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- Dr. Charles Fouillade, first recipient of a CNRS Chaire de Professeur Junior at Institut Curie
Dr. Charles Fouillade, researcher at the Research Center of Institut Curie, has been awarded a Chaire de Professeur Junior (CPJ) from the CNRS for his project Radiobiology of innovative approaches in radiotherapy and hadrontherapy. This distinction, a first for Institut Curie, supports research aimed at improving the understanding of the biological effects of new radiotherapy modalities, at the interface between fundamental research and clinical applications.
Awarded for a five year period, the Chaire de Professeur Junior (CPJ) obtained by Dr. Charles Fouillade represents a major step in structuring his research in radiobiology, which he has been conducting for more than ten years at Institut Curie. His work focuses on the biological effects of new ways of irradiating tumors in radiotherapy, in particular FLASH radiotherapy, which relies on dose delivery at a rate 10,000 times higher than that used in conventional radiotherapy and may therefore help better preserve healthy tissues while remaining effective against tumors (see the FRATHEA project below).
“Today, we observe very promising effects, but they are not yet fully understood,” explains Dr. Charles Fouillade. “The role of radiobiology is to determine under which conditions these effects occur, in order to prepare a responsible transition to the clinic.”
Initially developed within the former research unit Signaling, Radiobiology and Cancer (CNRS UMR3347 / Inserm U1021 / Université Paris-Saclay), Dr. Charles Fouillade’s work is now being pursued within the Advanced Therapy in Radiation Oncology and Molecular Imaging Characterisation (ATOMIC) team, led by Prof. Gilles Créhange, to which his Chaire de Professeur Junior is attached. This team is part of the new research unit Imaging, innovative radiation therapy, and system medicine (IRIS) (CNRS UMR9029 / Inserm U1353 / UVSQ), led by Dr. Irène Buvat and created on January 1, 2026. The unit brings together four research teams working at the interface of innovative radiotherapy and medical imaging.
Dr. Charles Fouillade’s research is carried out in a particularly structuring context within the Research Center of Institut Curie, notably shaped by the FRATHEA project, dedicated to the development of FLASH radiotherapy. Led by Institut Curie in collaboration with the CEA, this large scale project, funded to the level of 37 million euros over four years, aims to support the development and validation of this innovative technology with a view to future clinical applications, by mobilizing complementary expertise in physics, radiobiology and medicine.
The CNRS Chaires de Professeur Junior (CPJ) are a recruitment scheme implemented by the CNRS, in partnership with research organizations and universities, to support ambitious scientific projects led by experienced researchers. Lasting between three and six years, these chairs enable the development of a structured research program with dedicated resources.
They also include a teaching commitment, helping to strengthen the links between research and training within host institutions.
Photo - © Institut Curie / Uriel CHANTRAINE
