Research and innovation chair
What if nature holds the keys to protecting our crops ...
Biom InnoV
A chair is a structured partnership that brings together companies, academic institutions, and sometimes local authorities around a common research theme. The 'Biocontrol Explorer for Plant Health' chair formalizes the collaboration already underway between Biom InnoV and AGHYLE, with the goal of developing high-throughput screening methods to evaluate new bio-actives against crop pathogens.
UniLaSalle
is a higher education and research institution with 5 research units that bring together over 200 scientists. The agroecology research unit (AGro-écologie, HYdrogéochimie, milieux & ressources – AGHYLE), with its 50 scientists and state-of-the-art technological platforms, is recognized for its expertise in soil science, microbial ecology, soil-plant-microorganism interactions, plant nutrition, and plant health.)
The chair : a common home
is a mission-driven start-up founded by Aude Bernardon-Méry and AgriLife Studio. The company develops bio-actives to fight crop diseases through a holistic, ecosystem-centered approach, viewing the plant as a whole together with its microbiota. Its ambition: to become a global leader in the identification of biosourced active ingredients. A member of France Biocontrôle by IBMA since early 2026, Biom InnoV is supported by BPI, Saint-Malo Agglomération, Le Pool, and competitiveness clusters such as Vegepolys Valley and Valorial.
How does it work in pratice ?
This work is led by Biom InnoV and researchers from UniLaSalle, benefiting from advanced laboratory equipment and a greenhouse for phenotyping. The work focuses on the plant, its microbiome, and pathogenic microorganisms, which will be observed through a combination of molecular biology, cellular biology, analytical chemistry, biochemistry, and imaging approaches.
The goal is to develop high-throughput screening methods to select plant extracts and bio-actives.
Knowledge about the mode of action of botanical extracts will be shared for initial field evaluations to feed Biom InnoV's development pipeline.
Two partners, one shared ambition
The platform is based on 3 units :
Pathogen evaluation unit (figure A)
Plant protectin evaluation unit (figure B et C)
Microbiota evaluation unit (figure D)
Diagram : Adrien Gauthier Enseignant-Chercheur, Phytopathologie - Unité de Recherche AGHYLE - UniLaSalle
<< The "Biocontrôle Explorer for Plant Health" research and innovation Chair is the culmination of several years of collaboration driven by a shared goal: reinventing crop protection for a sustainable and resilient agriculture. This Chair serves as a strategic lever to accelerate the discovery of new biocontrol molecules, anticipate the challenges of plant health, address the evolution of pathogens and increasing regulatory requirements, and train the talents of tomorrow. The projects carried out here will have a direct impact in the field, providing farmers with effective, accessible, and sustainable tools. "Let's protect crops, let's preserve the future" >>
Aude BERNARDON-MERY,
Fonder and president of Biom InnoV
<< Agriculture stands at the heart of the challenges of food, energy, and ecological sovereignty. By joining forces with Biom InnoV, we are building a synergy between science and innovation, centered on soil-plant-microorganism interactions, with the aim of generating solid knowledge to drive the development of innovative solutions. Through this partnership, we reaffirm our ambition as an institution of higher education and research: to train, innovate, and act decisively to meet the challenges of agroecology and advance a sustainable agriculture rooted in living systems >>
Isabelle TRINSOUTROT-GATTIN,
Head of the AGHYLE Research unit at UniLaSalle
<< The need for effective crop protection solutions that respect the environment and human health is becoming increasingly urgent. At the same time, significant scientific advances are being made in understanding microbiomes and the interactions between plants and the microorganisms they host, enabling better protection and nutrition. The Biocontrol Explorer Chair comes at just the right time to turn these advances into innovations for farmers. >>
Christian HUYGHE,
Former Scientific Director of Agriculture at INRAE, Mission Officer at INRAE
In a few words ...
BIOCONTROL EXPLORER ™ for plant Health