The Fondation pour la recherche médicale or FRM, is a French foundation created in 1947 among others by professors Jean Bernard and Jean Hamburger, on a private management basis but recognized as being of public utility in 1965. Its mission is to support and finance public research in all areas in the fields of medicine and

pathophysiology Pathophysiology ( physiopathology) – a convergence of pathology with physiology – is the study of the disordered physiological processes that cause, result from, or are otherwise associated with a disease or injury. Pathology is the ...

. The FRM's funding is based solely on the donations and legacies it receives. To promote its action to the public and enable them to call on donations with confidence, the foundation joins the Charter committee.

History

Since its creation in 1947, the Association for Medical Research has not limited itself to funding research on a particular pathology but on all diseases:

Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegeneration, neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in short-term me ...

, cancers, heart attacks, leukemia, diabetes,

multiple sclerosis Multiple (cerebral) sclerosis (MS), also known as encephalomyelitis disseminata or disseminated sclerosis, is the most common demyelinating disease, in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This d ...

, Parkinson's disease, diseases of aging,

infectious diseases An infection is the invasion of tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmissible disease or communicable dise ...

orphan diseases A rare disease is any disease that affects a small percentage of the population. In some parts of the world, an orphan disease is a rare disease whose rarity means there is a lack of a market large enough to gain support and resources for discove ...

. The association acquired foundation status in 1962 following an appeal for private aid signed by 132 researchers and doctors. It was recognized as being of public utility on May 14, 1965.

Medical discoveries

The FRM has financially supported several research programs which have led to certain advances in the

medical field A medical specialty is a branch of medical practice that is focused on a defined group of patients, diseases, skills, or philosophy. Examples include those branches of medicine that deal exclusively with children (paediatrics), cancer (oncology), ...

: * 1983: Identification of a key gene in the regulation of blood pressure; * 1990 – 1991: Identification of the genetic anomaly responsible for acute promyelocytic leukemia ; * 2000: Evidence of the effectiveness of deep brain stimulation in the treatment of severe forms of Parkinson's disease; * 2014: Use of stem cells in improving cardiac functions after myocardial infarction.

Resources

The FRM finances its actions thanks to funds paid by its donors, testators and partners. It does not receive state funds. It benefits from the “Don entrust” label, issued by the Charter Committee. FRM expenditure is controlled by an independent auditor. This control results in an annual publication of the certified accounts. All of the association's activity reports are made public and accessible on the Foundation's website. Each donor can request that their donation be directed towards a specific area of research.

Structure

The FRM supervisory board is chaired voluntarily by

Denis Duverne Denis Duverne (born 31 October 1953) is a French businessman. He has chaired the board of directors of AXA since 2016, and the supervisory board of the French Foundation for Medical Research since 2017. He is also known for his philanthropic act ...

who succeeded Jacques Bouriez in 2017. It defines strategic choices in terms of research funding thanks to a board appointed by the supervisory board, which is made up of three members (director of scientific affairs, director of development and communication and administrative and financial director). The FRM employs 42 employees for its operations, but all of its bodies are voluntary. The Scientific Council examines the funding requests sent to it through the various calls for projects. Its opinion is then transmitted to the management board before being approved. The Scientific Council is made up of 32 members, all carrying out research activity within a public or mixed establishment.

Presidency

* 1983-2010 : Pierre Joly * 2010-2017 : Jacques Bouriez * Since September 2017 :

Financial datas

The Foundation for Medical Research has dedicated 47 million euros to medical research in 2022, enabling the financing of more than 400 research projects.2022 : unir nos forces pour aller plus loin !
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References

External links

Official Website
{{Authority control Non-profit organizations based in France Foundations based in France 1947 establishments in France Medical and health organizations based in France Educational institutions established in 1947 Scientific organizations established in 1947