Chemistry Division
It involves the creation of a premier center for scientific innovation dedicated to addressing socio-economic and environmental challenges, with the aim of advancing chemistry for the benefit of humanity and the environment.
It serves as a platform for fostering collaboration among research and scientific consultation bodies to develop joint initiatives among I-SITE members.
Governance of the cluster
Director of the Chemistry Division: Joulia LARIONOVA
Administrative and Management Support Officer: Eva BALENTOVA
Head of the Human Resources Committee (HRC): Michael SMIETANA
HR Administrative Manager and Support for the Chemistry Division: Virginie GARCIA-ROBERT
Division Office
The office’s role is to prepare meetings of the research cluster’s governing body and monitor the progress of initiatives. It also serves as a forum for discussing and sharing strategic information regarding the operation of the research cluster.
The operational team is responsible for establishing and carrying out the research division’s projects and for coordinating scientific activities within the community on specific research areas and themes.
Composition
- 5 Directors of research facilities:
- Pascal DUMY (IBMM)
- Eric CLOT (ICGM)
- Stéphane PELLET-ROSTAING (ICSM)
- David CORNU (IEM)
- Bénédicte PRELOT (UAR 2041 PAC Chemistry Balard)
- 6 elected representatives from the Cluster Council:
- Sonia CANTEL (Project Manager, Link Between Education andResearch)
- Jérôme MAYNADIE (Project Manager, Link BetweenResearch andResearch)
- Jean-Marc CAMPAGNE (International Relations Officer)
- Catherine PERIN (International Relations Coordinator)
- Mikhael BEAUDHUIN (Project Manager, Partnerships and Innovation)
- Nathalie TANCHOUX (Communications Officer)
White Paper from the Research Cluster
Bylaws of the Research Cluster
Internal Regulations of the Research Division
Strategic Steering Committee (SSC)
The Strategic Steering Committee serves as a link between the Research Cluster Research its institutional partners. It helps define the Research Cluster’s major scientific strategic directions Research approves the action plan proposed by the Director of the Research Cluster.
Division Council
The Cluster Council issues advisory opinions on the direction and implementation of the Cluster’s initiatives and strategy.
The Cluster Council consists of 22 members with voting rights and guest members with advisory roles.
List of ex officio members
- Joulia LARIONOVA, Director of the Chemistry Division;
- Michael SMIETANA, Chair of the Human Resources Committee;
- Marc CRETIN, Director of the Balard Doctoral School 459 in Chemical Sciences;
- the Directors of the research units primarily affiliated with the Research Cluster Research Eric CLOT for the ICGM, Pascal DUMY for the IBMM, David CORNU forIEM, and Stéphane PELLET-ROSTAING for the ICSM;
- a representative of the Technology Platforms or Service Centers, Christine ENJALBAL;
- four individuals appointed by the members of the Council: Nùria CASAMITJANA (University of Barcelona), Muriel HISSLER (University of Rennes), Philippe TAILHADES (University of Toulouse), and Karine CHORRO (socio-economic representative);
List of appointed members
- Eric CLOT, in his capacity as Director of the ICMG;
- David CORNU, in his capacity as Director ofIEM
- Pascal DUMY, in his capacity as Director of the IBMM;
- Stéphane PELLET-ROSTAING; in his capacity as a member of the ICSM;
- Bénédicte PRELOT, in her capacity as Director of UAR 2140 PAC Chemistry Balard;
- Marc CRETIN, in his capacity as Director of ED 459 Chemical Sciences Balard;
- Christine ENJALBAL, in her capacity as representative of the platforms.
List of elected members
- the members elected to Group A of the Human Resources Committee,
- Incumbent: Michael SMIETANA – Alternate: Jean-Marc CAMPAGNE
- Incumbent: Catherine PERRIN – Alternate: Nathalie TANCHOUX
- Incumbent: Umit DEMIRCI – Alternate: Nicolas DACHEUX
- Incumbent: Jean-Sébastien FILHOL – Alternate: Jean-Yves WINUM
- the members elected to Group B of the Human Resources Committee,
- Incumbent: Mickaël BEAUDHUIN – Alternate: Geoffroy LESAGE
- Incumbent: Sonia CANTEL – Alternate: Gaëlle MARTIN-GASSIN
- Incumbent: Céline CRAUSTE – Alternate: Florence ROUESSAC
- Incumbent: Sébastien RICHETER – Alternate: Jérôme MAYNADIE
- the elected members of the BIATS College of the "Human Resources" Committee,
- Incumbent: Valérie BULTEL – Alternate: Corine TOURNE-PETEILH
- Incumbent: Nicolas DONZEL – Alternate: Pascal VERDIE
- Incumbent: Sylvie CORNEILLE – Alternate: Catherine ANDREUX-CHOUARD
Human Resources Committee (HRC)
The Human Resources Committee addresses issues specific to the staff of the University of Montpellier. Each Human Resources Committee issues an advisory opinion in accordance with the statutory provisions specific to the Professors researchers.
