Méchali Marcel

Méchali Marcel is a Research Professor and Laboratory Head at the Institute of Human Genetics (CNRS-University of Montpellier), specializing in DNA replication dynamics and genome organization. He has held leadership roles, including Director of the Institute of Human Genetics (2003-2006) and Director of the Labex Network EpiGenMed (2011-2021). His research integrates genomic and protein methodologies, using Xenopus, mouse models, and human/mouse embryonic stem cells to study replication origins and their role in development and disease.

Education: PhD in Molecular Biology, Postdoctoral training at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (Cambridge, UK). Key contributions include discovering the OGRE DNA element, the licensing factor Cdt1, and MCM8/9 proteins critical for genome stability. He is a founding Director of GENOPOLYS, fostering translational research collaborations.

Research highlights the interplay between DNA replication and cellular identity, revealing origins' roles in cancer and differentiation. Awards include the CNRS Silver Medal (1996), EMBO Membership (2002), and French Legion of Honour (2010).