UNIVERSITE DE RENNES I

Their core work

Université de Rennes 1 is a major French research university with deep strength in physical chemistry, geosciences, and transport phenomena in porous media. Their H2020 portfolio spans from molecular electronics and advanced materials to digital health monitoring and fog computing, but their most distinctive and consistent research thread involves understanding how fluids, solutes, and microorganisms move and interact in complex heterogeneous environments. They also contribute significantly to training early-career researchers through Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowships and training networks.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2014-2018), Rennes 1 participated broadly across materials science, digital health, molecular chemistry, and geosciences, often as a partner in large consortia. From 2019 onward, the university's coordinated projects converged sharply on transport and mixing in porous media — with ChemicalWalks, UnsatPorMix, and MicroMix forming a tight thematic cluster. This recent focus suggests a research group that has matured into a European reference point for porous media dynamics, now extending the work into microbiology.

Rennes 1 is consolidating around the intersection of porous media physics and microbial ecology — expect future projects combining environmental transport modeling with biological processes.

How they like to work

With 9 projects as coordinator out of 22 total, Rennes 1 frequently leads its own research, particularly through MSCA individual fellowships and training networks where they host and mentor visiting researchers. Their 353 unique partners across 34 countries indicate a wide-reaching network rather than a closed circle of repeat collaborators. They are comfortable both leading focused 2-3 partner projects and contributing specialist expertise to large consortia like EUROfusion or Digi-NewB.

With 353 unique consortium partners spanning 34 countries, Rennes 1 maintains one of the broader collaboration networks for a French university of its size. Their partnerships are pan-European with no single dominant geographic cluster beyond France.

What sets them apart

Rennes 1 stands out for combining deep physics-based understanding of transport phenomena with emerging biological applications — few European groups bridge porous media hydrodynamics and microbial ecology at this level. Their strong track record of hosting MSCA fellows (5 individual fellowships) makes them an attractive destination for researchers seeking a well-connected French host institution. For consortium builders, they offer a rare combination: a university that can both coordinate projects and provide specialist experimental and modeling capabilities in fluid-solid-biological interactions.

Highlights from their portfolio

• Digi-NewB
  Largest single EC contribution (EUR 956K) — a major health project on non-invasive neonatal monitoring, showing Rennes 1 can deliver in clinical digital health.
• MicroMix
  Their most recent coordinated project, combining porous media physics with microbiology — signals their future research direction at the physics-biology interface.
• FogGuru
  Coordinated an MSCA training network (EUR 526K) on fog computing, demonstrating capacity to lead multi-partner doctoral training programs.