Isabelle Henry, appointed as a new member of the Executive Board

"I am very pleased to join the Executive Board of Institut Curie. To me, Curie first and foremost represents the legacy of Marie Curie — a visionary scientist and an iconic figure in the institute's history. It is a place where scientific excellence and high-quality patient care come together, offering cutting-edge treatments based on the latest advances. Despite the complexity of such an ambition, the institute remains agile, open, and deeply connected to today’s and tomorrow’s societal challenges in the fight against cancer," explains Isabelle Henry.

Alongside Prof. Alain Puisieux, President of the Executive Board of Institut Curie, and Éric Nicolas, also a member of the Board, Isabelle Henry joins this governing body with responsibilities fully aligned with the goals of the strategic plan Curie 2030 – Hope Against Cancer. "National and international partnerships — with higher education institutions, companies, and civil society — are essential to building the future," she emphasizes. Strengthening existing collaborations, particularly with the institute’s French university partners, and developing new alliances with other institutions are among her key objectives. One of Isabelle Henry’s priorities is also to foster international openness toward countries with a critical need for oncology expertise, skills, and knowledge. All of her missions will rely on an inclusive approach that embraces the many dimensions of society.

Isabelle Henry holds a PhD in Molecular Genetics from Paris VII University. She joined Inserm in 1989 and spent 15 years conducting research in the field of molecular genetics of pediatric cancers at Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital and the Institut Pasteur. She has published 41 original articles in international scientific journals.

She then took on several strategic roles at Inserm — first in 2005 as Head of the Site Policy Unit within the Department of Regional and European Policy, then as Director of the Evaluation and Program Monitoring Department in 2008.
In 2015, she joined the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), where she led the Research Evaluation and Programming Mission, developing methods to assess and enhance the societal impact of research. In 2019, she became IRD’s representative in Senegal, and since 2023, she has served as a special advisor to IRD’s executive management.