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 enable teams, in partnership with a BioCampus Montpellier core facility, to develop new services tailored to their scientific themes. The program will fund:

• Feasibility studies to adapt and validate an existing service to the research team's topic.

• Pilot approaches to either set up proofs of concept or generate preliminary data. These pilots will then allow the team and the Core Facility to continue in a larger project, through the submission of a joint application to an external, more ambitiously funded call.

• Short-term, comprehensive R&D projects to develop an innovative tool that does not yet exist, and that is adapted to the research team's questions. These projects must result in a new offering from the core facility, proposed to users other than the applicant.

There is no maximum amount of the project budget that can be claimed with the application. However, for the purpose of estimation, in 2022 & 2023, the program funded a total of 11 projects for a total of € 167,905.

The program will directly finance the BioCampus Montpellier Core Facilty (CF). Funds will be restricted to the joint user/CF project.

There is no time limit on funded projects. 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.

Eligible applicants are scientists belonging to a research institution or   laboratory, with a doctorate and high-quality research experience.

Proposals must comply with all following eligibility criteria:

• The project must involve one or several BioCampus Montpellier Core Facilities.
• As the Unit is funded through local contributions, applicant must work in a research structure of the MUSE I-Site. Other applicants may apply; however, the application must demonstrate to what extend the specific applicant’s added-value could not be brought by any other MUSE research group.
• The applicant will be a user of the newly developed service.
• Project involving new facility users will be encouraged (as to diversify the origin of groups collaborating with the facility for its R&D).
• Applicant must not be facility staff nor work in a research team that also includes a member of staff of the local 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 date 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 a FTE.

The project involves a Principal Investigator (the applicant) and a facility deputy project manager (deputy-PI) permanently overseeing the team’s work. A short description of the project management modalities will be provided.

The program is not restricted to specific applications or themes. However, in the case of "pilot" projects, applicants should emphasize any connections with technologies prioritized in regional calls (e.g. regional 3S Smart Specialization Strategy, regional key challenges), that could be featured in subsequent calls. The potential of the developments/improvements covered by the project, or their ability to overcome a major technological barrier, will be highlighted.

If applicable, the project may be the subject of a consortium agreement with a third-party industrial partner. The applicants must explain to which extend intellectual property is dealt with.

The project budget (VAT excl.) submitted within the competition application should be planned accordingly by the Project Manager/applicant, i.e. reflecting appropriately all the costs necessary to carry out the project. Costs that are not directly supported either by the applicant’s research team or the facility are not eligible, and will not be included in the project budget.

In the case of a feasibility study, the core facility services described in the estimated budget must be authorized for invoicing.

All expenditures will be made by the BioCampus Montpellier unit. All equipment purchased will be the property of the unit/facility and recorded in its inventory.

When applicable, the recruitment of team members should follow HR Excellence in Research standards.

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

The BioCampus Montpellier R&D Program supports short-term full R&D projects, pilot projects and feasibility studies, defined for the purposes of the program as:

• Feasibility study: A study to adapt and validate an existing core facility service for a new application. The project description this feasibility study differs from the adaptations regularly carried out by the platform (the program is not intended to finance simple adaptations of the existing offer, with the expected results). The medium-term potential for use will be specified.

• R&D pilot: A small pilot project to generate an appropriate preliminary data set for inclusion in an upcoming funding application (or similar). Pilot project awards are not intended to fund ongoing research or full-scale research projects. The pilot project must have the potential to generate long-term use. Applicants will describe the global consortium strategy and how funding of the described developments within the pilot will enable a leverage effect. A brief provisional timetable will be given, detailing the different phases (pilot implementation, aims, financing of the complete project, eventual availability of the development to the facility users). A short risk assessment will determine to which extent the pilot project has the potential to transform into a fully mature R&D project.

• Complete short-term R&D project: the founding obtained under the R&D program, possibly supplemented by acquired co-financing provided by one of the partners, will enable the project to be carried out in full. In relation to the total program budget, the funds required for the entire project should remain modest, or be supplemented by appropriate co-financing. The project description should detail the timetable for completion and for making developments available to the facility's user community. The project's capacity to generate medium-term use should be specified. This category also includes ongoing R&D projects that require funding to bring them to fruition.

The associated application form should be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. before september 29^th, 2023.

Proposals must comply with all eligibility criteria in order to progress to competitive review. Projects will be analysed on a merit basis, using the criteria listed in the application form. It should be emphasized that neither the relevance of the scientific question of the applicant, its importance or the scientific track of the applicant are criteria for the application evaluation.  

The program is intended to be as flexible and responsive as possible. This means that any co-financing must be secured by the project start-up date, otherwise the project start-up date will be postponed and funds could potentially be lost. Applicants whose projects meet the eligibility criteria will be invited to present their project in detail, together with their core facility parner, to the BioCampus steering committee meeting in October.

The selection committee is made up of the BioCampus Montpellier service unit management committee. Third-party input (e.g., representatives of research poles in relation to the projects) may be sought. The selection committee will provide the unsuccessful applicants with an overall assessment of the quality of their proposal.

Modifications are possible, as long as the main goal of the project remains unchanged. However, the applicant 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, 2024, 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, the head of the partner platform and/or the applicant will briefly present the results obtained at the unit's next biennial general meeting.