Permanent staff
Xavier Garric
Xavier Garric was born in Nice (France) in 1977. He first received his PharmD degree in 2001 before he obtained his PhD in 2004 from the University of Montpellier I, under the supervision of Doctors Michel Vert and Jean-Pierre Molès in the field of degradable polymeric scaffold in skin engineering. He joined the group of Doctor Michel Vert as an Assistant Professor at the University of Montpellier, in 2005. He was appointed Professor of Polymer Chemistry at the Faculty of Pharmacy in 2013 and became team leader in September 2018. His research interests are focused on biomedical applications of polymers and especially for the design of new drug delivery systems and degradable medical devices. Part of his recent research is related to the design of an anti-adhesion, self-expanding and degradable medical device for the prevention of intra-uterine adhesions. This work led to the creation of the Womed start-up in 2018 of which he is co-founder and scientific advisor. Another part of his research focuses on degradable elastomers for tissue engineering applications as the well as the development of new drug eluting system for implantable medical device. Xavier is co-author of over 62 papers and 8 patents. He is co-head of the master’s degree in health engineering, he is deputy director of the scientific chemistry department at the University of Montpellier
Benjamin Nottelet
Benjamin initially graduated as a chemical engineer from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie of Montpellier (ENSCM), France before completing an industrial PhD on degradable polymers from the University of Montpellier (UM) in 2005 in contract with RHODIA in the group of Prof. Vert. He then worked in the Macromolecular Engineering and Architectures group of ENSCM in the group of Prof. Boutevin before joining the Department of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics of Prof. Gurny at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) to develop scaffolds for tissue engineering and drug delivery systems. In 2008, he became Associate Professor in the Faculty of Pharmacy at UM and joined the Department of Artificial Biopolymers of IBMM of Prof. Coudane, where he was appointed Full Professor in 2018. His research activities focus on the synthesis and modification of degradable polymers for advanced biomedical applications and include hybrid biomaterials, bioactive surfaces, and multifunctional polymers.
Jean Coudane
Jean is an alumnus of the ENS Cachan, he has passed aggregation in Chemistry before moving to INSA of Rouen as assistant professor in organic chemistry in the Laboratory of Macromolecular Substances, managed by Professor Maréchal. in 1991 he moved at the Faculty of Pharmacy of Montpellier in the CRBA (Research Center on Artificial Biopolymers) team, managed par Dr Michel Vert. From 2007 to 2018 he managed the “Artificial Biopolymers” department of IBMM (Max Mousseron Institute on Biomolecules). His research skills are mainly dedicated to the chemical modifications of biodegradable and biocompatible (co)polymers, especially (co)polyesters, for applications in Health, such as implantable polymeric medical devices or polymeric drug vectors.
Hélène Van Den Berghe
Hélène graduated in Organic Chemistry at the Universtiy of Montpellier (France). She completed her PhD in 2007 under the supervision of Pr J. Coudane in the Artificial Biopolymers Department of IBMM in Montpellier, working on the synthesis of biodegradable polymers for tissue engineering and sustained drug release applications. She then joined the group of Pr Rachel Auzély in the CERMAV (Grenoble, France) as a post-doc to work on the chemical modifications of polysaccharides. Hélène moved to England in 2010 in the Dove group at the Warwick University before moving at the University of Lille (France) to work as a post-doctoral fellow with Pr Bernard Martel developing multi-drug stents based on polysaccharide layer-by-layer assemblies. In 2011, she became Associate Professor in the Faculty of Pharmacy of Montpellier in the Artificial Biopolymers Department of IBMM. Her research is dedicated to the synthesis and chemical modification of synthetic and natural biodegradable polymers for biomedical applications including : nano-systems for anti-cancer drug release, anti-adhesive polymeric membranes for orthopedic surgery, synthesis of amphiphilic copolymers for environnemental applications.
Abdeslam El Ghzaoui
Abdeslam graduated in chemical physics at the Universtiy of Montpellier (France). After defending his PhD in the field chemical physics at the Universtiy of Montpellier (1997), he worked for the C.E.A (Commissariat à l’énergie atomique) in the field of radionuclides solubilisation in micellar and physical hydrogel systems. Then, he joined the C.R.P.P. (Centre de recherche Paul Pascal) (Bordeaux, France) as a post-doc to work on Dendrimers and their supramolecular nanostructures. In 2002, he became Associate Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy at University of Montpellier and joined the Department of Artificial Biopolymers of IBMM of Prof. Michel Vert. His research activities focus on the rheology of nano and mesostructures biomaterials obtained from natural and synthetic biopolymers. He also works on interfaces in colloidal systems such as the drug solubilisation in polymer micelles and hydrogels.

