Creating the conditions for science to emerge, stimulating research, being where essential things are happening… Since 1983, under the aegis of the Fondation de France, the Fondation Ipsen has the ambition to initiate a reflection about the major scientific issues of the forthcoming years, identifying emerging themes. Its mission is to contribute to the development and spreading of scientific knowledge by fostering interactions between scientists and clinicians and acting as an intellectual catalyst to push forward the frontiers of knowledge. Hence, the Fondation Ipsen has developed an important international network of scientific experts who meet at meetings known as Colloques Médecine et Recherche, dedicated to three main topics: neurosciences, endocrinology and cancer science. Moreover, the Fondation Ipsen has started several series of meetings in partnership with the Salk Institute, the Karolinska Institute, as well as with the science journals Cell and Science. The Fondation Ipsen produced several hundred publications and more than 250 scientists have been awarded prizes and grants.