Actualités biocampus

BioCampus Montpellier Research and Service Core Facilities offer the users community a wide range of research services based on a broad set of key technologies. These services may be routine or may require mere adjustments to be adapted to the user’s scientific question. For more complex investigations, the extent of the adaptations required or the lack of available tools from the facility justifies the implementation of a joint Research & Development project to tackle all the technological issues raised by the users.

Both Service and R&D activities are at the very heart of the facility’s missions. Core facilities are a place for innovation where the key partners of the research teams can develop ambitious and original approaches. These R&D project i) give the research group access to a new tool to decipher the biological processes and ii) contribute to diversifying the core’s applications portfolio.

Call Description (French & English) Application Form (in French)

The aim of the program is to strengthen the core facilities’ ability to maintain a high level of R&D activity, and to remind the scientific community that the platforms provide real added value in advancing their research projects.

Projects funded under this program will be carried out in partnership with a research team and/or another BioCampus Montpellier core facility.

These projects should enable the development of new services, adapted to the scientific themes of the community using BioCampus platforms.

The program will fund projects proposing the implementation of new experimental procedures (protocols, data analysis pipelines), new software or instrument development. It can also be used, for example, to develop a new service or improve an existing one.

The program is not designed to fund research projects or answer a scientific question, but to implement new methodologies or approaches.

The projects supported by the program can be a first proof-of-concept stage, enabling platforms and teams to go on to a larger-scale R&D project, financed for example by submitting a joint response to an external call that will fund the new developments. 

The amount allocated to each selected project remains variable. The co-sponsors will propose a requested amount. Since 2022, the total budget allocated is around 75-80 k€/year for the funding of 5 or 6 projects for an amount varying between 8 and 22k€ per project. The program will directly fund the BioCampus Montpellier facility co-sponsoring the project, which will receive the funds reserved for the R&D project implemented with another facility and/or research team. Upstream of the methodology to be developed, the co-sponsoring research team is expected to take charge of the production of the necessary samples, particularly if the project chooses to validate the approach with different samples.

A duration of 1 year from the availability of funds is preferable. However, this period may be extended provided that a detailed expenditure schedule is drawn up.

The earliest possible start date will be January 1, 2025. The project is co-sponsored by a platform staff member and a research team member from a research institution or laboratory, with a PhD and high-quality research experience.

The project must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• The project must involve at least one BioCampus Montpellier Core Facility and will be co-supported by a research team and/or another core facility.
• As BioCampus is funded through local contributions, applicant must work in a research structure of the Montpellier Université d’Excellence (MUSE) I-Site. Other applicants may apply in which case the added value he or she brings to the R&D project will be particularly emphasized (and the description will indicate how a MUSE research group could not have provided this specific added value).
• The research team co-sponsor will be a user of the serviced developed through the project.
• Projects involving a team that is not yet using the platform will be encouraged to increase diversification of the teams collaborating with the core facility for its R&D.
• The research team co-sponsor cannot be part of the core facility staff nor work in a research team that also includes a member of staff of the core facility where the project will be carried out (when the latter works part-time for the facility and part-time for the research team).
• On the time of application, the applicant must not have any ongoing projects benefiting from the BioCampus Montpellier R&D program.
• The project must involve staff from the partner core facility, for a minimum of 30% of an FTE.

The co-sponsors will manage the project together and ensure that it runs smoothly. A short description of the project management modalities will be provided (see procedure).

The program is not restricted to specific applications or themes. The potential of the developments/improvements covered by the project, or their ability to overcome a major technological barrier, will be highlighted.

Where appropriate, the project may be the subject of a consortium agreement with a third-party industrial partner. In this case, the main provisions in terms of intellectual property will have to be specified.

At the time of submission, the project budget (excluding VAT) must reflect all costs incurred by the team and the platform(s) (Appendix 2). Indirect costs for permanent staff or the environment, which are not borne by the partners, will not be included. Coverage of maintenance contracts is not eligible.

Platform services described in the estimated budget must be authorized for invoicing.

All eligible expenses financed through the program will be handled by the management department of the BioCampus Montpellier unit. Any equipment purchased will be recorded in the unit/platform inventory.

Where appropriate, contract staff will be recruited in accordance with HR Excellence in Research standards.

Eligible projects will be carried-out in partnership with one or more BioCampus Montpellier core facility. Should the applicant have difficulty in identifying a partner CF, he/she should feel free to contact the unit's management This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

A letter accompanying the application form should explain how the project submitted represents a significant and beneficial development for the local scientific community.

In relation to the total program budget, the funds required must remain modest or be supplemented by appropriate co-financing. The amount and origin of co-financing must be specified on the form. The project description should detail the timetable for completion and for making developments available to the platform's user community. The project's capacity to generate medium-term results should be specified. R&D projects in progress that require funding to bring them to fruition may also be considered.

Co-sponsors must submit the project form by 5pm on September 27, 2024 to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Projects will be pre-selected based on eligibility criteria. Only projects meeting those criteria will be considered. Selected projects will be briefly presented by the co-sponsors at the BioCampus steering committee meeting on November 4, 2024.

Projects will be evaluated according to the criteria specified in the application form. It should be emphasized that the importance of the research team co-sponsor's biological question, its scientific interest/scope or the scientific background of the research team co-sponsor are not relevant evaluation criteria in this context.

Furthermore, the general aim of the program is to be flexible and responsive. Thus, any co-financing must be secured by the project start date, otherwise the project start date will be postponed and funds potentially lost.

Finally, projects are selected by the BioCampus Montpellier service unit management committee. If necessary, this committee may adjust the final budget allocated to each selected project. The committee may provide unsuccessful project leaders a general assessment of the quality of their application.

Modifications are possible, as long as the main goal of the project remains unchanged. However, the co-sponsors will have to justify them and have any new expenditure list validated by the unit's management. The proposed timetable may be extended beyond December 31, 2025, provided that a detailed expenditure schedule is submitted. Funds not used by the end of the project will be reallocated.

Any publications resulting from the project funded by BioCampus Montpellier R&D program will mention, in the acknowledgements section, the financial support linked to the program.

Finally, at the end of the project, co-sponsors will briefly present the results obtained at the unit's next biennial general meeting.