Departmental Prize for Research in Provence 2024

Celebrating the richness and scientific excellence of our region

The Prix Départemental pour la Recherche en Provence celebrates the richness and scientific excellence of our region by rewarding the work of researchers in the exact, human, social and medical sciences. These prizes highlight work that is cutting-edge, but essential for the future, and which contributes to Provence's influence and attractiveness.

Three departmental prizes are awarded each year:

• The Grand Prix is awarded to an active researcher and/or research team for outstanding results or achievements that have enabled them to acquire a certain notoriety;
• The Prix Jeune Chercheur is awarded to a researcher under the age of 40, and recognizes the new research perspectives they open up within their discipline.
• The Prix Spécial (Special Prize) is awarded to a researcher and/or research team who has made an outstanding discovery or achieved a remarkable result in a new theme defined by the Department: "Research and technology transfer, innovating for the region, research work leading to applications serving the region and its inhabitants".

Aziz Moqrich, winner of the Grand Prix 2024

Aziz Moqrich works at the Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille (amU/CNRS). He is rewarded for his in-depth research into the transformation of acute pain into chronic pain, providing a better understanding of this complex process.

Also nominated:

• Ashleigh Shannon works at the Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques (amU/CNRS). Her research focuses on the structural and functional characterization of viral replication enzymes and their targeting by antiviral drugs.
• Christophe Lachaud is Deputy Director of the Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (amU/Inserm/CNRS/Institut Paoli-Calmettes) and studies genome stability, which is essential for cell integrity. Its disruption plays a crucial role in rare diseases and cancer. Studying these mechanisms enables the development of innovative diagnostics and targeted treatments, thus improving care for patients suffering from rare diseases and cancer.

Discover their research in video :

Arnaud Sentis, winner of the Prix Jeune Chercheur 2024

Arnaud Sentis is a researcher in aquatic ecology at UMR RECOVER (amU/INRAE). He is being honored for his work on the impact of global change on aquatic ecosystems, aimed at better assessing their vulnerability and proposing sustainable management solutions.

Also nominated:

• Marc Dubois is an amU professor at the Institut Fresnel (amU/CNRS/Centrale Méditerranée). He is developing innovative technologies based on electromagnetic metamaterials to accelerate MRI image acquisition.
• Antoine Wautier is a geomechanics researcher at UMR RECOVER (amU/INRAE). He develops multi-scale behavior law models for granular materials, integrating microstructure information to better predict the phenomenon of static liquefaction, which is currently not taken into account in structural calculations.

Discover their research in video:

Arnaud Hays, winner of the Prix Spécial 2024

Arnaud Hays is a researcher at theInstitut des Sciences du Mouvement (amU/CNRS). He is being honored for his research into how to innovate (materially or intellectually) in performance, and how to reinvest these niche innovations in professional sport, training and health for all. He is also HIPE project manager and in charge of the Aix Marseille Université FastSpor-In high-level sports program.

Also nominated:

• Laurent Vigouroux, teacher-researcher at theInstitut des Sciences du Mouvement (amU/CNRS). Climbing is a new sport that promotes well-being, ecology and diversity. Laurent Vigouroux at ISM contributes to the science of this sport by conducting research into injury prevention, teaching and training. This work will culminate in 2024 with partnerships to prepare French team athletes for the Paris Olympics and the development of a local start-up.
• Pierre Dantin is professor and co-director of the Management Sport Cancer Research Laboratory (amU/Institut Paoli-Calmettes). His research focuses on the role of the helping relationship in empowering individuals and groups in the fields of oncology and high performance sports: