Antoine Jégou, Martin Lenz and Lydia Robert were honoured for their research work in biophysics by the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation in November 2022 (prize Impulscience). What all three researchers have in common is their close link with the Learning Planet Institute. Here's a look back at the experiences and inspiring trajectories of two of them*.
French research has tremendous assets**: exceptional researchers, research that's open to the world, professional security in the choice and conduct of research. Today, however, it suffers from clearly identified ills: loss of ground in international competition, a great deal of time devoted to activities ancillary to research, and a sector that is not sufficiently attractive.
To meet these challenges, the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation has created Impulscience®, Impulscience® is a program designed to support France's leading talents in life sciences research. Aimed at mid-career researchers, Impulscience® responds to two imperatives: to preserve the freedom of innovation of French researchers, and to support them over the long term. The program also aims to encourage synergies between researchers.
Among the first seven winners Impulscience®, three researchers share a close link with the Learning Planet Institute: Martin Lenz studied in the AIRE Master's program and taught the physics course to students in the second year of the Frontières du Vivant bachelor's degree, Antoine Jégou has been teaching physics in the AIRE Master's program since 2017 and Lydia Robert studied in the same Master's program, then went on to become a doctoral student in the FIRE Doctoral School. It is therefore with great emotion that the Institute salutes their research work today, and wishes to highlight their trajectories* as a source of inspiration for current and future students.
Crucial exchanges with peers to better formulate research questions
In keeping with one of the aims of the prize he received - to encourage synergies between researchers, Martin Lenz pays particular attention to exchanges with his peers. During his time at Master AIRE - Life Sciences (at the time Master AIV), his memory «The most memorable part was the group discussions with the other students. I realized the extent to which our different backgrounds conditioned us to think about the problems of the world around us within a certain framework, and the richness we all had to gain from sharing and mixing our respective frameworks. I believe that such exchanges were crucial in the formulation of my research questions.»
Yet these exchanges were not always easy for Martin. Indeed, paradoxically, it was his expertise as a student arriving with a solid background in physics that enabled him to calmly apprehend the Learning Planet Institute's interdisciplinary approach. On arrival «At the interdisciplinary discussion table with something to bring to the table».», Martin felt more justified in asking basic questions and «reveal your ignorance» !
Today, Martin is a biophysics researcher and CNRS research director at Theoretical Physics and Statistical Models Laboratory at Orsay and Physics and mechanics of heterogeneous media laboratory in Paris. His « main research project aims to elucidate new physical principles underlying the organization of maladjusted particles. Such objects are implicated in a number of diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. Beyond a better understanding of biology, such principles could inspire the engineering of artificial objects on the nano-scale. »
Martin also taught the physics course to the second-year students of the Licence Frontières du Vivant by defining the course objectives in very different ways: «My aim was to explain to students how electrostatic interactions work in the cell, which differs greatly from the electrostatics in vacuum usually approached at undergraduate level. Notions that are difficult to master for students at this level.» It was a real educational challenge for Martin, but one he has fond memories of, just like the atmosphere in the classroom and the relationships with his fellow students. «Extremely lively and curious students, always eager for multiple and complementary explanations for the same subject. phenomenon.»
A teaching activity to help question themes and approaches
«Strong cohesion, often lively discussions, very good atmosphere, very positive.» are also the words of’Antoine Jégou to characterize the profiles of Master AIRE - Life Sciences, where he has been teaching the “Physics of the cell” course since 2017. The variety of backgrounds of these students (mathematics, biology, physics, sometimes even art deco, architecture, design, fashion...!) and their great curiosity for biology are assets for the course dynamics. «A lot of energy, a lot of interest in research and new things. The Master's program opens new doors for students. They are very receptive to the freedom they are offered.»
Together with the other research teachers, Antoine has chosen to encourage as much interaction as possible. Once students have grasped the basic concepts, they work in small groups on observations reported in major scientific articles that have advanced the field of biophysics. This is followed by many questions about the concepts presented, the way they are observed, the tools used, the way researchers approach their work... For Antoine, «The aim is to show that science is a very fluid world, with occasional backtracking, questions that remain open, the unexpected, humans confronting the unknown. It's all very lively!»
The “Physics of the cell” course is unique in that several researchers describe how physical phenomena occur at different scales (protein, cell and multicellular). «It's a course that provides an overview of physical concepts and experimental approaches, and an understanding of space and time scales, the biological objects involved and the interweaving of physics with other disciplines.»
An interdisciplinary approach to which Antoine is very attached. In fact, it was during his Master's studies in solid state physics that he discovered biophysics and interdisciplinarity: the marriage of physical and biological concepts within the same subject of study, as well as the diversity and originality of experimental approaches, were real motors of discovery for him.
Antoine is now a biophysics researcher and CNRS research director. In his laboratory at the’Institut Jacques Monod in Paris, he works at the crossroads between structural biology and cell physics. His team is interested in «This year's theme is »The mechanisms that regulate actin filament assembly in cells". Actin filaments are essential components of the cell cytoskeleton, and are involved in a wide range of cellular processes, such as division, motility, intracellular trafficking and adaptation of the cell to its external environment. In particular, our work focuses on the coupling between biochemical and mechanical regulation".»
Antoine constantly balances his research activity with his teaching at the Master's program: «it helps me to question my theme and my approaches, to be able to position my questioning in a broader context.»
Further information
- *Full portrait of Lydia Robert : https://www.fondationbs.org/notre-communaute/lydia-robert
- ** Extract from press kit Impulscience, the new support program for researchers of the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation
- Impulscience® program: https://www.fondationbs.org/ce-que-nous-faisons/sciences-de-la-vie/impulscience
- Video presentation of the Impulscience® awards:
- Master AIRE : https://master.learningplanetinstitute.org/en
- FIRE doctoral school : https://phd.learningplanetinstitute.org/en
This publication is part of the UNESCO Chair in the Science of Learning, established between UNESCO and Université Paris Cité, in partnership with the Learning Planet Institute.
The ideas and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the views of UNESCO and do not commit the Organization.