Coline PINESE
Coline has been working at the chemistry/biology interface since her doctorate CIFRE obtained in 2014. Her objective was to design hybrid collagen/PLA based copolymer biomaterials for ligament regeneration. She then continued her work at the interface by studying bioactive surfaces functionalized by peptides (antibacterial, osteointegration, wound healing…). Then she became involved into spinal cord regeneration through an association mRNA or siRNA/ nanofibers at Nayang Technological University, Singapore. She finally joined the DBA team as an Associate Professor to develop polymer/peptide hybrid nanomaterials.
Vincent Darcos
Vincent is a CNRS Research Engineer at the Institute of Biomolecules Max Mousseron (IBMM). After defending his PhD in the field of organic chemistry (2000, University of Bordeaux), he joined the group of Prof. Dave Haddleton at the University of Warwick in UK (Marie-Curie Fellowship, 2000-2002). Then, he moved for a one-year post-doctoral fellow at the University of Bordeaux (LCPO) in the group of Dr. Yves Gnanou (Rhodia funding). In 2004, he joined the IBMM and defended his HDR in 2017. His research interests focus in the field of macromolecular engineering in order to develop original polymeric biomaterials for health applications.

Mahfoud Boustta
Mahfoud is a CNRS Research Engineer with the Max Mousseron Institute for Biomolecules (IBMM) at the University of Montpellier. He obtained his PhD in Materials Chemistry at the University of Rouen in 1986. He joined the group of Artificial Biopolymers (CRBA) created and directed by Michel Vert in 1992. Being an organic Chemist and polymer scientist, his research focuses on functional and multifunctional polymers of therapeutic interest such as macromolecular prodrugs and artificial, gelatin-type hydrogels.

Audrey Bethry
After a master degree in Health Biology, Health engineering obtained in Montpellier, she moved to Strasbourg and joined in 2009 a team working in cell signaling in urological cancers (INSERM U1113) as engineer. Then she became a member of Urolead, preclinical Contract Research Organization (CRO) created in 2010 offering patient tumorgraft-based services in urological cancers. After 4 years as project manager, she joined in 2014 the biopolymer department of the Institute of Biomolecules Max Mousseron (IBMM) as biological engineer. She is in charge of biological evaluation, in vitro and in vivo, of medical biomaterials developed by polymer chemists.

Cédric Paniagua
Cédric Paniagua graduated from a DUT in Chemistry obtained at the University of Montpellier in 2000. After several experiences in the private sector (2000-2003), he joined the Biopolymers Artificial Department at IBMM in 2004 as a CNRS assistant engineer chemist. He is in charge of the synthesis development and characterization of original polymeric biomaterials for health applications. Since 2016, he is technical manager of the polymer platform of the SynBio3 platform.

Stéphane Dejean
Stéphane Déjean obtained his Diploma of Higher Education in Chemistry in 2011 and specialized in polymers chemistry with a Bachelor’s Degree. In 2013, he joined the Biopolymers Artificial Department at IBMM as a CNRS chemist. He is currently working on the synthesis and the characterization of biodegradable polymers and also in the development of new 3D printable materials applied on medical devices.

Sylvie Hunger
She obtained his Diploma of Higher Education in Chemistry and, after several years in private field, she integrated the Biopolymers Artificial department in 1992 as a technician. She is currently in charge of technical facilities in size exclusion chromatography (SEC), analysis and maintenance. In SynBio3 platform she also contributes to the characterization and degradation study of polymers.

Michel Vert
Michel Vert, formally at INSA Rouen, founded the laboratory in 1991 and led it as director until he retired in 2007. He remains member of the department as Emeritus CNRS Research Director. His main fields of interest are: – optically active polymers, – multifunctional polyelectrolytes, -polymers of therapeutic interest, – macromolecular drugs and prodrugs, -degradable and bioresorbable polymers, – smart polymeric systems. He authored or co-authored more than 400 major scientific contributions (articles, book chapters, patents, etc…). He contributed to the creation of three companies, two as co-founder. Two stopped after many years of activity. One, MedinCell, is still alive. He is presently member of the IUPAC Sub-Committee for Polymer Terminology. He was awarded a CNRS Silver Medal, a “Jungfleish” Grand Prix of the French Academy of Sciences and a Grand Prix Georges Winter of the European Society for Biomaterials.

Carine Carlin
gestionnaire
Clinical staff & Quality
Renaud De Teyrac PU-PH
Vincent Letouzey PU-PH
Christian Pompée PAST
Emmanuel Robin PAST
Non-permanent staff

Michael Gonçalves
Mickaël obtained a Master degree in Polymer Chemistry at Sorbonne University in 2021. Starting from the same year, he’s doing a PhD about film-forming and radionuclide chelating biomaterials based on original polymers. The PhD project is supervised jointly by PHBM team (Prof. Vincent Darcos) and ICGM team (Prof. Sophie Monge Darcos).

