Curie Institute (Paris) facts for kids
 |
|
| Formation | 1920 |
|---|---|
| Type | Governmental organisation |
| Purpose | Fundamental research |
| Headquarters | 26 rue d'Ulm 75005 Paris |
|
Official language
|
French |
|
President
|
Thierry Philip |
The Institut Curie is a famous research center and hospital in Paris, France. It focuses on understanding and treating cancer. This special place does two main things. First, it has a research center where scientists study biophysics, cell biology, and oncology (the study of cancer). Second, it has a hospital that specializes in treating people with cancer.
Institut Curie is a member of EU-LIFE. This is a group of top life sciences research centers across Europe. They work together to share knowledge and make new discoveries.
Contents
Discovering New Things: Research at Institut Curie
The Institut Curie has many research teams. They work with big national research groups like CNRS and INSERM. Hundreds of scientists work here every day.
These researchers are always looking for new ways to understand diseases. They study how cells work and why cancer happens. While the institute does not offer degrees for new university students, it helps many students earn their PhDs. It also has many postdoctoral students who are doing advanced research. Institut Curie is also part of University PSL.
Helping People: The Hospital at Institut Curie
The Institut Curie runs a special hospital called Hôpital Claudius Régaud. This hospital is entirely focused on treating cancer. Doctors and nurses here are experts in cancer care.
The institute also has a special proton therapy center in Orsay. Proton therapy is an advanced type of radiation treatment. It uses tiny particles called protons to target cancer cells very precisely. This helps to protect healthy parts of the body. Only a few places in the world have this kind of facility.
A Look Back: The History of Institut Curie
How It All Started: The Radium Institute
The story of Institut Curie began in 1909. The University of Paris and the Pasteur Institute created a big laboratory. It was called the Institut du Radium. This lab was made for Marie Skłodowska–Curie.
The Institut du Radium had two main parts. One part was the Curie laboratory. Marie Skłodowska-Curie led this section. It focused on physics and chemistry research. The other part was the Pasteur laboratory. Dr. Claudius Regaud directed this section. It studied how radioactivity affected living things and could be used in medicine.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie won a Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 with her husband, Pierre. She then won a second Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911. During World War I, Marie Skłodowska-Curie used her knowledge to teach nurses about radiology. This helped doctors find injuries in soldiers.
The Foundation Curie Is Born
In 1920, Marie Skłodowska-Curie and Claudius Regaud started the Foundation Curie. This foundation was created to support the Institut du Radium. It also helped to develop new ways to treat diseases.
A new hospital opened in 1922. At this clinic, Dr. Regaud and his team found new ways to treat cancer. They combined surgery with radiation therapy. The Curie Foundation became a model for cancer centers all over the world.
The Curie laboratory kept doing important physics and chemistry research. In 1934, Marie Skłodowska-Curie's daughter, Irène, and her husband, Frédéric Joliot-Curie, made a huge discovery. They found artificial radioactivity. This discovery earned them a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1935.
Institut Curie Today
In 1970, the Institut du Radium and the Fondation Curie joined together. They became what we know today as the Institut Curie. This institute has three main goals. These are research, teaching, and treating cancer. The original building where Marie Curie worked is now the Musée Curie. It is a museum where you can learn about her amazing discoveries.
Amazing Achievements: Nobel Prizes and Women in Science
The Institut Curie is very special because many of its researchers have won Nobel Prizes. Six Nobel Prize winners are connected to the institute's work.
- Maria Skłodowska-Curie, Physics, 1903. She was the first woman ever to win a Nobel Prize.
- Maria Skłodowska-Curie, Chemistry, 1911. She is the only person to win two Nobel Prizes in two different sciences.
- Pierre Curie, Physics, 1903. He and Marie were the first married couple to win a Nobel Prize.
- Irène Joliot-Curie, Chemistry, 1935. She and her husband were the only mother-daughter and father-daughter pairs to win a Nobel Prize.
- Frédéric Joliot-Curie, Chemistry, 1935. The Curie Institute is the only research center with two married couples who won Nobel Prizes.
- Pierre-Gilles de Gennes, Physics, 1991.
Many women scientists who won Nobel Prizes from France did their research at Institut Curie. In fact, three out of six Nobel Prizes won by French women in "hard" sciences were for work done here. This shows how important the institute has been for women in science.
Because of these achievements, Institut Curie is known worldwide. No other research center has hosted so many pioneering women scientists.
Mentoring Future Scientists
Marie Curie herself was a great mentor. She guided over 45 women scientists from all over the world. Some of these amazing women include:
- Marguerite Perey, who discovered francium. She was nominated for the Nobel Prize five times.
- Jeanne Ferrier, who discovered autoradiography.
Many other talented women also worked with Marie Curie. These include Sonia Cotelle, Harriet Brooks, Alice Leigh-Smith, Eva Ramstedt, Lucie Blanquies, Suzanne Veil, Catherine Chamié, Alicja Dorabialska, Ellen Gleditsch, Marthe Weiss, Antonia Elisabeth Korvezee, May Sybil Leslie, Ștefania Mărăcineanu, Branca Edmée Marques, Eliane Montel, Elizabeth Rona, Jadwiga Szmidt, Margarete von Wrangell, Renée Galabert, Isabelle Archinard, and Marie Curie's secretary, Léonie Razet.
During World War I, the Radium Institute also helped train many nurses. They learned about mobile radiography. This helped doctors take X-rays on the battlefield. Over 150 nurses and radiology pioneers were trained here during and after the war.
Famous People from Institut Curie
Many important scientists and doctors have worked at Institut Curie. Here are some of them:
- Maria Skłodowska-Curie
- Claudius Regaud
- Irène Joliot-Curie
- Frédéric Joliot-Curie
- Pierre-Gilles de Gennes
- Marguerite Perey
- Jeanne Ferrier
- Ștefania Mărăcineanu
See also
In Spanish: Instituto Curie para niños
