Institute of Biology Valrose (iBV)

The Institute of Biology Valrose (iBV) in Nice is an international research centre funded by CNRS, INSERM, the University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, the Regional Cancer Research Center and EU.

The focus of the Institute is to understand the basic principles governing the development of normal cells, tissues and embryos and those leading to pathogenesis and cancer. We bring together research teams with complementary areas of expertise and with a common interest in translating basic research into knowledge for the clinic. For innovative research, we provide state of the art facilities and an active international scientific program. The Institute hosted the InterDec EU-funded Marie-Curie Early Stage Training Program (from 2004-2009) and was recently (2012) awarded the prestigious ‘Laboratory of Excellence’ LABEX grant. Several of our teams have been honored by many awards from CNRS (ATIP, CNRS medals), EMBO Young Investigator Program and Membership, HFSP, French Academy of Sciences, ANR (National Research Agency), and more.

Historical background

From the "Centre de Biochimie" to the "Institute of Developmental Biology and Cancer"

Inspired by the pioneering work of Jacques Monod in Paris, a new Biochemistry Center (‘Centre de Biochimie’) started in 1973 as a Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) laboratory located in the Valrose Campus of the University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis. Created and directed by Pr Michel Lazdunski, the ‘Centre de Biochimie’ focused over the years on pharmacology (M. Lazdunski), cell differentiation (G. Ailhaud), viral oncogenes (F. Cuzin) and cell division control (J. Pouysségur).

After Pr M. Lazdunski's move to a new research center at Sophia-Antipolis in 1989, the Institute evolved as joint departments with distinct administrative affiliations (CNRS and INSERM), directed by Dr G. Ailhaud and Pr F. Cuzin, respectively. The Institute then expanded under the direction of Dr. J. Pouysségur, by opening in 1999 a Cancer Research Department nearby, located in the Nice Regional Cancer Center (Centre Antoine Lacassagne). This relocation allowed the recruitment of several young investigators with ATIP labels (a competitive international start-up research program funded by CNRS) and EMBO Young Investigator Program awards. The new groups (directed by R. Arkowitz, AO Hueber, P. Léopold, S. Noselli, P. Thérond) brought new model systems (yeast, Drosophila) and topics (cell death, cell biology and developmental biology) to the Institute.

Under the direction of Dr. S. Noselli, the Institute becomes in 2008 the ‘Institute of Developmental Biology & Cancer’ (IBDC, UMR6543 CNRS) and opened a new Department in the Faculty of Sciences campus (Valrose Campus). From 2008 to 2010, IBDC recruited 4 new group leaders working on flies, mouse, nematode and zebrafish (Florence Besse (2008), Christian Braendle (2008), Maximilian Furthauer (2010) with highly competitive ATIP/AVENIR grants, and Pr. Thomas Lamonerie (2009) from ENS Lyon). Recruitment of these new groups reinforced existing models and introduced the nematode and zebrafish as new model organisms at the University of Nice.