Christophe Mulle appointed “chevalier de l’ordre national du Mérite”

Christophe Mulle is a research director at the CNRS and co-director of the “Synapse and neuronal circuits” team at IINS. A cellular neurobiologist, he specialises in glutamate receptors, in the electrophysiology of synaptic transmission and neuronal circuits. His research focuses on the plasticity of synaptic properties and neuronal circuits in the hippocampus, in the context of episodic memory encoding. Christophe Mulle also explores the mechanisms of synaptic dysfunction that occur in the context of Alzheimer’s disease. At the same time, he is involved in a translational project to combat temporal lobe epilepsy using gene therapy, in close collaboration with Valérie Crépel. This has led to the creation of a start-up, Corlieve Therapeutics, of which he is scientific co-founder.

Christophe Mulle has invested a great deal of time in coordinating actions for the neuroscience research community in Bordeaux, as well as at a national and European level. For example, he has created the Bordeaux School of Neuroscience, which hosts the prestigious international Cajal training courses.

Christophe Mulle has been made a “chevalier de l’ordre du Mérite” by the French Minister for Research. The award was presented to him by Manuel Tunon de Lara, former President of the University of Bordeaux and himself a Knight of the National Order of Merit, on Friday 2 June 2023, in the presence of Dean Lewis, president of the University of Bordeaux.

Instituted by the General de Gaulle, “l’ordre national du Mérite” is the second national order after the Légion d’Honneur. Its purpose is to reward “distinguished merit” and encourage the country’s driving forces.
Christophe Mulle has already won numerous awards. Nevertheless, all of them have a real meaning for the researcher.

Christophe Mulle has already won numerous awards. Nevertheless, all of them have a real meaning for the researcher.

Three questions to Christophe Mulle

What does this new award mean to you?

It is an honour, of course, even if it was completely unexpected. It was Frédérique Vidal, the former Minister for Research, who announced it to me in a letter in the middle of the Covid period. First of all, I looked into the award to find out what it was all about. In the end, of course, I am delighted!

Why did you get it?

I do not know who nominated me and why. Unlike a prize such as the one from the Académie des Sciences, which rewarded the research I had carried out in the field of synapse biology, I suppose that this nomination bears witness to the role that I played in structuring neuroscience research in Bordeaux, and in promoting this discipline at both national and European level.

Any words for the scientific community?

It is a real privilege to do the job we do. The role you can play in coordinating training and research structures is important and really satisfying! Nevertheless, I never lose sight of the fact that my job is to be a researcher. Driven by curiosity about how things work and what they are used for, it is an immense pleasure to come to the lab and discuss research issues with all my colleagues, the young and more established alike. And then, of course, . to implement a wide range of projects. And at Bordeaux Neurocampus, a real bonus!

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Article by Nolwenn Cloarec
IINS – Communication officer