Maxime Molina and the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale: Accelerating science for a healthier world

For almost 80 years, the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (FRM) has been a key player in the funding of medical research in France. By supporting innovative projects and covering all pathologies, it plays a unique role in the philanthropic and scientific landscape. Maxime Molina, recently appointed Chairman of the Board of the FRM in May 2025, welcomes us with great availability and a touch of good humor to share his vision, his commitments and some of the Foundation's behind-the-scenes secrets in the face of current and future health challenges. A warm conversation, almost as if we were chatting over coffee, but with public health issues in the background.

Presentation by Maxime Molina

Maxime Molina, currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (FRM), is first and foremost a fine story, a journey that combines sincere commitment and insatiable curiosity. A native of Montluçon, in the heart of the Auvergne region, Maxime Molina took the time to build his path, between the benches of Sciences Po Toulouse, international experience and his first steps in public sector consulting.

But the real encounter, the one that changes a trajectory, was with the FRM in 2019. It wasn't a calculated project, but a wonderful human opportunity that, one thing leading to another, led him to explore every nook and cranny of the company: strategy, marketing, communications, fundraising...until he naturally became its captain in May 2025.

More than a career path, it's a loyalty to a cause. Today, more than ever, we need people capable of combining strategic vision with heartfelt commitment. And Maxime Molina, with his simplicity and enthusiasm, embodies just such a combination of high standards and humanity.

The FRM: A philanthropic pillar in the service of medical research

Founded nearly 80 years ago, the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale is France's leading charitable funder of medical research. What makes it special is that it funds fundamental and early-stage research, a sector that deserves more ambitious public funding, but is absolutely vital. Every year, the FRM raises over 70 million euros through the generosity of its donors, and distributes these funds directly to the research programs it supports. Unlike structures specializing in a specific disease, the FRM supports projects covering the whole spectrum of pathologies: cancers, neurodegenerative diseases, infectious diseases, psychiatric diseases, and more.

The FRM's independence is at the heart of its model: it acts without government injunctions and guarantees total impermeability between its funders (companies, individual donors) and the selection of research projects. This ethical governance is ensured by an independent Scientific Advisory Board made up of 32 volunteer experts who evaluate hundreds of projects every year.

The Foundation also plays a major educational role. It informs the general public about health issues and plays an active role in raising scientific awareness, defending free and accessible research.

MRF news: Strategic funding and public health advocacy

For several years now, the FRM has had a clear compass: it has structured its actions around major strategic areas - neurodegenerative diseases, tissue engineering, environment and health - and, since the health crisis, emerging viruses. A solid course of action, without giving in to passing fads. Better still, the FRM fights for disciplines that others shun, such as mental health, which is too often left on the bangs of public priorities despite its blatant urgency.

The Foundation is not afraid to raise its voice. It recently pounded its fist on the table concerning chemical pollutants: cadmium, PFAS, glyphosate... the list is long and the risks very real. The FRM alerts, challenges, signs forums and calls for political decisions that are equal to the stakes, particularly with regard to the cocktail effect of pollutants - those invisible combinations that poison little by little.

On the international front, the Foundation also plays its part. It supports the Choose France for Science program and is ready to supplement project funding for French researchers wishing to return from the United States after the budget restrictions and cuts announced by the Trump administration. The FRM is also the voice of an essential struggle: the defense of academic freedom. It is fully involved in the Stand Up for Science movement to ensure that research remains a free and independent space for exploration.

Finally, true to its DNA, the FRM continues to innovate by launching prematurity programs. The idea? To support researchers in this grey area, this "no man's land" between fundamental research and concrete applications. A real springboard to ensure that brilliant ideas don't get stuck in laboratory drawers.

Contributing to a new world: anticipating pathologies and building the public health of tomorrow

Maxime Molina has a clear vision: medical research must anticipate tomorrow's health challenges and become a collective insurance policy. The FRM is positioning itself as a key player in this "new world" by funding disruptive projects and promising young researchers, such as the FRM nuggets.

The Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (FRM) has supported some real scientific nuggets. Among them, Raphaël Rodriguez, who has developed a promising molecule targeting metastases of aggressive cancers. Another outstanding example: Vincent Prévost, a specialist in mini-puberty, who has revealed the extent to which the first six months of life influence future health, notably fertility and brain development. The MRF has also supported researchers such as gene therapy pioneer Nathalie Cartier-Lacave, who has used an AIDS virus rendered harmless to treat rare brain diseases in children. These projects demonstrate the FRM's ability to detect and nurture talent that can lead to major discoveries.

For Maxime Molina, the future of research will necessarily involve the integration of data and artificial intelligence. The use of virtual cohorts, the acceleration of modelling and the prospects offered by AI represent a promising revolution, provided that these technologies are strictly regulated in ethical and democratic terms.

Another strong conviction is that medical research cannot progress without solid, sustainable philanthropy. Maxime Molina advocates a cultural approach to giving that is not merely reactive in the face of disease, but a preventive contribution, like "collective life insurance" for the benefit of future generations.

Internally, the FRM is also working to improve working conditions for researchers, offering managerial training, assistance in setting up projects and career-long support. The Foundation is committed to building bridges and collaborations, and simplifying access to funding in a French research landscape that is still too fragmented.

Towards simplified, collaborative search

The FRM refuses to add administrative layers to an already complex system. It prefers to pool its resources, as illustrated by the joint project with ARC to fund the completion of cancer theses. By promoting synergies rather than competition, the Foundation is actively helping to make French research more agile and efficient.

Through his leadership, Maxime Molina invites everyone - philanthropists, companies, citizens - to take part in this collective adventure. Giving to research means anticipating health challenges, funding innovation today for tomorrow's solutions. Finally, it's about believing in the power of science to build a healthier, more sustainable and more caring world. 

The FRM has established itself as a unique foundation, at the crossroads of the scientific, societal and philanthropic worlds, and as a key player in shaping the public health of tomorrow.