IGMM – Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier

The Institute of Molecular Genetics of Montpellier

is a multidisciplinary institute for advanced studies in biology. It has an internationally-acknowledged reputation in the fields of genetic and epigenetic regulations, RNA biology as well as cell cycle, death and metabolism. Its work also has impact in biomedical research on cancer, infectious illnesses and genetic diseases via the development of novel biotherapies and diagnostic tools as well as the launching of biotech start-up companies.

Obefazimod: From 20 Years of Research to a Promising New Therapy

Record $750M funding for Abivax and its innovative treatment Obefazimod, developed from the research of Prof. Jamal Tazi at IGMM ….

When a virus becomes a Trojan horse

When a virus becomes a Trojan horse: some deltaviruses can spread hidden inside another virus…

IGMM Viral Vector Expertise for Research

Marina Lavigne, CNRS engineer at IGMM, is featured alongside Céline Lemmers (Inserm) in an article by the University of Montpellier….

L’art délicat de faire taire les gènes

Le développement embryonnaire ne requiert pas uniquement l’activation des gènes, mais également une régulation fine de leur répression. Dans une étude publiée dans Nature communications, des scientifiques utilisent l’embryon de drosophile ….

Should I stay or should I go

Une étude par l’équipe de Stéphanie Treouche (IGF), avec le soutien de l’équipe d’Éric Kremer (IGMM) et de la plateforme Biocampus (Céline Lemmers)…..

OPEN CALL FOR GROUP LEADERS IN INNOVATIVE BIOLOGY

Open Positions: Internships, PhD Thesis, Post-Docs, Technicians, Engineers

IGMM has a long-standing tradition of training by and for research. Thus, all groups are used to host students at different stages of their cursus, including PhD Thesis. They also welcome Post-Docs, Engineers and Technicians.

See all opportunities

	March 2026
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2	3	4	5	6	7	8
9	10	11 Ciigales Science Coffee Talk 11 March 2026 13 h 00 min - 14 h 00 min Ciigales Science Coffee Talk •	12	13	14	15
16	17 Genome Dynamics and RNA Biology Inaugural Symposium (BIOLuM Axis) 17 March 2026 9 h 15 min - 17 h 45 min Genome Dynamics and RNA Biology Inaugural Symposium (BIOLuM Axis) •	18	19	20 Ciigales Winter afterwork 20 March 2026 17 h 30 min - 19 h 30 min Ciigales Winter afterwork CRBM-IRIM hall/terrace •	21	22
23	24 Kristina ZUMER - Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Gottingen 24 March 2026 11 h 00 min - 12 h 30 min Kristina ZUMER - Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Gottingen Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier (IGMM), 1919 Rte de Mende, 34090 Montpellier, France Title : “The molecular road map of gene expression” Contact : odil.porrua@igmm.cnrs.fr •	25 Career Outside Academia 25 March 2026 13 h 00 min - 14 h 00 min Career Outside Academia Marcel Dorée Seminar Room, IRIM-CRBM, Montpellier Dr Romain Darrigrand (en visio) - Format court (30 min à 1h) : une présentation suivie d'échanges, pour découvrir un parcours professionnel atypique et recueillir conseils et perspectives utiles, que vous envisagiez une carrière académique ou non. Après avoir obtenu un diplôme d'ingénieur en chimie médicinale et pharmaceutique à l'ENSCM (Montpellier) et un double diplôme en chimie médicinale translationnelle à l'université de Montpellier en 2016, Romain a réalisé une thèse en oncologie et cancer biology à l'Institut Gustave Roussy (Villejuif). Après l'obtention de son diplôme en 2020, il a intégré Evotec en tant qu'associé en recherche sur l'identification et la validation d'une cible. Désormais, il travaille toujours au sein de la même société en tant que Research Scientist. •	26	27	28	29
30	31 Dr Alessandro SCACCHETTI, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 31 March 2026 11 h 00 min - 12 h 30 min Dr Alessandro SCACCHETTI, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier (IGMM), 1919 Rte de Mende, 34090 Montpellier, France Title : "A Molecular Code for Extracellular RNA Trafficking" Contact : robert.feil@igmm.cnrs.fr Abstract: Cells exchange information not only through hormones, neurotransmitters, and small molecules, but also via RNAs that cross cellular boundaries. Cell-to-cell RNA communication has been implicated in the modulation of brain development and function, yet the mechanisms that govern the selective transfer of specific RNAs are unknown. Using genome-wide CRISPR screening, proteomics, and high-sensitivity transcriptomics in a neuronal cell line, we identify domesticated retroviral proteins and RNA-modifying enzymes that regulate neuronal RNA loading into and transportation via extracellular vesicles. We show that the pseudouridine synthase PUS1 is a key determinant of RNA trafficking, and that its catalytic product in RNA, pseudouridine, is both necessary and sufficient for extracellular RNA export. We further show that myosin light chain 6 (MYL6) is a pseudouridine-binding protein required for secretion of synthetic and endogenous RNAs.These findings reveal a biochemical code linking chemical RNA modification to extracellular transport, and establish a framework to study the function of extracellular RNAs in the nervous system. •

