Biocodex, an independent French pharmaceutical company and pioneer in the field of microbiomes, and the Institut Polytechnique UniLaSalle, which is committed to the intersection of ecological, digital, energy, and industrial transitions, announce the creation of VALBIOS, a teaching and research chair dedicated to the bioprocesses of the future.
Established under a sponsorship agreement, this chair will run for four years, from 2026 to 2030. It aims to bring together applied research, industrial expertise, and talent development to support the sustainable transformation of bioprocesses.
This partnership is rooted in a dual proximity: regional and scientific. Biocodex has been based in Beauvais since 1968, where its historic and main industrial site is located. UniLaSalle is also a major player in the region, recognized for its engineering programs, research units, and innovation platforms.
With the VALBIOS Chair, UniLaSalle reaffirms its commitment to applying research, innovation, and education to address the major challenges facing the bioprocess industry. This sponsorship partnership with Biocodex reflects a strong conviction: scientific and technological advances must benefit as many people as possible and contribute to the common good. By fostering a lasting partnership between academia and industry, we advance knowledge, train the talent of tomorrow, and help build more sustainable production models that serve the entire ecosystem.
Philippe Choquet, CEO of UniLaSalle
Addressing the New Challenges of Bioprocesses
The bioprocess industries, which rely on living organisms to produce medicines, ingredients, or healthcare solutions, are currently facing several major transformations. They must improve their process control, make better use of their industrial data, optimize their resource consumption, and align their production models with a circular economy approach.
In this context, the VALBIOS Chair will aim to transform two levers that are still underutilized into drivers of performance and sustainability: industrial data and byproducts from fermentation.
The first area of research will focus on the digitization of fermentation processes. The work will aim to improve the collection, organization, and analysis of industrial data in order to gradually develop predictive models and digital twins. The goal is to better understand the processes, anticipate deviations, ensure more reliable production, and contribute to a more controlled use of energy, water, and raw materials.
The second focus area will be dedicated to the valorization of fermentation byproducts. These residues, generated during production, contain useful compounds that have yet to be fully exploited (particularly for agricultural applications), which the VALBIOS Chair intends to characterize and reintegrate as part of a circular economy approach.
Developing the rare skills that the industry will need in the future
Beyond its research efforts, the VALBIOS Chair addresses a critical challenge: developing the skills the industry will need in the coming years.
Bioprocesses are evolving rapidly, driven by digital, industrial, and environmental transitions. To support this transformation, companies will need professionals capable of understanding biological processes, analyzing data, and contributing to more efficient and sustainable production methods.
By supporting this chair, Biocodex aims to contribute to the training of tomorrow’s engineers and researchers, working closely with its local workforce and industrial realities. Biocodex and UniLaSalle thus seek to bring research, higher education, and industry closer together to serve a rapidly evolving sector.
This partnership with UniLaSalle is a natural fit for Biocodex. It illustrates our strong local roots in the Beauvais region and our commitment to contributing to the vitality of our region. Through this Chair, we aim to support practical research focused on the bioprocesses of the future, while also helping to develop the rare skills our industry will need to meet the challenges of the digital and environmental transitions. It is a very concrete way to embody our commitment to our ecosystem and our purpose: Empowering everyone to live fully.
Nicolas Coudurier, CEO of Biocodex
A philanthropic commitment in the public interest
The creation of VALBIOS reflects Biocodex’s commitment to supporting research, training, and the transfer of knowledge. This sponsorship also builds on the company’s long-standing presence in Beauvais and its responsibility toward the local community.
Biocodex’s commitment was formalized with the official signing of a sponsorship agreement on June 26 in Beauvais, in the presence of Nicolas Coudurier, CEO of Biocodex, and Philippe Choquet, CEO of UniLaSalle.
Learn more about the VALBIOS Chair
