Education
HDR, University of Rennes, 2017
Postdoctoral Associate, Tokyo University, 2010-2013
Ph.D. Université Paris-XI Orsay (now Université Paris Salay), 2007-2010
Jean-François Soulé completed his studies in chemistry at the University of Paul Sabatier in Toulouse before joining Professor Jean-Marie Beau’s team at the Institute of Chemistry of Natural Substances in Gif-sur-Yvette for his Master II internship and Ph.D. Under the co-supervision of Dr. Stéphanie Norsikian, his research during this period focused on the development of multicomponent reactions for synthesizing novel biologically active molecules, including antiviral drugs for Influenza. Following his Ph.D., he pursued a three-year post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Tokyo under the guidance of Professor Shū Kobayashi (2010-2013). During this time, his research centered on the heterogenization of nanocatalysts using the “incarceration method” to enhance the environmental friendliness of cross-couplings and oxidative couplings. In 2013, Jean-François was recruited as a CNRS researcher at the Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes (ISCR), where he joined Dr. Henri Doucet’s team. He successfully defended his “Habilitation à Diriger les Recherches” (HDR) in 2017. In 2022, he moved to Paris and obtained a full professor position in organic chemistry and catalysis at Chimie ParisTech, PSL University. He conducts his research within the Catalysis, Synthesis of Biomolecules and Sustainable Development team (CSB2D led by Dr. Virginie Vidal), at the i-CLeHS institute.
Since establishing his independent career, Jean-François has focused his work on designing and understanding novel catalytic methods based on C–H bond functionalizations. These innovative catalytic tools have been instrumental in accelerating the production of compound libraries, making it more efficient and environmentally friendly, to search for optimal structures in various fields such as pharmaceuticals, molecular materials, and catalysts.
In 2020, he received an award from Thieme Chemistry Journal, and he was also honored with the Jean-Pierre Sauvage Prize by the Organic Chemistry Division of the French Chemical Society.
