Delphine DELACOUR is a CNRS Research Director, group leader at the Institute for Developmental Biology of Marseille (IBDM, Marseille, France). She made key discoveries in cell adhesion, division, cytoskeletal dynamics in mammals. She also made major contributions in molecular mechanisms underlying mechanical regulation of epithelial integrity.  She has expertise in studying epithelial cell and tissue dynamics, particularly in the mammalian intestine, using 2D and 3D cultures. In 2017, she received the Prize for Research on Rare Intestinal Diseases from the Groupama Foundation. The accomplished work established the team in the domain of epithelial cell mechanics and tissue integrity maintenance in mammalian epithelial intestine.