Upcoming events

31 March 2026 11 h 00 min - 12 h 30 min

Dr Alessandro SCACCHETTI, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier (IGMM), 1919 Rte de Mende, 34090 Montpellier, France

1 April 2026 13 h 00 min - 14 h 00 min

Ciigales Science Coffee Talk

Amphi Balard

7 April 2026 11 h 00 min - 12 h 00 min

Dr Agyris Papantonis (Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Göttingen)

Ph. Jeanteur Seminar Room, IGMM

9 April 2026 11 h 00 min - 12 h 00 min

Dr Yacine Graba (IBDM)

Marcel Dorée Seminar Room, CRBM

14 April 2026 11 h 00 min - 12 h 30 min

Juarez VALCARCEL, ICREA - Center for Genomic Regulation, Espagne

Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier (IGMM), 1919 Rte de Mende, 34090 Montpellier, France

27 April 2026 13 h 00 min - 22 h 00 min

ZOMES Meeting - Complexes in protein metabolism: From structure to biology to therapeutics

CNRS Délégation Occitanie Est 1919 Route de Mende, 34090 Montpellier, France

28 April 2026

ZOMES Meeting - Complexes in protein metabolism: From structure to biology to therapeutics

CNRS Délégation Occitanie Est 1919 Route de Mende, 34090 Montpellier, France

29 April 2026

ZOMES Meeting - Complexes in protein metabolism: From structure to biology to therapeutics

CNRS Délégation Occitanie Est 1919 Route de Mende, 34090 Montpellier, France

30 April 2026 9 h 00 min - 13 h 30 min

ZOMES Meeting - Complexes in protein metabolism: From structure to biology to therapeutics

CNRS Délégation Occitanie Est 1919 Route de Mende, 34090 Montpellier, France

5 May 2026 11 h 00 min - 12 h 00 min

Intra-BIOLuM Seminar

7 May 2026 11 h 00 min - 12 h 00 min

Morgan Delarue (LAAS, Toulouse)

Salle Marcel Dorée, CRBM

12 May 2026 11 h 00 min - 12 h 30 min

Edward WALLACE - University of Edinburgh

Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier (IGMM), 1919 Rte de Mende, 34090 Montpellier, France

3 June 2026 9 h 00 min - 18 h 00 min

"Cell Cycle & Cancer" BIOLuM Symposium

10 June 2026

CRBM Ph.D students Symposium

Jean-Jacques Moreau amphitheater, Campus Saint-Priest, Montpellier

23 June 2026 11 h 00 min - 12 h 30 min

Dr Christian Schlieker (Yale University)

Marcel Dorée Seminar Room, CRBM, Montpellier

2 July 2026 11 h 00 min - 12 h 00 min

Prof. Alan TALEVI (Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina)