Mathilde Massonié
Mathilde graduated as an engineer in biomaterials for health from Cergy-Pontoise university in 2020. She is currently completing a PhD about the conception of photopolymerizable, degradable and bioactive ink for meniscus regeneration by 3D-printing. She is supervised by Coline Pinese, Benjamin Nottelet and Xavier Garric. She enjoys conviviality, good laugh and good results!

Karima Belabbes
After graduating from the University of Pharmacy “ABOU BAKR BELKAID, ALGERIA”, Karima is doing her PhD at IBMM with a scholarship from the Algerian government. She is working on the design of hybrid peptide/polymer nanofibers for spinal cord regeneration. She enjoys baking cakes and walking on the beach.

Gaelle SAVIN
Gaëlle graduated from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie, de Biologie et Physique of Bordeaux in 2020. She started her PhD in May 2021 on the synthesis of bioresordable polyurethans composites to be used in orthopedic surgery in collaboration with Arthrocart Biotech. She is supervised by Ghislain David and Sylvain Caillol from the ICGM departement and Benjamin Nottelet, from the PHBM team. She enjoys hiking, climbing and traveling!

Mathilde Grosjean
Mathilde graduated as a chemical engineer from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Montpellier in 2019. She is currently completing her PhD under the supervision of Prof. Benjamin Nottelet. The main objective of her work is the design of degradable elastomers and hydrogels and their combination for the design of self-rolled bioresorbable patches for the local treatment of colonic inflammation.

Christopher Yusef Leon Valdivieso
Christopher is a Materials Scientist (PhD) with a particular interest/expertise in biomaterials for tissue regeneration. During his doctoral studies at the University of Manchester, he formulated and characterized mechanically reinforced fibrin hydrogels for various applications in soft tissue engineering. After completion of his PhD (2018) he continued his research training at the Université de Technologie de Compiègne, where he developed a single-step electrospinning method for the fabrication of multi-structured materials to engineer the ligament-bone interface. As of May 2020 he is part of IBMM working as postdoctoral researcher in a collaborative project with URGO, where his current focus is the development of contraction-resistant dermal substitutes.

Gabriele Vecchio
Gabriele obtained a Master of Science degree in Materials Engineering and Nanotechnology at Polytechnic of Milan in 2020. Starting from 2021, he’s doing a PhD about porous nanocomposite scaffolds for the regeneration of mandible defects as a consequence of the osteoradionecrosis.
The PhD project is supervised jointly by IBMM Biopolymers team (Prof. Vincent Darcos) and CIRIMAT team (Prof. Jeremy Soulié).

Marion Le Gal
Marion obtained her PhD in microbiology in 2021 at the University of Bretagne Occidentale (UBO). She has interdisciplinary background between biology and chemistry with a focus on biopolymers characterization and their biomedical applications. Since November 2021, she has joined PHBM under the supervision of Benjamin Nottelet and Vincent Darcos as a research engineer. She is working on a retro-engineering project on a polymer-based formulation.

Coraline Chartier
After graduating from the University of Bordeaux in 2019, Coraline is currently doing a PhD in collaboration between the Department of Polymers for Health and Biomaterials (PHBM) in Montpellier and the Centre for Material Forming (CEMEF) in Sophia-Antipolis. This PhD is done under the supervision of Pr Benjamin Nottelet (IBMM-PHBM) and Dr. Tatiana Budtova (CEMEF, Team BIO-based polymers and composites). Her aim is to print a functionalized bioaerogel based on natural biopolymers for the treatment of chronic wounds.

Eloise Kerignard
Eloïse graduated as an engineer from Ecole de Biologie Industrielle (EBI) in Cergy in 2020.
She is working on the multi-disciplinary european project INTERREG-SUDOE CARDIOPATCH. The objective of the CARDIOPATCH project is the development of cardiac patches promoting the re-cellularization of the myocardium after myocardial infarction. Her aim is to functionalize the collagen membrane with protein factors involved in cardioprotection and angiogenesis.
She has previously completed a 6-months R&D internship in Poietis in Bordeaux, working on a skin substitute for clinical application. She enjoys travelling and taking pictures

Chloé Falcoz
Chloé obtained a Master of Science degree in Polymers for Advanced Technologies at Grenoble Alpes University in 2021. Since March 2022, she’s working as an engineer on DISCAF project which aims to design and characterize a degradable nanofibrillar scaffold to promote the regeneration of the Annulus Fibrosus in intervertebral disc in order to prevent hernia reappearance. Chloé synthetize linear and star-shaped PCL-PLA copolymer and then shape the matrix by electrospinning. You can make her the happiest in the world by bringing pastries to the lab or by talking about art.