UM Profiles

Thanks to the MAK'IT program (Montpellier Advanced Knowledge Institute on Transitions), Silvia Giordani is weaving collaborations with several UM laboratories around her nanomaterials research. The Dublin City University professor is taking advantage of this to extend the biomedical applications of her carbon nano-onions to fields other than medicine, particulary energy.

Catherine Alix-Panabières is one of the world’s leading experts on circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and liquid biopsy. As the originator of the term, the professor of oncology at the University of Montpellier and director of the Laboratory for Rare Human Circulating Cells and Liquid Biopsy (LCCRH) is spearheading numerous research projects on cancer biomarkers present in the blood, with therapeutic applications on the horizon.

On August 1, 2024, astronomer Agnès Lèbre took over as director of the Montpellier Environmental Research Observatory (OREME). This role is a natural fit for theUM leading researcherUM in observational work since 1996.

At the forefront of the digital revolution, Edmond Baranes has been studying the telecommunications services industry for three decades. A professor of economics at the University of Montpellier, he was elected dean of the Faculty of Economics in 2024.

A researcher at the Laboratory of Mechanics and Civil Engineering (LMGC) in Montpellier, Katerina Ioannidou was awarded the CNRS Bronze Medal in 2024 for her work in statistical physics on porous concrete. Her research contributes to the development of materials capable of storing energy and sequestering carbon.

Joan Guàrdia i Olmo, who was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Montpellier, is a professor of behavioral science methodology in the Department of Psychology at the University of Barcelona (UB). Since 2020, he has also served as the university’s rector. He is committed to promoting a Europe of education and research based on shared values.