Who we work with

Whoever you are, your pbiology probably needs to move faster.

The Paris Biofoundry is a shared research infrastructure uniting four platforms across Sorbonne Université, Institut Curie, Institut Micalis and Genopole. We exist to give academic labs, companies, and startups access to synthetic biology capabilities that would otherwise take years and millions to build in-house.

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A quick word on who we are

Before we get to you, a sentence on us, since you may be here for the first time.

The Paris Biofoundry is a collaborative research platform funded by the Île-de-France region (via the DIM Bioconvergence pour la santé and Sésame Filière programs), bringing together CNRS, INSERM, INRAE and four leading Paris-area institutions under one roof, conceptually, if not always geographically. We combine academic-grade science with an industrial mindset: standardized processes, tracked orders, and a focus on turning your request into a result, not just a paper.

We are entering our final ramp-up phase ahead of our official inauguration in early 2027, which means the teams, equipment, and expertise are already active, and early partners get priority as we scale.

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The three types of partners we work with

Academic Researchers & Institutions

Who this is for: PhD students, postdocs, group leaders, and core facilities across any university, CNRS/INSERM/INRAE unit, or research institute, in France or abroad, who need synthetic biology capabilities beyond what their own lab can offer.

What we solve for you:

• Your lab doesn’t have (or can’t justify buying) high-throughput liquid handlers, cell sorters, or automated microscopy, we do, and you can access them on a project basis.
• You need dozens or hundreds of constructs verified or built in parallel, not one at a time by a grad student at a bench.
• You need rigorous, reproducible data (sequencing, phenotyping, omics) that will stand up to peer review.
• You’re training the next generation, we host students from undergraduate to PhD level and can integrate into your teaching or thesis projects.

Typical engagements: whole-plasmid verification for a construct library, Golden Gate assembly of standardized parts for a metabolic engineering project, phenotyping a mutant collection at scale, or a guided tour/training session for your team on equipment you’re considering acquiring.

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Industrial & Biotech Partners

Who this is for: R&D teams at pharma, biotech, agtech, or industrial biotechnology companies who need to test hypotheses, validate strains, or generate data faster than their internal pipeline allows, without the overhead of building that capability internally.

What we solve for you:

• De-risking R&D: we co-develop and test new strains, constructs, or bioprocesses in parallel with your internal work, so you find out what doesn’t work faster and cheaper.
• Confidentiality you can trust: as a public research platform operating under strict institutional data protection frameworks, we’re well-versed in handling proprietary research data and can discuss NDAs and IP arrangements through the appropriate valorisation channels at Sorbonne Université.
• Scale without headcount: access to high-throughput screening and phenotyping infrastructure without hiring or purchasing equipment.
• A bridge to academic expertise: direct access to leading scientists in synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, and cell engineering, the kind of expertise that’s hard to recruit but straightforward to contract.

Typical engagements: parallel testing of engineered strain variants for a bioproduction process, contract sequencing at volume for an internal construct library, or a custom-scoped R&D collaboration on a novel chassis or pathway.

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Startups

Who this is for: Early- and growth-stage biotech startups, from a two-person founding team to a Series A company, who need to move fast on limited runway.

What we solve for you:

• Proof of concept, faster: get to a credible result for investors or partners without the capital expense of building your own wet lab from scratch.
• Flexibility: access equipment and expertise on a project-by-project basis, scaling up or down as your needs (and funding) evolve.
• Investor-grade data: the kind of rigorous, reproducible results that hold up in due diligence, because our processes are built on academic standards.
• A technical sounding board: our scientific team can help you sanity-check your approach before you commit resources to it.

Typical engagements: validating a proof-of-concept construct ahead of a fundraising round, outsourcing DNA assembly and sequencing so your small team can focus on your core IP, or a phased engagement that scales alongside your seed-to-Series-A journey.

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Not sure which category you fall into ?

That’s fine, most interesting projects don’t fit neatly into a box. Public-private consortia, non-profits, foreign research groups, and government-funded initiatives all work with us too. If in doubt, just reach out and describe your project; we’ll tell you where you fit and how we can help.

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How to get in touch

Getting started is simple. The more context you give us up front, the faster we can scope your project and come back with a real answer, not a generic reply.

→ Use our Contact form, or write to us directly at sciences-biofonderie-direction@sorbonne-universite.fr.

When you reach out, please include:

1. Your name, title, and organization (lab, company, or institution)
2. A short project abstract: 2–4 sentences on what you’re working on and why
3. The specific service(s) you’re interested in: see our full list of services
4. Scale and timeline: how many samples/constructs, and when you’d ideally want results
5. Any confidentiality requirements: we’re well equipped to handle sensitive research data under strict institutional frameworks

We typically reply within a few business days to scope next steps: a short call, a quote, or a direct handoff to the most relevant of our four sites.

Industrial & Biotech Partners
R&D teams at pharma, biotech, agtech, or industrial biotechnology companies who need to test hypotheses, validate strains, or generate data faster than their internal pipeline allows, without the overhead of building that capability internally.
What we solve for you:
De-risking R&D: we co-develop and test new strains, constructs, or bioprocesses in parallel with your internal work, so you find out what doesn’t work faster and cheaper.
Confidentiality you can trust: as a public research platform operating under strict institutional data protection frameworks, we’re well-versed in handling proprietary research data and can discuss NDAs and IP arrangements through the appropriate valorisation channels at Sorbonne Université.
Scale without headcount: access to high-throughput screening and phenotyping infrastructure without hiring or purchasing equipment.
A bridge to academic expertise: direct access to leading scientists in synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, and cell engineering, the kind of expertise that’s hard to recruit but straightforward to contract.
Typical engagements: parallel testing of engineered strain variants for a bioproduction process, contract sequencing at volume for an internal construct library, or a custom-scoped R&D collaboration on a novel chassis or pathway.

Academic rigor. Industrial pace. Startup flexibility. Whichever you need, let’s talk. → Contact Us