Provence: an exceptional hub for research
A major center for scientific research
Marseille is the second largest city in France for scientific research, including public and academic research. More than 80 laboratories belonging to French government-funded research organizations(CNRS, INSERM, Universities, Joint Research Institutes ...) offer a broad range of disciplines in medical research and life sciences.
The primary areas of excellence are:
- genetics, immunology & oncology
- microbiology,
- infectious diseases
- neurosciences
- nutrition & metabolism
- bioinformatics
- clinical trials
Some of the laboratories are:
- le Centre d’Immunologie de Marseille Luminy (CIML) (Marseille-Luminy Immunology Center)
- l’Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille Luminy (IBDML) (Marseille-Luminy Institute of Developmental Biology)
- l’Institut Méditerranéen de Neurobiologie (INMED) (Mediterranean Institute of Neurobiology)
- l’Institut de Cancérologie et d’Immunologie de Marseille (Marseille Institute of Cancerology and Immunology)
- l’Institut des Pathologies Transmissibles et Pathologies Infectieuses Tropicales (Institute of Transmissible Pathologies and Tropical Infectious Diseases)
- l’Institut de Biologie Structurale et Microbiologie (Institute of Structural Biology and Microbiology)
Important hospital means for clinical trials
- Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Marseille (AP-HM- Marseille Public Hospitals) operates a major hospital complex with 4 hospitals and more than 3,500 beds and spaces, and a workforce of 14,000 people including 1,800 doctors...
www.ap-hm.fr
www.ap-hm.fr
- The Paoli-Calmette Institute is the second largest cancer center in France and one of four registered research and evaluation centers for gene therapy.
www.institutpaolicalmettes.fr
www.institutpaolicalmettes.fr
- The Centre de Pharmacologie Clinique et d’Essais Thérapeutiques (Center for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutic Trials - CPCET), a partner of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, was founded by the Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille and the University of the Mediterranean. In permanent contact with the Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits de Santé (AFSSAPS- French Health Products Safety Agency), the center contributes its expertise in clinical and pre-clinical research and drug evaluation. The CPCET acts as the coordinating center for multi-center trials.
The Genopole (Genomics Center)
A member since 2000 of the national Genopole network, the Marseille-Nice Genomics center combines and coordinates the regional activities of research, training, business set ups etc.. in the fields of genomics, post-genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics. The Marseille-Nice Genopole includes 25 laboratories.
The Canceropole (Cancer Center) of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur
Following the implementation of a national plan against cancer, 7 regional Cancer centers were selected and labeled in 2003. Among them, the Canceropôle Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) brings together, from Marseille to Nice, 53 research teams from the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM- National Health and Medical Research Institute), the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS-National Scientific Research Center), universities and hospitals.
The main ambition of Canceropôle Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur is to gather and structure all the regional skills and resources to optimize research in the areas of cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
The Canceropôle has developed a "tumorotheque" (tumor bank) with more than 7,200 samples. These tumor samples are collected and stored to provide researchers with resources to better understand the molecular mechanisms of cancer and identify new biomarkers in oncology.
The Centre d’Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy (CIML Marseille Luminy Immunology Center)
The CIML, a joint Research Unit attached to the CNRS, INSERM and the University of the Mediterranean was established in 1976. It is one of the 10 largest immunology centers in the world.
The Center for Immunology employs more than 230 people, divided into 20 research teams, administrative services, technical services and scientific services (imaging, proteomics, transgenesis facilities..) and technical platforms on microscopy (PICs platform in association with IBDML), bio-optics (MOSAIC platform in association with the Institut Fresnel) and functional exploration of the mouse model (RIO-Marseille-Nice-Génopôle platform).
The main areas of research by teams at the Center for Immunology are key biological processes such as ontogeny, lymphocyte cell activation, phagocytosis, host-pathogen interactions, and cell death.
From the start, the organization of the CMIL has been unique and different from more classic French research institutes:
- It is a federation of research teams the size and duration of which are limited
- Directors are appointed for 4-year terms, renewable only once,
- The pooling of most resources promotes synergies and allows high scale savings,
- The center has a policy of hiring foreign researchers (eight team leaders out of twenty come from abroad),
- The center has established close links with universities and hospitals,
- Four companies have emerged from the work of CIML researchers: Immunotech, Innate Pharma, IPSOGEN, and Oz Bioscience.
Grand Luminy Technopôle
Located in the south of Marseille, Grand Luminy Technopole is a strong link between public research and industry. A number of research centers are located in Luminy:
The Centre d’Immunologie de Marseille Luminy (CIML Marseille Luminy Immunology Center)
- 230 researchers, engineers, students and technicians
- The Center is one of the top 10 immunology centers in the world
L'Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée (INMED- Mediterranean Institute of Neurobiology) 40 researchers in neurobiology and brain diseases
L’Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille Luminy (IBDML- Developmental Biology Institute of Marseille) :
- 6 training courses on research and hospital services
- 20 research teams with over 200 people
Marseille-Nice Genopole: 25 laboratories specializing in basic and applied research in genomics and post-genomics
In addition, Grand Luminy Technopole provides location opportunities with attractive conditions at any stage of business development.
The incubator, managed by the Association Grand Luminy Technopole, is home to recently developed biotech start-ups. For more mature companies, the business hotel offers laboratory and modular office space (from 170 to 1000 m²). For larger companies, Luminy is now developing larger areas for constructions of 1500 to 5000m ².
