.
Last but not least, the CBI has hosted 6 ERC projects, which are now completed, along with 7 ongoing projects:
– 1 ERC Advanced Grant :
The COGNIBRAINS project, launched in 2020, led by Martin Giurfa from the CRCA laboratory, « Cognition in an Insect Brain ».
– 2 ERC Consolidator Grants :
– 3 ERC Starting Grants :
The EMERG-ANT project (2018-2024), led by Antoine Wystrach from the CRCA laboratory, « Ant navigation : how complex behaviours emerge from mini-brains in interaction with their natural habitats »
Previously, the CBI has welcomed and trained many young researchers, including Master’s students, PhD candidates, and postdoctoral researchers supported by Erasmus and MSCA actions, such as the Innovative Training Network (ITN) aDDress, in which Gaëlle Legube’s team participated
Additionally, some CBI teams have been part of European cross-border cooperation initiatives through the Interreg Sudoe and POCTEFA programs, aimed at promoting sustainable development in the border regions on both sides of the Pyrenees.
Joint research programs with research institutions worldwide, in Asia (India, Taiwan, China, Japan), North America (Canada, United States), South America (Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, etc.), and Oceania (Australia, New Zealand), illustrate the international scope of the CBI.
The current policy of the CBI is to strengthen its international cooperation by reinforcing the framework for hosting foreign students and researchers. This includes participation in mobility programs such as “Joint Research Projects” or international cooperation tools (IEA, IRN, IRP) developed by the CNRS, and the “Hubert Curien Partnerships” (PHC) established by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In 2023, an International Research Network (IRN) named MIRA has established, bringing together four French partners, including the CBI, and 14 Indian partners. Its global health objective is to unite French and Indian efforts in combating emerging infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance. Several cooperative projects are emerging from this network, including a collaborative project studying the “Role of biotic pressures in the spread and maintenance of antibiotic resistance” led by Olaya Rendueles-Garcia’s team, which is already benefiting from the CEFIPRA support. In the context of this network, the CBI will host the first Franco-Indian workshop in this field from May 26 to 28, 2025.
In the area of emerging infectious diseases, the CBI is actively involved in the new Toulouse Graduate School (Ecole Universitaire de Recherche, EUR) UNITEID. This program, supported by a network of over 50 international partners, will facilitate exchanges of doctoral students and researchers.
In addition, significant efforts are focused on obtaining scholarships and funding to support researcher mobility, as well as improving the institute’s global visibility and attractiveness. To name just a few, international partnerships include the ECOS-Sud exchange program (Argentina), the Franco-Indian Center for the Promotion of Advanced Research (CEFIPRA/IFCPAR), the “Discover China” initiative, and scholarships awarded to Chinese doctoral students by the Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC), etc.
Throughout these last years, many foreign delegations including the Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST) or the University of Connecticut (UCONN), have visited the CBI, discussed and met our researchers. These visits are an opportunity to explore new possibilities for cooperation or to strengthen existing ones.
