The Centre François Baclesse and LABÉO, after more than 10 years of cooperation, are ratifying their partnership by signing an agreement on September 3, 2021. The aim of this agreement is to pool human resources, equipment and premises in the service of "one health" in Normandy. Explanations.
The Cancer Genetics Laboratory at the Centre François Baclesse is France's leading laboratory for the molecular diagnosis of genetic predispositions to breast and ovarian cancers. The LABÉO laboratory is one of France's leading Public Interest Groups (GIP) in the fields of animal health, food health and the environment. They pool skills, infrastructures and cutting-edge technologies in the service of "one health".
What is the concept of unique healthcare?
The concept of "one health" is based on the fact that human, animal and environmental health are closely linked. Human health cannot be conceived in isolation from animal, plant or soil health. This concept provides a better understanding of the interdependencies between the environment, agriculture, food and health.
The Centre François Baclesse and LABÉO, an unchanging partnership for over 10 years
This collaboration began in 2010 with the participation of LABÉO (then Laboratoire Frank Duncombe), in the investment of the high-throughput sequencing platform named "SÉSAME" - Séquençage pour la Santé, l'Agronomie, la Mer et l'Environnement, located at the Centre François Baclesse. This platform is open to the region's research teams. Since then, the two establishments have been collaborating on a regular basis, and the Centre François Baclesse has welcomed LABÉO staff to its research teams for development or research purposes.
What is sequencing? Sequencing is a technique used to decode the genetic code in order to explain a disease or find a treatment. Before the advent of high-throughput sequencing (or New Generation Sequencing (NGS)), access to the genome was very partial and very slow. "It used to take over 3 months to sequence 2 genes, whereas today, in just a few days, we're able to decode an entire genome!" explains Dr Dominique VAUR, Director of the Cancer Biology and Genetics Laboratory at the Centre François Baclesse.
Today, the two establishments are formalizing this desire for cooperation in an ambitious, long-term partnership agreement.
Cooperation in the service of public health and research
The areas of cooperation between the two teams concern sequencing techniques and bioinformatics, both in the fields of research and development, and clinical diagnostics in human or animal biology. Bioinformatics is the science of transforming the raw data generated by sequencers into useful, medically or scientifically exploitable results. "This is an opportunity for our establishments to contribute to the development of genomics in Normandy," says Prof. Marc-André MAHE, General Manager of the Centre François Baclesse. "Today, human and animal health are distinct worlds, but it is more than coherent to link them"he adds.
LABÉO wishes to prioritize its strong partnership in genomics with the Centre François Baclesse, in a context and approach of "unique health" at the heart of the regional university system and research and health establishments. "Strengthening our collaboration with the Centre was an obvious choice for us. The opportunity to benefit from such a platform has enabled us to do so within the framework of an approach to health which, apart from being a simple concept, is a necessity if we are to move better, faster and ahead of the game", explains Guillaume FORTIER, Managing Director of LABÉO.
This cooperation will also be aimed at structuring exchanges between teams to share know-how, supervise students, welcome trainees and advance mutual knowledge.
Shared infrastructures and cutting-edge technologies
Teams will have access to the different facilities at each site. This rapprochement will also enable investments to be rationalized and optimized, with a view to greater complementarity.
As part of the creation of the future genomics platform supported by the Syndicat Mixte Normandie Équine Vallée, of which LABÉO is the main tenant on the Saint-Contest (14) site, the Centre François Baclesse will benefit from access to equipment, premises and office space in order to carry out the various projects that will be carried out there.
"I am delighted to formalize a historic cooperation with LABEO that dates back over 10 years. This is an opportunity to make our contribution to medicine, human and animal health in a rapidly expanding sector", concludes Dr. Vaur.
