For more than 75 years, the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale has been fighting for life, by stimulating and supporting progress that has the potential tomorrow to improve and save lives.
By adopting a multidisciplinary approach, la FRM encourages, selects and finances promising research projects across all diseases: cancers, cardiovascular diseases, neurological and psychiatric diseases, infectious diseases, and others.
But research is a long-term endeavour ; it takes many years before tangible benefits can be obtained. To objectively measure the effectiveness of its support in the short and longer term, the FRM devotes part of its activities to assessing the impact of its efforts.
In 2021, researchers supported by the FRM produced more than 1100 scientific publications.
« Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the FRM (Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale) has strived to respond in the most efficient way : it took only 5 weeks since our first appeal for donations to grant support to research teams working on SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. It was critical for us to ensure that every donation could help funding the most promising and innovative research projects : we achieved that goal by establishing strong scientific partnerships with two of the main funders of public medical research in France.
Solidarity is still however needed and we hope that the incredible mobilization of donors and partners will linger on making possible to respond to the important needs of research teams. The more donations we will get, the more projects we will be able to support. »
Denis Duverne,
Chairman of the Supervisory Board
Fundraising in action : € 25.000
Amount collected by Venite Cantemus during the organized concert on the 16th to 17th November 2019 at the Opéra Comic. This amount was given to FRM in order to finance Mélanie Druart's thesis. Thesis defence was held on the 25th September. Mélanie Druart is the author of a scientific publication that was featured in a renowned psychiatric journal.
About the research
Immune system and schizophrenia: a link suspected for years
Many studies indicate that the immune system plays a role in schizophrenia. It has been known for years that severe prenatal infections predispose to schizophrenia in adolescence. More recently, genetic analyses comparing tens of thousands of schizophrenic patients to as many controls have revealed an association between specific immune genes and schizophrenia. In 2016, researchers showed that certain mutations in the C4 complement gene, a major player in immunity, predispose to schizophrenia. These mutations lead to a stronger expression of the C4 complement. Indeed, in schizophrenic patients, C4 is found in greater quantities than in controls.
A confirmed link between elevated expression of a major immune actor in the brain and schizophrenia
During her PhD, Mélanie Druart, supervised by Corentin le Magueresse, sought to better understand the link between complement C4 and schizophrenia. To this end, she artificially increased the level of C4 in mice during embryonic development, in a region of the brain involved in dysfunctions observed in patients. In these mice she observed a reduction in connections between neurons, as well as alterations in specific neural circuits. As a consequence, information is less well transmitted in the brain. In addition, the researchers showed that certain behaviors, particularly short-term memory, were modified in these mice. This work has made it possible to reproduce in animals cellular mechanisms and behaviors already known in schizophrenic patients, which makes it possible to establish a definite link between immunology - more precisely complement C4 -, the brain and schizophrenia.
These results were obtained by Mélanie Druart during her PhD carried out in Corentin le Magueresse's team at the Institut du Fer à Moulin in Paris.
For a 24 hour period on June 20th, 2020, over 150 artists will come together virtually in support of Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (FRM), France. The goal is for the arts community to raise money, support, and awareness for the scientific and medical community working relentlessly on treatments and a vaccine for COVID-19.
These artists will be live broadcasting via Instagram from their
work spaces, studios and the street. Although physically distanced, they
will come together to lend their talents and resources to aid in the
effort to end the COVID-19 crisis. Across France and the world, artists
will be creating live works to be donated to support the Fondation pour
la Recherche Médicale, France.
This collective of artists will
be using this day as a call for donations to the important work of the
FRM as well as donating artworks to be sold through monart.art.
The donation platform will use gandee.com as the portal for collecting contributions.
Both
monart.art and gandee.com have partnered with Carpe Diem to provide
their platforms completely free of fees with 100% of the renvenue going
directly to The FRM.
For more informations :
Thierry Lhermitte Actor, director, writer and producer
“I have the chance to visit FRM-funded laboratories regularly. I’m fascinated to see all these small steps that lead to great progress. I’m proud to share their initiatives and discoveries with the general public.”
Marina Carrère d'Encausse Doctor, television and radio host and commentator, and novelist
“In 2013, I agreed to be an FRM spokesperson because I appreciate their focus on being of service to all patients and contributing to scientific progress in all areas of health. Since childhood, I have had a great admiration for researchers.”
Nagui Television and radio host
“With the FRM, no illness, no patient, no scientific domain is ignored. This approach to research appeals to me. I’ve supported the FRM for many years because I have full confidence in its rigor and expertise.”
Marc Levy Novelist
“As an FRM sponsor, I’ve had the chance to meet FRM-supported researchers and doctors, and I’ve been astounded by their inventiveness, their generosity, their technical skills, and equally by the humility of these women and men who devote their lives to saving ours.”
Thierry Lhermitte Actor, director, writer and producer
“I have the chance to visit FRM-funded laboratories regularly. I’m fascinated to see all these small steps that lead to great progress. I’m proud to share their initiatives and discoveries with the general public.”
Marina Carrère d'Encausse Doctor, television and radio host and commentator, and novelist
“In 2013, I agreed to be an FRM spokesperson because I appreciate their focus on being of service to all patients and contributing to scientific progress in all areas of health. Since childhood, I have had a great admiration for researchers.”
Nagui Television and radio host
“With the FRM, no illness, no patient, no scientific domain is ignored. This approach to research appeals to me. I’ve supported the FRM for many years because I have full confidence in its rigor and expertise.”
Marc Levy Novelist
“As an FRM sponsor, I’ve had the chance to meet FRM-supported researchers and doctors, and I’ve been astounded by their inventiveness, their generosity, their technical skills, and equally by the humility of these women and men who devote their lives to saving ours.”
The FRM is independent of any political, economic or religious power. Its decisions are guided solely by its charitable goals, the needs expressed by researchers and its founding principles and values.
The FRM judges the quality of projects submitted to it impartially. It sets up procedures for research project selection that guarantee this impartiality.
The FRM’s goal is to participate in the development of advanced French medical research that brings about medical progress. Scientific excellence and innovation guide the choice of the research projects funded.
The FRM follows procedures and controls that ensure the quality of its management and allow its donors to remain fully informed about the use of their donations.
It is central for the FRM to be a part of a permanent forward-looking approach, in particular: in its work methods, in the scientific information materials, in its reflection regarding accessibility to scientific data.
