The Jacques Monod conferences

A series of “Conférences Jacques Monod” has been held since 2012 to address current questions in developmental biology.  The program of the conference in 2026 (May 18-22th) will focus on the “niche concept” at diverse scales and its impact on developmental biology, representing the conceptual and technical expansion of the field towards metabolism and environmental science. 

While the concept of a “niche” originally derives from ecology and has evolved extensively over time, it can also apply more broadly across scales of development. Indeed, the development of an organism requires coordination with the extrinsic environment as well as exquisite regulation between cells and tissues, necessitating communication in space and time between cells over short and long distances- representing distinct “niches”.

In the 2026 meeting, the niche concept at different levels and its applications to developmental biology will be explored while also discussing broad and emerging topics in developmental biology, through the exploration of six subthemes:

- Ecological and environmental niche control of development.
- Stem cells and regenerative niches.
- Temporal and tissue-level niches.
- Signalling and gene regulatory networks for patterned fate choices.
- Mechanical niches, morphogenesis, and cell-cell-interactions.
- Metabolites, metabolism, and physiology.

Outstanding invited speakers on these six topics will be complemented by the participation of more junior scientists in selected oral presentations chosen from abstracts as well as flash-talks by poster presenters (post-docs and PhD students). Flash-talks will provide each speaker 5 minutes to describe their key findings with 3 slides and allow the presenter to advertise their upcoming poster. These very short talks are an excellent occasion for young students and postdocs to feature their work and to present in front of an elite group of experts in the field. We will also strongly encourage young scientists to present their work in the form of posters, which have been extremely lively and dynamic at past meetings.

Abstracts submission deadline : Saturday, January 31, 2026

The study of insect immune defenses has fascinated scientists since the emergence of germ theory in the 19th century. Early interest centered around their role in transmitting human diseases, protecting economically important species like honey bees and silkworms, exploiting pathogens for biological pest control, and using insects as models to understand broader immune mechanisms.

Over the past century, scientific advancements have led to a deep and coherent understanding of insect immune systems, including the molecular recognition of pathogens, immune signaling pathways, and the effector mechanisms. Genomic and experimental research has revealed conserved immune strategies shared across diverse organisms, from bacteria to mammals. Despite these insights, important questions regarding the function of immune responses within the complex physiological context of the whole organism remain incompletely understood.

This sixth edition of the prestigious Jacques Monod Conference pushes the field forward by aiming to bridge detailed mechanistic insights with broader biological processes such as tissue homeostasis. Central themes include the activation and regulation of immunity, life cycle-dependent immune dynamics, inter-tissue communication, symbiotic interactions, and the evolutionary ecology of immune responses. Leveraging advances in RNAi, CRISPR/Cas9, and sequencing technologies, the conference emphasizes a shift toward studying insect immunity within natural populations and environmental contexts. This integrative approach offers unique value in expanding our understanding of immune principles not only critical to insect survival but also relevant to broader biological and ecological systems.

Abstracts submission deadline : Wednesday, March 4, 2026