GDR 2088 « BIOMIM » – Biomimicry and Bioinspiration was established by the Institute of Chemistry of CNRS in January 2020 to unite all French actors working in the field of Bioinspiration and Biomimicry. It brings together 94 research teams and laboratories with more than 700+ researchers and doctoral students, from all over France and with different scientific backgrounds and specializations to address important scientific and societal challenges through solutions inspired by nature.
The general missions of GDR 2088 are as follows:
- Bring together all French players working in this field by relying on a network of researchers and university lecturers-researchers;
- Create and promote internationally a mapping of research activities and initiatives in France;
- Select the themes promoting complementarity for innovation;
- Monitor calls for projects in this area and send them to members;
- Constitute an effective structure for the response to calls for projects;
- Organize once a year a national conference to shed light on a theme of this network (thematic conference);
- Participate in organizing at least once every two years in an international conference in this field;
- Collect innovations and major facts in this field and disseminate them using an electronic newsletter (technology watch and work from members) or a scientific journal;
- Establish a reference center for European and international players working in this field;
- Carry out a mapping of technical resources and scientific expertise;
- Promote exchanges between academics and industries on research;
- Develop the international influence of initiatives carried out in France and ensure their promotion;
- Become an innovation support for scientific departments, public organizations, and government ministries involved.