Université PSL's Major Research Programs

More information on : ChemAI

The ChemAI project aims to position Université PSL at the forefront of the ongoing data science and AI revolution in chemistry. Its goals are threefold: transform the production and collection of experimental and theoretical data to create effective databases, foster AI-guided chemical design to explore broader chemical spaces, and achieve AI-enabled scientific breakthroughs across chemistry. By engaging the entire PSL chemistry community, ChemAI will nurture a data culture across laboratories, enhancing research, education, and training a new generation of chemists and chemical engineers equipped with data-driven chemistry tools.

More informations on : Chemcell state

Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells can adapt to their environment, adopting distinct phenotypes in a reversible and dynamic manner, and this independently of genetic alterations. This phenomenon, commonly referred to as cell plasticity (or cell-state transitions), is exploited by many cell types under various scenarios such as cancer cell metastasis and inflammation. For example, in cancer, rare subpopulations of proliferative cancer cells in the bulk of primary tumors have the capacity to reduce cell proliferation to adopt instead migration and invasion properties, allowing these cells to disseminate away from the primary tumor, to colonize distant locations in the body and to seed new tumors in vital organs. Upon exposure to standard-of-care chemotherapeutic agents, these cells can thus adopt a drug-tolerant cell state that fuels cancer relapse, accounting for 90% of cancer-related death. In the context of inflammation, immune cells exposed to a pathogen (e.g., bacteria, viruses) can adopt an activated cell state capable of eradicating this pathogen. Frequently, still underexplored phenomenon involving metal cation are involved. Uncontrolled activation can however be detrimental to healthy tissues and cause acute inflammation leading to death of the host, as has been seen in COVID. Understanding the molecular basis underlying cell plasticity in the context of cancer, inflammation and infection, also more broadly extending to prokaryotic cells, resistance to antibiotics and bacterial virulence, can reveal previously uncharted biological targets suitable for therapeutic intervention promoting the idea that controlling cell state can confer therapeutic benefits. ​

In this project, we have gathered experts from apparently very distinct scientific backgrounds to decipher the molecular mechanisms of cell plasticity. This will involve synthetic organic and (bio)-inorganic chemists, physical chemists, biochemists, structural and cancer biologists, neuroscientists, cell biologists, microbiologists and immunologists, who together will be in a position to deliver new knowledge of an academic nature combining their expertise. There is a common thread on the role of metal ions regulating these phenomena running through ChemCellState, the exploration of which requires interdisciplinary interactions that is not commonly found in academia, and which characterizes PSL University. The program is broken down into four interconnected axes seeking to 1. dissect various molecular and biological aspects underlying cell plasticity, 2. develop biological and chemical tools to study cell plasticity, 3. develop drug-like small molecules -including metal-based ones- able to control cell plasticity in disease-relevant settings and 4. develop physico-chemical methods in quantitative chemistry and modelling to monitor and quantify parameters that characterize cell state transitions with a special focus on the role of metal ions. Only by bringing all this expertise together will we be able to understand the mystery of cell adaptation responsible for disease progression. This program is expected to lay down the foundation for the development of next generation therapeutics.

More information on : Culture lab 

CultureLab aims to strengthen Université PSL’s position as a leader in computational humanities and social sciences by structuring an until-now informal network of laboratories. Computational approaches, now integral to mainstream research, require synergy across diverse applications: data curation and AI-enhanced restoration, simulations, modeling, visualization, and the study of textual, visual, and musical data. CultureLab promotes this synergy by supporting the collection and annotation of large-scale cultural datasets, building predictive theoretical models, and unifying the study of historical and social processes, from the immediate sociological present to long-term history and the deep past of human cultural evolution.

More information on : ENlife

The EnLife major programme brings together Université PSL researchers to understand and engineer living systems at various levels of complexity. By modifying living systems, combining biological parts, and studying their emergent properties within cells and tissues, EnLife aims to identify fundamental concepts of function emergence, improve control and engineering of living systems, develop novel technologies to interact with cells and tissues, and design artificial living systems. The program leverages the expertise of researchers at the interface of physics and biology at Université PSL to create a unique research effort, spanning reconstituted minimal systems, synthetic cells, artificial tissues and organs, and new life-like forms emerging from active matter and self-organized systems.

