INSERM is a public research organisation dedicated to medical research, established in 1964. The missions of the institute are to encourage innovation and reinforce basic and clinical research. It harbours world know expertise to conduct translational research from bench to bedside and to foster innovative technologies. It employs 13,000 staff members of whom are 2,500 MDs, distributed in 366 research units or centers. INSERM has developed regional, national, European and international research networks and research infrastructures in several fields.

BIOBANQUES, INSERM US13, is the french national distributed infrastructure for biobanks that agregates 85 centres covering different pathologies, from rare diseases to common complex diseases, with more than 700 ongoing research projects.