Françoise Coussen receives the CNRS medal

On Thursday 17 October 2024, Françoise Coussen, Director of Research at the CNRS, was awarded the CNRS Medal. Following the celebration of her retirement, the CNRS wanted to express its gratitude to her, in particular for her research on the impact of auxiliary proteins on AMPAR transport, trafficking and physiology, which she has been carrying out at the IINS since 2010.

The medal was handed to her by Younis Hermès, CNRS Regional Delegate, in the presence of Laurent Groc, Director of the IINS, Daniel Choquet, former Director of the IINS, and all her colleagues with whom she has worked throughout her long and distinguished career. Françoise joined the Bordeaux neuroscience community in 1996, helping to set up Christophe Mulle’s Cellular Physiology of the Synapse Laboratory (formerly UMR5541) (find out more).

The celebrations began with a moving speech by Daniel Choquet, who reviewed Françoise’s life’s work. This was followed by a panel of speeches from the neuroscientists who shaped Françoise’s career: Claire Legay, Philippe Marin, Maurice Garret and Christophe Mulle. Former students of the research director, Magali Mondin and Mario Carta, also recounted their memories of their thesis work with Françoise. Laurent Groc also paid tribute to Françoise with a striking speech on her involvement and commitment to the community.

Françoise then closed by looking back over her career and the people she has met. Moved, the research director thanked all those present, and not only those present, for the time spent together, both professionally and personally.

‘I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who has worked with me and supported me throughout my career. A very personal thank you to my friends and family.’

IINS and the entire neuroscience community express their deep gratitude to Françoise. We wish her a happy retirement, surrounded by her loved ones and full of new encounters!

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IINS, Nolwenn Cloarec