More information on : DEVINE

Tissues are fundamental units of multicellular organisms. Irrespective of their variety, most tissues are formed by the same types of cellular components: stem cells that generate specialized descendants, stromal cells, and distinct types of tissue-resident immune cells. Understanding how these cellular components interact to construct functional tissues, and how they become dysregulated during aging or pathologies such as cancer, remain major challenges in biology and medicine.  ​

Despite the century-old knowledge that resident immune cells are integral components of tissues, developmental biologists and immunologists have mainly worked in isolation. Developmental biologists have characterized the molecular, cellular and mechanical interactions between tissue stem cells, their descendants and the stroma, essential players of tissue growth, renewal, aging and disease. On the other hand, immunologists have deciphered how immune cells defend tissues against external threats and injury, regulate interactions with microbiota, and respond to the appearance of cancers. Notwithstanding these progresses, we crucially lack a comprehensive understanding of tissue biology integrating the interactions between all cellular components.​

DEVINE emerges from this timely need for developmental biologists and immunologists to join forces to achieve a disruptive understanding of tissue biology throughout life, in health and disease. Building on the expertise and knowledge of two internationally recognized scientific communities of PSL, DEVINE will unravel the continuum between tissue development, homeostasis, aging, and cancer. This will be achieved via a novel and unique scientific program exploring the physiological and pathological crosstalk between stem cells, specialized tissue cells and immune cells during development and adult life. The long-term mission of DEVINE will be self-reinforced by setting up advanced programs to train the next generation of scientists at the interface between developmental biology and immunity. Finally, the emerging integrated knowledge of tissue biology will be harnessed for innovative therapeutic approaches, to improve tissue function in aging and diseases and counteract cancer-related cell transformation. Building on a solid consortium with core collaborations and emerging advanced technologies to integrate new knowledge from molecular to tissue levels at single cell resolution, DEVINE is uniquely positioned to promote a pioneering and timely interdisciplinary field with disruptive potential, at the forefront of fundamental research, technological innovation and human health.​​

More information on : IPGG

Today, the Institut Pierre-Gilles de Gennes (IPGG) is an interdisciplinary ecosystem within PSL, encompassing cutting-edge scientific research, a technology platform, initial and continuing training, innovation and commercialization initiatives, and a strong connection with industry through the Carnot IPGG. ​

This synergy within PSL will be further strengthened as the scope of the next Grand Programme IPGG will be extended not only to several teams from the 4 IPGG institutions, but also to teams from Mines ParisTech PSL and Collège de France. The arrival of new teams in our project will bring a wealth of new skills and expertise. By tackling the challenges of the 21st century, including ecological and energy transitions, as well as critical issues in health and life sciences, the IPGG project stands out as a pioneering initiative.​

Innovation in these strategic fields requires technological and conceptual breakthroughs. The IPGG project is committed to addressing these societal issues from the perspective of microfluidic concepts and technologies. We have identified important scientific questions in key areas such as environmental and ecological transitions, biology and health. These interconnected fields are poised for transformative impact thanks to micro- and nanofluidic approaches.​

We will be focusing on the launch of projects with an impact on the ecological transition, particularly in the field of negative CO2 and energy technologies.​

At the same time, the IPGG community has a proven track record at the interface of biology and microfluidics, illustrating how micro and nanotechnologies can be exploited to answer biological questions. In the near future, we aim to study the control of biological and synthetic functions based on self-organization, understand the stable state and evolution of living and biosynthetic systems in changing environments, and explore alternatives to animal experimentation to accelerate drug discovery. In addition, two cross-disciplinary projects have been identified for development within the IPGG project, focusing on flow chemistry and recycling/upcycling approaches. These initiatives reflect our commitment to pushing back scientific frontiers and helping to find solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges.​

More information on : Faire collection 

The Major Program Making a Collection: The Material Order of Teaching and Research brings together research on collections as instruments and products of research and teaching. It includes institutionalized collections (libraries, archives, museums) as well as fragmentary, invisible, or emerging collections, and those needed to document current practices. Drawing on Université PSL’s member schools, the program adopts transdisciplinary and diachronic approaches across all disciplines, highlighting the reflexive and educational value of collections for the “sciences of objects” and research-based training.

Faire Collection has two axes: the first studies the history of collections and the operations shaping them—selecting, assembling, classifying, describing, dispersing, destroying, and forgetting. The second examines the role of collections in scientific communities, teaching, and community-building, as well as interactions between PSL schools, other academic actors, and the non-academic world. The program investigates how collections structure institutions, collectives, and research networks.

