September 2025
Research
Seminars and research workshops
Cell replacement strategies in the visual system: insights from development
This research workshop, organized by Michel Cayouette and Seth Blackshaw, addresses the topic of blinding diseases caused by the loss of retinal cells. To counter this, recent scientific advances have focused on regenerating these cells through natural developmental processes. However, a lack of knowledge in several key areas has hampered progress in retinal cell therapy. To overcome these obstacles and find solutions, this workshop will bring together experts in visual system development, stem cells, and cellular reprogramming.
Ancient DNA from the seafloor to predict the fate of plankton in a future Ocean – Challenges and Opportunities in Paleogenomics
This seminar, organized by Chris Bowler, will address the theme of the oceans of the future. Microscopic marine plankton have played a key role in the evolution of the Earth system. Understanding how they will react to climate change is crucial, but remains challenging today. To achieve this, it is important to study how these organisms have adapted to past changes over thousands of years. Ancient DNA contained in marine sediments makes it possible to explore this long-term adaptation. Although paleogenomics is still underdeveloped in the marine field, it could make it possible to analyze these evolutionary processes at the molecular level and their implications for the future of marine ecosystems.
GlycoFrontiers: pushing the boundaries through interdisciplinary innovation
This seminar, organized by Rebekka Wild, will address pressing questions in glycobiology and proteoglycan research. Participants will contribute their specialized knowledge, drawing on cutting-edge methodologies in biology, biophysics, and bioinformatics. The goal is to collaboratively define a strategic roadmap for addressing ambitious research challenges through an interdisciplinary approach. [learn more]
Research residencies
The digital edition of the Francien corpus
Guillaume Métayer and his team will work on the ANR project “Anatole France Source,” which will produce—primarily online—the first truly complete (many pages recovered) and critical edition of the works of Anatole France (1844-1924). The marginalization of this Nobel Prize winner in literature in literary and intellectual historiography, as well as among the general public, prompts a profound reflection on the history of literary, aesthetic, and political values. They will meet at Les Treilles to finalize the “Anatole France Source” website.
Historians’ desire for the novel
Aude Deruelle explores historians’ renewed interest in the novel, both as an object of reading, criticism, and as a literary practice. The author proposes to analyze this desire for the novel among historians by placing literary studies at the center of the dialogue between literature and history. The study is based on historians’ literary experiments, their readings and critiques of novels, while also evoking, in a sideways manner, the interest of other humanities in the novel.
Verifying the supposed increases in tree mortality in the world’s tropical forests
Daniel Zuleta and David Bauman‘s project investigates abrupt changes in tree mortality in tropical forests, a less well-documented topic than in temperate regions. Using data from permanent forest plots, it aims to analyze temporal trends in mortality and their effects on forest dynamics and biodiversity. This project will provide crucial information for carbon budgeting, remote sensing validation, climate-vegetation forecasting, and will serve to guide biodiversity conservation policies. [learn more]
Heritage residency
In 2014, Olivier Bessard-Banquy participated in a writing residency at Les Treilles, which allowed him to make significant progress on his study, “La Fabrique du livre,” on literary publishing in the 20th century, published in 2016. He is now preparing a new work: a new synthesis project bringing together and expanding his previous works, and requiring new research in our archival collections. [learn more]
Creation
Author’s residency
Olivier Ciechelski
The Book of prodigies, his next novel, tells the story of Nora, a young, religious woman who joins the police force in the hope of bringing justice and peace to the streets of her city. But a tragedy shakes her faith in God and her trust in human justice, revealing a dark side and an unsuspected power within her. [learn more]
Photography Prize
Aurélia Frey
wishes to create a portrait of her grandmother, marked by her dual belonging to two lands dear to her heart: the Cévennes, where she was born, and Italy, which she chose and loved intensely. This project, entitled On the Shoulder of Time, is inspired by a poem evoking memory and the passage of time. Through photographs taken in these two Mediterranean regions, Aurélia wants to create an assemblage mixing memories, imagination, past and present, to pay tribute to the one who knew how to amaze her and make her dream. [learn more]
Calls for Application
The call for applications season is open!
Research residencies 2026 end of applications on the 15 September
The Escourbiac – Fondation des Treilles Prize 2026
The Archives Prize of the André Gide – Jean Schlumberger Centre 2026
The musical composition Prize 2026
For each call, please refer to the application procedures [learn more]