Composition
The elected members and alternates of the HR Committee:
- 4 elected members (+4 alternates) in Group A
- 4 elected members (+4 alternates) in College B
- 3 elected members (+3 alternates) to the BIATS Board
Elected members:
- Group A: 4 representatives of university professors and equivalent staff, including the chair of the “Human Resources” Committee;
- Group B: 4 representatives of other Professors, researchers, and equivalent staff;
- BIATS College: 3 staff representatives from the Library, Engineering, Administrative, Technical, and Health departments
Scope of the division
The Chemistry Cluster brings together all chemical research stakeholders at the Montpellier and Marcoule sites, drawing on:
- 4 Joint Research Units affiliated primarily with
- 3 research units affiliated with the Cluster on a secondary basis
- 1 Support and Research Unit (SRU)
- 3 technology platforms
- ChemLab
- Glassworks
- Chemical inventory
The Chemistry Cluster collaborates with the Institut Carnot Chimie Balard CIRIMAT, which oversees partnership and commercialization activities, and the Balard ED459 Doctoral School of Chemical Sciences, which enrolls an average of 265 doctoral students per year.
Guardianship agencies
- UM – Montpellier Universities
- CNRS – National Center for Research
- ENSCM – Montpellier National School of Chemistry
- CEA – French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission
Pricing
The division's responsibilities
The Chemistry Research Division is responsible for:
- Organize community-based science outreach activities focused on specific themes or fields and identify future scientific directions;
- Initiate and coordinate responses to calls for proposals for cross-sectoral regional, national, or international projects ;
- Help implement the University of Montpellier’s international strategy and enhance its global visibility ;
- Propose coordinated initiatives to strengthen the link between education and Research
- Contribute to the forecasting of future employment and skills needs;
- Ensure the effective operation of the Human Resources Committee so that it can issue recommendations on specific human resources issues related to research at the University of Montpellier.
Research Areas
The Cluster’s cross-disciplinary research themes are organized around five priority areas of the four institutes (IBMM, ICGM, ICSM, IEM) and UAR 2041:
- ENERGY :
- Synthesis, separation, storage, and detection of gases (hydrogen, CO2, etc.)
- Lithium and sodium batteries, supercapacitors
- Biofuels, synthetic fuels, catalyst
- Carbon-free energy, sustainable nuclear power
- GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY
- Substitution of hazardous compounds and metals
- Alternative solvents, bio-based composite materials
- Biomass Utilization
- HEALTH
- Biomolecules, formulation of active ingredients
- Functional excipients, controlled-release systems
- Tissue engineering, medical devices
- EXTRACTION - SEPARATION
- Water and wastewater treatment
- Gas separation
- Extraction of valuable materials, recycling
- HIGH-PERFORMANCE MATERIALS
- Thin films and functional coatings
- Nanocomposites, nanotubes, and 2D materials
- Innovative ceramics and polymers, additive manufacturing
Teaching and Research Units Research UFR)
The Teaching and Research Units Research UFRs), schools, and institutes of the University of Montpellier affiliated with the Research Cluster
- Montpellier School of Chemical Engineering: National School of Chemistry in Montpellier – ENSCM
- School of Pharmacy (Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Sciences)
- School of Science
- School of Medicine
- Montpellier–Sète University Institute of Technology
- Nîmes University Institute of Technology
- Polytech Montpellier
Key Figures
6 ANR Joint Laboratories
4Joint Research Units(IBMM, ICGM, ICSM, IEM)
328 faculty members & researchers
172 ITA
500full-time employees
850 permanent and temporary employees
1 Research Support Unit Research UAR 2041 PAC Chemistry Balard)
3 Facilities (ChemLab, Glassworks, Chemical Storage Room (CSR))
50 + items
1Institut Carnot Chimie Balard Cirimat, ISO 9001:2015 “100 industrial partners under direct contract per year”
1Doctoral School (Balard Chemical Sciences) “265 doctoral students per year”
€32 million annual consolidated research budget
Innovation & Commercialization
14 Startups since 2009
22 active licenses
>212 patents filed since 2014
2 Marketed Drugs (MacrilenTM, Sebivo) The first compound is a pseudo-peptide used to diagnose growth hormone deficiency in adults, resulting from research conducted under the direction of Jean Martinez. It has been marketed in North America since 2018 by Æterna Zentaris, and in Europe since 2019. The second compound is a non-natural antiviral nucleoside used to treat hepatitis B, developed by Dr. Gilles Gosselin and Professor Jean-Louis Imbach, and marketed by Merck.
LONG-TERM THEMATIC PROGRAMS (LTP)
The I-SITE program of excellence, led by the University of Montpellier, has decided to provide strong support for research by establishing Long-Term Thematic Projects (PTLs).
After consulting with our community, two PTLs in Chemistry emerged.
The first in the field of sustainable chemistry for health (CARLA) and the second in the field of sustainable chemistry for energy (CHIMENE).
The PTLs at the Chemistry Research Cluster are part of the Cluster’s overarching approach, which aims to implement an ambitious recruitment strategy designed to leverage other funding sources with high national and international visibility, thereby attracting and training a new generation of
PTL CARLA – Sustainable Chemistry for Health
- Coordinators: Camille OGER (IBMM) and Sébastien BLANQUER (ICGM)
- Website
PTL CHIMENE – Sustainable Sustainable Chemistry for Energy
- Coordinators: Armelle OUALI (ICGM) and Nicolas CLAVIER (ICSM)
- Website
More info
Contacts
Chemistry Division
Balard Chemistry Campus | Montpellier National School of Chemistry
240 Avenue du Prof. Emile Jean-Brau
34090 Montpellier
Director of the Division:
Joulia LARIONOVA
Administrative and Management Support Officer:
Eva BALENTOVA
News
The AAP TALENTS – PTL CARLA and CHIMENE from the Chemistry Division
Published on: September 10 , 2025
The CARLA and CHIMENE PTLs of the Chemistry Research Cluster are launching the second edition of the call for proposals…