More information on : Fan 

The Research Program “Making Antiquity: Constructions and Representations of Times Past” (FAn) aims to provide Université PSL with an observatory of the past and the multiple representations of ancient societies. It studies the formation of collective identities, cultural memories, and modes of historicity across all cultural areas and historical periods, fostering synergy among previously dispersed research partners. FAn adopts a global approach to historical phenomena, from East Asia to Central America, via India, the Near East, and the Mediterranean. Institutionally, it strengthens connections between Université PSL research units and collaborates closely with museums and the Réseau des Écoles Françaises à l’Étranger (ResEFE) to support field research and enhance societal impact.

More information on: PSL-NEURO | PSL

The brain enables perception, reasoning, and action. Its evolution has provided animals with vast capacities for interaction, learning, and adaptation, yet the precise biological mechanisms underlying these functions remain poorly understood. PSL-Neuro aims to reveal these mechanisms by integrating experimental and theoretical approaches across thirty international research teams. The program spans spatial scales (molecules, synapses, cells, microcircuits, networks) and temporal scales (signal transmission, synaptic plasticity, memory consolidation) to link behavior with neural circuits and develop predictive models. The PSL-Neuro major program fosters collaboration across institutions, trains the next generation of researchers, and produces outcomes with applications in health, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence.

More information on: METASOFT

METASOFT aims at building on the widely recognized expertise of PSL teams in Soft Matter to foster ambitious interdisciplinary research initiatives at the cross-road between physics, chemistry, engineering and design of soft materials. METASOFT is structured along three scientific axes. First, we want to combine PSL's expertise in soft materials, metamaterials, and design, to invent the future of soft robotics. Secondly, we intend to invest a considerable research effort in understanding complex fluids which are of industrial relevance, right up to active or amorphous solids. Finally, we aim to position ourselves in areas of high environmental impact, with strategies complementing existing current efforts in recycling, water management and CO2 valorisation. METASOFT also aims at binding the community through scientific events such as the PSL Soft and living Matter days and teaching-oriented events dedicated to PhD and Master’s students.​

More information on : Q-MAT | PSL

Quantum matter encompasses systems exhibiting emerging quantum phenomena observable at macroscopic scales, which are at the heart of many current developments in physics and materials science. It includes a variety of systems such as superconductors, topological materials, graphene, 2D heterostructures, and cold atoms.
The Q-MAT project is a collaborative project bringing together teams from five PSL institutions (ENS - PSL, ESPCI Paris - PSL, Chimie ParisTech - PSL, Observatoire de Paris, and Collège de France) active in this field. It aims to strengthen collaboration between experimental and theoretical approaches, promote the sharing of expertise, and open up new avenues of research. The goal is to bridge the gap between quantum matter and quantum technologies, while positioning PSL as a major player in international quantum physics research.

More information on: SmartWaves | PSL

Since the 2000s, major advances in technology and data processing in several wave-related domains—optics, acoustics, microwaves, and seismology—have profoundly renewed experimental and theoretical approaches, notably through metamaterials, wavefront shaping, and ultradense arrays of transceivers. These developments make it necessary to develop new physical models that take into account the temporal, frequency, and spatial dimensions of wave propagation in complex media. The “Smart Waves” program aims to bring together complementary expertise within Université PSL to address shared fundamental and applied challenges in a field that plays a central role in major societal issues such as health, communication, and sustainable development. By fostering close collaboration between communities and a transdisciplinary approach centered on agile waves, the program supports the emergence of innovative research themes and strengthens PSL’s position as a leading international actor in this field.

More information on : Statistical Physics and Mathematics​

Statistical Physics is the branch of theoretical physics that adopts a stochastic view of nature. It has achieved major successes, including kinetic gas theory, statistical mechanics, and quantum mechanics, and continues to attract leading minds such as Boltzmann, Einstein, Parisi, and Duminil-Copin. Closely linked with mathematics through probability theory, Statistical Physics spans both disciplines, addressing systems with many interacting components. The project aims to build and energize a scientific community around Statistical Physics at PSL, fostering cross-fertilization between mathematicians and theoretical physicists beyond traditional departmental boundaries.

More information on: TERRAE | PSL

The major research program TERRAE brings together around 170 PSL researchers to address current and future challenges related to climate change, biodiversity loss, and associated social issues. It aims to structure and strengthen research at Université PSL for the design of ecological and social transition pathways, mobilizing geosciences, biodiversity and health sciences, as well as social and human sciences. TERRAE seeks to build bridges between research groups, develop high-impact research for society and biodiversity, and engage actors and stakeholders from the outset to co-define questions and support implementation and dissemination. This transdisciplinary research is conducted primarily through “Transition Hotspots”, focused on clearly defined objects at the intersection of multiple transition challenges, such as droughts or agroecological transitions, and complemented by smaller-scale projects.