Research

Chemistry Division

It involves the creation of a premier center for scientific innovation that addresses socio-economic and environmental challenges, with the goal of advancing chemistry for the benefit of humanity and the environment.

It serves as a forum for fostering synergy among research and scientific consultation bodies to develop joint initiatives among I-SITE members.

Governance of the Division

Director of the Chemistry Division: Joulia LARIONOVA

Administrative and Management Support Officer: Eva BALENTOVA

Head of the Human Resources Committee (CRH): 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 exchanging 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 missions, as well as providing scientific leadership within the community on specific research areas and topics.

Composition
  • 5 Directors of research institutions:
    • 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, Education-Research)
    • Jérôme MAYNADIE (Project Manager, Education-Research)
    • Jean-Marc CAMPAGNE (International Relations Coordinator)
    • Catherine PERIN (International Relations Coordinator)
    • Mikhael BEAUDHUIN (Project Manager, Partnerships and Innovation)
    • Nathalie TANCHOUX (Communications Coordinator)

2024 Annual Report

White Paper from the Chemistry Research s Cluster

Bylaws of the Chemistry Research s Cluster

Internal Regulations of the Chemistry Research s Division

Strategic Steering Committee (COS)

The Strategic Steering Committee serves as a liaison between the Pôle de Research and its institutional partners. It helps define the Pôle de Research ’s major strategic scientific priorities and reviews the action plan proposed by the Director of the Pôle de Research.

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 by Name
  • 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: Eric CLOT for the ICGM, Pascal DUMY for the IBMM, David CORNU for theIEM, and Stéphane PELLET-ROSTAING for the ICSM;
  • a representative of the Technology Platforms or Service Centers, Christine ENJALBAL;
  • four individuals appointed by the Council members: Nùria CASAMITJANA (University of Barcelona), Muriel HISSLER (University of Rennes), Philippe TAILHADES (University of Toulouse), and Karine CHORRO (socioeconomic representative);
List of Appointed Members
  • Eric CLOT, in his capacity as Director of the ICMG;
  • David CORNU, in his capacity as Director of theIEM ;
  • Pascal DUMY, in his capacity as Director of the IBMM;
  • Stéphane PELLET-ROSTAING; in his capacity as a representative of the ICSM;
  • Bénédicte PRELOT, in her capacity as Director of UAR 2140 PAC Chimie 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 College 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 members elected to 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 categories of “ Professors ” and researchers.

Composition

The elected members and alternates of the HR Committee:

  • 4 elected members (+4 alternates) in College A
  • 4 elected members (+4 alternates) in College B
  • 3 elected members (+3 alternates) to the BIATS Council

Elected members:

  • Group A: 4 representatives of university professors and equivalent staff, including the chair of the “Human Resources” Committee;
  • Group B: 4 representatives from other groups Professors, researchers, and equivalent staff;
  • BIATS College: 3 staff representatives from the libraries, engineering, administrative, technical, and healthcare departments
Scope of the division

The Chemistry Cluster brings together all chemical research organizations based at the Montpellier and Marcoule sites, drawing on:

The Chemistry Cluster works in collaboration with the Carnot Balard CIRIMAT Chemistry Institute, 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.

Supervised Institutions

Pricing

The Division's Missions

The Chemistry Research Division is responsible for:

  • Organize community-based science outreach activities focused on specific themes or subject areas and develop a scientific outlook;
  • 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 raise its global profile ;
  • Propose coordinated actions to foster the connection between Education and Research
  • Participate in forward-looking analysis regarding jobs and skills;
  • Ensure the proper functioning of the Human Resources Committee so that it can issue opinions 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:

  1. 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
  2. GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY
    • Substitution of Hazardous Compounds and Metals
    • Alternative solvents, bio-based composite materials
    • Biomass Utilization
  3. HEALTH
    • Biomolecules, formulation of active ingredients
    • Functional excipients, controlled-release systems
    • Tissue engineering, medical devices
  4. EXTRACTION - SEPARATION
    • Water and Liquid Waste Treatment
    • Gas Separation
    • Extraction of valuable substances, recycling
  5. HIGH-PERFORMANCE MATERIALS
    • Thin Films and Functional Coatings
    • Nanocomposites, Nanotubes, and 2D Materials
    • Innovative Ceramics and Polymers, Additive Manufacturing
Units of Education and Research s (UFR)

The Training and Research al Units (UFR), schools, and institutes of the University of Montpellier associated with the Chemistry Research Clus Research

Key Figures

6 ANR Joint Laboratories

4Joint Research Units(IBMM, ICGM, ICSM, IEM)

328 faculty members and researchers

172 ITA

500full-time employees

850 permanent and temporary employees

1 Support Unit for the " Research " (UAR 2041 PAC Chimie Balard)

3 Facilities (ChemLab, Glassworks, Chemical Storage Room (RPC))

50 pieces of equipment /+

1Carnot Institute for Chemistry, 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 Consolidated annual research budget

Innovation & Commercialization

14 Startups Since 2009

22 Active Licenses

>212 patents filed since 2014

2 Marketed Drugs (Macrilen™, Sebivo) The first compound is a pseudopeptide used to diagnose growth hormone deficiency in adults, the result of 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 (PTL)

The I-SITE Excellence Program, 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 is in the field of sustainable chemistry for health (CARLA), and the second is in the field of sustainable chemistry for energy (CHIMENE).

The PTLs in the Chemistry Research Cluster are part of the Cluster’s overall approach, which aims to implement an ambitious recruitment strategy designed to leverage other funding sources with high national and international visibility, in order to attract and train a new generation of(EC) and researchers (C) of the highest caliber.

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 Division Campus | Montpellier National School of Chemistry
240 Avenue du Prof. Emile Jean-Brau
34090 Montpellier

Division Director:
Joulia LARIONOVA

Administrative and Management Support Officer:
Eva BALENTOVA

Organizational Chart

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The Exposome Conferences

On October 8, you'll have the opportunity to learn about recent advances in…

  • Oct. 8 - Oct. 9, 2026
  • at 9 a.m.
  • of Botany - Charles Flahault Amphitheater - 163 Auguste Broussonnet Street, Montpellier