Marcel Dorée Seminar Room

15 September 2026 11 h 00 min - 12 h 00 min

Gautam DEY

DR13 Amphitheater

The Institute of Molecular Genetics of Montpellier

Obefazimod: From 20 Years of Research to a Promising New Therapy

When a virus becomes a Trojan horse

IGMM Viral Vector Expertise for Research

L’art délicat de faire taire les gènes

Should I stay or should I go

OPEN CALL FOR GROUP LEADERS IN INNOVATIVE BIOLOGY

Jobs / Interships

Open Positions: Internships, PhD Thesis, Post-Docs, Technicians, Engineers

Seminars

March 2026

Upcoming events

	March 2026
Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
						1
2	3	4	5	6	7	8
9	10	11 Ciigales Science Coffee Talk 11 March 2026 13 h 00 min - 14 h 00 min Ciigales Science Coffee Talk •	12	13	14	15
16	17 Genome Dynamics and RNA Biology Inaugural Symposium (BIOLuM Axis) 17 March 2026 9 h 15 min - 17 h 45 min Genome Dynamics and RNA Biology Inaugural Symposium (BIOLuM Axis) •	18	19	20 Ciigales Winter afterwork 20 March 2026 17 h 30 min - 19 h 30 min Ciigales Winter afterwork CRBM-IRIM hall/terrace •	21	22
23	24 Kristina ZUMER - Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Gottingen 24 March 2026 11 h 00 min - 12 h 30 min Kristina ZUMER - Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Gottingen Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier (IGMM), 1919 Rte de Mende, 34090 Montpellier, France Title : “The molecular road map of gene expression” Contact : odil.porrua@igmm.cnrs.fr •	25 Career Outside Academia 25 March 2026 13 h 00 min - 14 h 00 min Career Outside Academia Marcel Dorée Seminar Room, IRIM-CRBM, Montpellier Dr Romain Darrigrand (en visio) - Format court (30 min à 1h) : une présentation suivie d'échanges, pour découvrir un parcours professionnel atypique et recueillir conseils et perspectives utiles, que vous envisagiez une carrière académique ou non. Après avoir obtenu un diplôme d'ingénieur en chimie médicinale et pharmaceutique à l'ENSCM (Montpellier) et un double diplôme en chimie médicinale translationnelle à l'université de Montpellier en 2016, Romain a réalisé une thèse en oncologie et cancer biology à l'Institut Gustave Roussy (Villejuif). Après l'obtention de son diplôme en 2020, il a intégré Evotec en tant qu'associé en recherche sur l'identification et la validation d'une cible. Désormais, il travaille toujours au sein de la même société en tant que Research Scientist. •	26	27	28	29
30	31 Dr Alessandro SCACCHETTI, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 31 March 2026 11 h 00 min - 12 h 30 min Dr Alessandro SCACCHETTI, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier (IGMM), 1919 Rte de Mende, 34090 Montpellier, France Title : "A Molecular Code for Extracellular RNA Trafficking" Contact : robert.feil@igmm.cnrs.fr Abstract: Cells exchange information not only through hormones, neurotransmitters, and small molecules, but also via RNAs that cross cellular boundaries. Cell-to-cell RNA communication has been implicated in the modulation of brain development and function, yet the mechanisms that govern the selective transfer of specific RNAs are unknown. Using genome-wide CRISPR screening, proteomics, and high-sensitivity transcriptomics in a neuronal cell line, we identify domesticated retroviral proteins and RNA-modifying enzymes that regulate neuronal RNA loading into and transportation via extracellular vesicles. We show that the pseudouridine synthase PUS1 is a key determinant of RNA trafficking, and that its catalytic product in RNA, pseudouridine, is both necessary and sufficient for extracellular RNA export. We further show that myosin light chain 6 (MYL6) is a pseudouridine-binding protein required for secretion of synthetic and endogenous RNAs.These findings reveal a biochemical code linking chemical RNA modification to extracellular transport, and establish a framework to study the function of extracellular RNAs in the nervous system. •