Presentation

A major player in academic research within the Pharmacy Department of the Université Paris-Saclay, the CNRS BioCIS (Biomolecules: Design, Isolation, Synthesis) Joint Research Unit perpetuates excellence in the fields of organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry by covering a broad spectrum of expertise:

• in natural substances, as a source of inspiration for biologically active molecules;
• in organometallic catalysis and the development of synthetic methodologies (peptides & peptidomimetics; fluorinated molecules, glycochemistry, etc.);
• in molecular modeling; and
• in the rational design of new chemical entities (NCEs) for therapeutic purposes and understanding their mode of action.

Therapeutic innovation, an eminently multidisciplinary field, is one of the major concerns of BioCIS researchers and teacher-researchers. The research work focuses primarily on neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., synucleinopathies, tauopathies) and rare diseases (PAH, epilepsy), anti-infectious, antiparasitic and anti-tumor agents (e.g., immuno-oncology, immunoconjugates). The scientific objective is the search for bioactive NECs in the aforementioned fields. BioCIS teams have been able to establish solid national and international collaborations. It should be noted that this research, supported within the framework of European, public or industrial programs, has a strong potential for valorization (patent filing); The innovations resulting from this work have also been selected (prematuration or maturation programs at SATT Paris-Saclay) for proof-of-concept demonstrations or support for a preclinical development phase, or even the creation of start-ups. BioCIS has been a founding member of the National Chemistry Library consortium since its creation in 1998 and is now a central pillar of the GIS ChemBioFrance. The BioCIS collection of approximately 2,200 molecules (3% of the National Chemistry Library) is unique because it consists of substances of natural origin or inspired by natural substances, but also fluorinated compounds, peptides or pseudo-peptides and synthetic products. With the establishment of a screening platform (CIBLOT), our compounds are tested in several research programs (AAP COVID-19, INCA, etc.) and are at the origin of collaborations with biologist and clinical colleagues. Our partnership approach with national and international biotechnology companies and pharmaceutical groups on highly topical research projects and our ability to leverage our activities at the interface of chemistry and biology clearly illustrate BioCIS’s successes in the field of therapeutic innovation. BioCIS, with its four teams, has integrated a fifth team (Biological Chemistry) since January 2020. Four teams are located at the Faculty of Pharmacy (Châtenay-Malabry) and the fifth is located at the Neuville-sur-Oise site (CY Cergy Paris Université). The UMR currently has 64 permanent staff and welcomes numerous doctoral and post-doctoral students. It has four shared services, including an administrative team. By 2022, BioCIS will move to the Saclay plateau as part of the “Biology – Pharmacy – Chemistry” (BPC) operation of the Université Paris-Saclay. Some bibliometric data of the BioCIS Unit in recent years: 306 articles in peer-reviewed journals, 19 book chapters, 17 patents and 88 invitations to national or international conferences have been given by members of the Unit.