Cochin Institute

Institut Cochin is a Research Center located in the center of Paris, affiliated to INSERM, CNRS and the University Paris Descartes. It is actually one of the largest research centers in France, with more than 650 staff members, including 100 full-time scientists (Inserm and CNRS), 70 clinicians, 200 engineers and technicians, 200 young scientists (postdocs and PhD students). The general objectives of the Institut Cochin are to improve our knowledge on basic biological mechanisms in physiological and pathophysiological situations in humans and animal models, to educate young scientists and clinicians through rigorous research approaches and to explore opportunities for applications of our results to the benefit of public health.

Research

The center is currently composed of 38 independent research groups, working in three priority axes, corresponding to three scientific departments:

* Development, Reproduction and Cancer (DRC)
investigating normal and pathological development from the very early stages (human infertilities and placental diseases) to organogenesis (muscle, kidney and brain development) in humans and murine models and mechanisms leading to cancer (solid and hematological cancers);

* Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes (EMD)
deciphering the molecular mechanisms involved in metabolic homeostasis and disorders such as diabetes, steatosis, iron metabolism and endocrine pathologies;

* Infection, Immunity and Inflammation (3I)
working on host-pathogens interactions, from the molecular level to pathophysiology of viral (HIV, HTLV-1), bacterial or parasitic infections and immune/inflammatory mucosal and systemic cell responses

Training and tutoring

Institut Cochin is a major site for education and research training, with about 100 PhD students and as many Master and undergraduate students. Indeed, a large number of scientists in the Institute organize and/or contribute to PhD or Master programs at Paris Descartes University. In addition, about 70 post-doc fellows (including a large proportion of foreigners) get every year a complementary training in the Institute while contributing to the intellectual diversity and international visibility of the Institute.

Technology Transfer

The Technology Transfer office of the Institute actively supports and accompanies the scientists willing to translate their innovative results into industrial development, either via creation of start-ups or industrial partnerships, in close interaction with the Technology Transfer offices of the institutional authorities SATT IDF Innov and Inserm-Transfert.