Research
Development
& Innovation
Leader in bioengineering and bioprocesses
Today’s research is tomorrow’s products. As a leader in bioengineering and bioprocesses, we naturally place RD&I at the heart of our success. More than 700 experts worldwide support this ambition and contribute every day to exploring the infinite potential of microorganisms and natural fermentation to serve human, plant and animal needs while preserving the planet. Our mission is to work together to better nourish and protect the planet : we firmly believe that fermentation, with its microorganisms, opens up an infinite field of possibilities.
Our RD&I vision For bioengineering
At Lesaffre, RD&I opens up new avenues in line with our vision of the future and the positive role the Group can play in it. Sustainability is at the heart of our mission: our ambition is to create innovative, eco-responsible solutions, and to confirm Lesaffre as a major player in the field of microorganisms, biotechnologies and bioprocesses. To achieve this, we deploy some of the most extensive human and material resources in the sector to explore and develop new products and services, and to prove the benefits of our solutions in relation to our environmental costs.
Christine M’Rini Puel,
Lesaffre Chief RD&I Officer
Our mission
Our RD&I approach is sustainable, open and collaborative. It is centered on the needs and uses of consumers and our customers: our employees, experts and public and private partners share the same spirit of innovation to develop sustainable solutions providing concrete answers to the challenges of tomorrow. Our capacity for innovation is accelerated by over 90 international public and private partnerships.
Our ambition
Our RD&I is driven by the passion of pioneers and genuine ambition. Investments, particularly in equipment, and the opening of the Lesaffre Campus, are real innovation boosters. The Lesaffre Institute Science & Technology (LIST), housed on the Lesaffre Campus, is also expanding in San Francisco and Boston, two pioneering biotech cities.
700
Experts worldwide
150
scientists on the
Lesaffre Campus
Lesaffre Campus
63
APPLIED SCIENCE CENTERS
100
RECRUITMENTs OF SCIENTISTS IN 6 YEARS
Our Strengths IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOPROCESSES
They position us as a leading research and bioengineering group.
experts
Located all over the world, our RD&I teams are rich in diversity. In all, 600 experts of 20 nationalities are driving our research forward, 150 of whom are based on the Lesaffre Campus. At the heart of this vast community, 270 laboratory scientists and technicians, along with some 50 doctoral students, combine their talents in the service of RD&I.
STATE-OF-THE-ART EQUIPMENT
The Lesaffre Campus and LIST comprise 13,000 m2 of some of the most advanced equipment and technologies in the world. For example, Europe’s largest biofoundry, SHIME technology, “omics” analysis equipment, robots for screening strains at very high throughput, fermenters covering scales from miniaturization to industrial pilot… Pre-clinical models of human and animal artificial intestines and organoids complete the research park.
Partnerships
More than a third of our RD&I projects are carried out with universities, promising start-ups and industrial partners such as Ferments du futur, Michelin and Hay. Every year, new research partnerships are signed to enable our teams to broaden their expertise in the field of fermentation.
The processes
Rooted in the spirit of industrial excellence, we are constantly shaping our processes, making them more robust and agile. This ongoing approach is designed to reinforce our commitment to quality, safety and sustainability, thus offering increased benefits to our customers. For example, our in-design eco-design approach enables us to change the scale of bioprocesses from nanoliter to fermenters of over 200,000 liters, via digitalization and the use of digital twins.
The Lesaffre campus
Inaugurated in October 2022, this remarkable facility has been designed to match our ambitions. With 60% of its surface area dedicated to research laboratories and industrial pilots, it offers a platform conducive to the acceleration of RD&I. It brings together the heart of our RD&I community and enables it to work in synergy with external partners and the entire our value chain.
Our innovation organized around LIST
Lesaffre Institute of Science & Technology
From research to innovation, LIST is the driving force and resource center for our 10 RD&I business units. LIST is organized around 7 centers of excellence and 3 catalysts: Discovery & Front-end Innovation, Biodata, and Innovation Strategy Office & Knowledge Center.
Contribute to everyone's future
If you’re passionate about what you do and ready to join a responsible company, know that together we can change the world.
