Inserm is a French public institution that coordinates biomedical research. It was created in 1964 by decree of then-Minister of Health, Simone Veil. The name Inserm is an acronym for “Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale”.
Inserm comprises 140 institutes and 1,500 research teams spread throughout France. The institute’s headquarters are located in Paris. Inserm has a budget of €1 billion, making it the second largest publicly funded research institution in Europe after the German Max Planck Society.
The organization’s mission is to promote excellence in biomedical and health research through its interactions with other institutions, funding agencies, and the private sector. One way Inserm does this is by nurturing young researchers; over 60% of its staff are under 40 years old.
In addition to its role in basic science discovery, Inserm is also involved in applied medical research aimed at improving patient care; it has helped develop treatments for conditions such as cancer, AIDS, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. Notable achievements include the development of anti-retroviral drugs for HIV/AIDS treatment (such as zidovudine), and advances in cancer chemotherapy (such as Taxol).
Inserm has been ranked first among French scientific institutions in terms of both publications and patents over the past 20 years. It plays an important role in developing France’s reputation as a world leader in biomedical research.