Muscles lie at the heart of all the major challenges facing our modern societies: the prevention of common, serious and disabling conditions; the fight against a sedentary lifestyle; adapting to changes in lifestyle; ageing and independence; and therapeutic innovation. They are an organ essential to health at every stage of life, from before birth right through to old age. To raise awareness of this and translate it into concrete public policy, the Institute of Myology and the AFM-Telethon are organising the 2nd Muscle Conference, to be held on Tuesday 2 June 2026 at the Ministry of Health in Paris.
Programme
9h00 : Conference welcome
9h30 : Opening by Ms Stéphanie Rist, Minister for Health, Families, Independence and People with Disabilities, and Ms Laurence Tiennot-Herment, President of AFM-Téléthon and the Association Institut de Myologie
10h00 : Inaugural lectures
- Upcoming speaker
- Cédric Moro, INSERM Research Director, Physiopathologist at the Institute of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases University of Toulouse (I2MC)
11h00 – 1st panel discussion
‘Muscle, from before birth to the end of adolescence… a lifelong asset’
- Karine Couturier, Lecturer and Researcher in Exercise Physiology, Laboratory of Fundamental and Applied Bioenergetics, Université Grenoble Alpes
- Boris Cheval, Senior Lecturer, Department of Sport Science and Physical Education, ENS Rennes
- Sébastien Ratel, Professor, Laboratory of Metabolic Adaptations to Exercise under Physiological and Pathological Conditions (AME2P), Clermont Auvergne University
- Evelyne Labonté, Paediatric physiotherapist, Sainte Justine University Hospital, Quebec
- Marc Domin, PE teacher, Albert de Mun School, Nogent-sur-Marne
12h30- 13h00 : Different perspectives on the future of myology with Fabrice Chrétien, Director of Scientific Strategy at the Institute of Myology, Bénédicte Chazaud, President of the French Society of Myology, and Alexandre Drezet, Director of Innovation at Foch Hospital
Lunch
14h30-15h45 : 2nd panel discussion
‘An active life… not so active! Maintaining and developing muscle capital’
- Irene Margaritis, Professor of Physiology, Deputy Director of Risk Assessment at ANSES
- Benoit Logeais, Global Production Director, bakery and pastry company
- Fabien Gilot, Head of Sport and Physical Activity at MEDEF, world and Olympic swimming champion
- Célia Lloret-Linares, Endocrinologist and nutritionist, and chair of the PANACH association
- François Carré, Professor of Cardiology, Chair of the ‘For a Healthy France’ campaign
15h45 – 17h00 : 3rd panel discussion
‘Older age: a health and societal challenge. Preserving muscle capital and the challenges of muscle reconditioning’
- Kiyoka Kinugawa-Bourron, Professeure de gériatrie, Unité fonctionnelle du sujet âgé, Hôpital Charles Foix, Paris
- Yves Boirie, Lecturer in Human Nutrition, University of Clermont-Ferrand
- Claire Colas, Lecturer in Adapted Physical Activity, Department of Clinical and Exercise Physiology, Saint-Étienne University Hospital
- Xavier Bigard, Professor, physiologist, Medical Director of the International Cycling Union, Member of the National Academy of Medicine
17h00-17h30 : Conference (Upcoming speaker)
17h30 : Closing remarks by Ms Camille Galliard-Minier, Minister for Independence and People with Disabilities, and by Fabrice Chrétien, Director of Scientific Strategy at the Institute of Myology
Download the programme of 2nd Muscle Conference in French
