All news

DNP SENS is a powerful technique for enhancing NMR signals from surface species, but is limited by chemical incompatibilities with conventional polarizing agents. New porous solids containing organic biradicals enable efficient solid-to-solid polarization transfer to external surfaces. This approach significantly improves NMR sensitivity on alumina and catalytic surfaces, broadening the applicability of DNP SENS.

19F DNP-enhanced solid-state NMR provides a selective method for detecting fluorinated active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in complex formulations. Fluorinated analogs of the biradicals TEKPol and bCTbK significantly improve 19F DNP performance, reaching up to 53-fold enhancement in tablets. These results demonstrate faster and more sensitive API detection, expanding the potential of 19F DNP for pharmaceutical analysis.

The Science Summer Camp organized by the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Academy, the Origine Institute of Aix-Marseille University, and the Haute-Provence Observatory took place from June 14 to 20, 2026. During the event, the CROPS laboratory offered a workshop on preparing photosensitive pigment cells to the participating students.

During this period for observational internships, the ICR was pleased to welcome numerous high school students to its laboratories, notably from Lycée Monte Christo and Saint-Joseph de la Madeleine.
Students from Lycée Olympe de Gouges (Noisy-le-Sec) also had the opportunity to explore our facilities during a dedicated visit. The program included a presentation on Aix-Marseille University, an introduction to the research themes of the CROPS team, and hands-on photopolymerization experiments—a wonderful opportunity to give them a firsthand look at day-to-day research.

🌟 A huge thank you to our researchers! 🌟
Once again this year, thanks to the exceptional commitment of our teams, the Institute of Radical Chemistry shone at the Science Fair, organized in Gap by the science outreach unit of Aix-Marseille University.
A huge thank you to our researchers Lyna Nadjia Belguesmia, Bruna Rafaela Pereira Resende, and Carla Kouyoumdjian, who passionately and pedagogically shared their work, inspired the public, and made science accessible to everyone.

The ICR was buzzing with excitement for a day full of exchanges and discoveries!

The ICR is proud to announce the nomination of three of our professors — Laurence Charles, Olivier Ouari and Mario Barbatti — to the Institut universitaire de France (IUF) as 2026 senior members! 🏆
This recognition rewards their scientific excellence, their educational commitment and their major contribution to the advancement of research in radical chemistry.

We organized a day dedicated to welcoming newcomers, allowing them to discover their laboratory, learn about their work environment, and be made aware of essential hygiene and safety rules for a smooth and stress-free daily routine. The day concluded with a musical quiz in a friendly atmosphere!
Thank you to the organizers and welcome to the new members of the ICR!

Congratulations to Julie Broggi, researcher in the PCR team, recipient of the 2026 Advanced Teacher-Researcher Award from the Organic Chemistry Division of the Société Chimique de France.
She was already named one of the 2025 Junior Chair laureates of the Institut Universitaire de France (IUF)! 👏🎉
Well-deserved recognitions of the excellence and rigor of her scientific career !!

As part of the Collège de France's "Reactive and Intermediate Species" program, you can review Dr. Julie Broggi's lecture on organic super reducers online.
Free NHC carbenes are weak reducing agents, but their addition to certain electrophiles generates adducts that act as powerful super reducers capable of one- and two-electron transfers. Their tunable redox potential allows control of their reactivity and opens up applications in synthesis, materials science, and energy.

Dr. Blanche Krieguer completed her PhD at the ICR and the Mediterranean Institute of Marine Biodiversity and Ecology (IMBE), in collaboration with Sartorius. She studied the impact of three irradiation technologies (gamma, X-ray, and electron beam) on biopharmaceutical polymers. Her research demonstrates that these methods are equivalent in terms of material stability and properties, even at high doses, paving the way for alternatives such as X-ray sterilization in industrial applications.

They changed the world—and history remembers. Let's celebrate the role of women in scientific careers.

Let's also mention the publication of *Girls Are Perfect for Science*, a collaboration between the CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research) and the Women and Science association, which encourages young women to pursue these fields.

Because despite the progress made, the road to equality in science is still long.

The ICR is involved in the new Institut Phocéen du Cœur et des Vaisseaux (IPCV - Phocaean Institute of the Heart and Vessels)
Objectives: To address the medical, environmental, and societal challenges of cardiovascular diseases ❤️
Cardiovascular diseases represent a major public health challenge and a challenge to the sustainability of healthcare systems. The institute aims to reduce their human, social, and economic burden, paying particular attention to the most vulnerable populations and health inequalities. 🩺

🏆Congratulations to Prof. Laurence Charles, winner of the 2025 Confirmed Researcher Award from the Physical Chemistry Division of the French Chemical Society and the SCF-Sud PACA 2026 Great Prize from the French Chemical Society ! !! 👏👏👏

ICR wraps up the year on a high note with its Annual General Meeting.