A stem cell is an immature cell that can transform into different types of specialized cells in the body. They can be seen as “base cells,” similar to seeds that can grow into different plants. For blood, we talk about hematopoietic stem cells, which are found in the bone marrow. They have the ability to produce: Red blood cells (which carry oxygen) White blood cells (which fight against infections) Platelets (which help the blood clot) These cells are vital, particularly for treating certain types of leukemia, such as in bone marrow transplantation, which involves replacing diseased cells with healthy cells from a donor.

Accueil A new Institute dedicated to combating leukemia Medical-scientific program

Medical-scientific program

Q: Is leukemia a blood cancer?

Yes, leukemia is a type of blood cancer. More specifically, it is a cancer that affects the bone marrow, the organ inside the bones that produces blood cells (red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets). In leukemia, certain blood cells develop abnormally and uncontrollably. These leukemia cells gradually invade the blood and bone marrow, preventing other blood cells from being produced normally. This can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, frequent infections, or bleeding.

Q: What does basic, translational, and clinical research mean?

Basic research: This is research conducted in the laboratory, often on cells, genes, or animals. Its goal is to better understand the biological mechanisms of leukemia. Translational research: This bridges basic research and patient care. Clinical research: This research involves patients, often through clinical trials. It is used to test new treatments, drugs, or diagnostic methods to ensure they are effective and safe.

Our 4 areas of expertise

Research

Fostering scientific and medical innovation

Patient care

Providing personalized treatments based on the latest advances and improving patients’ quality of life

Training programs

Sharing knowledge with healthcare professionals, researchers, and patients.

Innovation

Turning discoveries into concrete solutions

Our goals

Curing leukemia at all stages of life

1 Identify predisposing factors for leukemia and develop preventive treatments

2 Understand the diversity of leukemias and design novel treatments

3 Explore what causes treatment resistance

4 Improve patients’ quality of life

Our research areas

Basic

Area 1: MECHANISMS

Basic biology

Deciphering the diversity of leukemias using a multiomics approach
Identifying intrinsic vulnerabilities of leukemia
Exploring the cellular consequences of therapeutic stresses

Area 2: MICROENVIRONMENT

Stem cells and microenvironment

Studying cellular interactions between leukemia cells, stroma, and immune effectors
Exploring the cellular consequences of therapeutic stresses

Translational

Area 3: PRECISION

Therapeutic agents and combinations

Testing innovative treatments on primary cells or preclinical models
Identifying promising treatment combinations and validating biomarkers

Area 4: PREDISPOSITION

Prevention and precision medicine

Identifying patients with germline predisposition
Conducting longitudinal somatic studies

Clinical

Area 5: TRIALS

Early clinical trials

Developing innovative trials for precision medicine
Integrating biological data into clinical trials

Area 6: CARE

Improving care pathways

Implementing a post-treatment follow-up program
Exploring quality of life measures with patient associations

Categories of the Institute’s internal call for projects

Bottleneck relief

This category aims to support early-stage projects with a high potential . It provides funding for exploratory work requiring initial support to generate proof-of-concept data often essential for accessing more conventional funding. This mechanism offers maximum flexibility, with rolling submissions and a budget of up to €30,000 per project

Synergy

This category encourages collaboration between multiple teams, especially between basic and clinical research, to facilitate a comprehensive approach.

Early clinical trials

This category supports early studies, such as phase I trials or drug repurposing projects, specifically targeting needs not covered by other funding sources.

Technology transfer

This category is aimed at projects with a high commercialization potential, including possible patent filing or industrial partnership.

Our research projects

Adaptive somatic genetic rescue in Fanconi anemia

Lise Larcher

Pathogenesis of secondary leukemias

Marie de Tersant

JAK inhibition intrinsic and extrinsic effects in skin cancer

JAK inhibition results in increased risk of skin cancer through MAPK pathway activation, while positively remodelling the tumor immune microenvironment to create new therapeutic avenues in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors

Hélène Pasquer

Host foundation and founding members

Frequently Asked Questions

Is leukemia a blood cancer?

Yes, leukemia is a type of blood cancer. More specifically, it is a cancer that affects the bone marrow, the organ inside the bones that produces blood cells (red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets).

In leukemia, certain blood cells develop abnormally and uncontrollably. These leukemia cells gradually invade the blood and bone marrow, preventing other blood cells from being produced normally. This can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, frequent infections, or bleeding.

What does basic, translational, and clinical research mean?

Basic research: This is research conducted in the laboratory, often on cells, genes, or animals. Its goal is to better understand the biological mechanisms of leukemia.
Translational research: This bridges basic research and patient care.
Clinical research: This research involves patients, often through clinical trials. It is used to test new treatments, drugs, or diagnostic methods to ensure they are effective and safe.

What are stem cells?

A stem cell is an immature cell that can transform into different types of specialized cells in the body. They can be seen as “base cells,” similar to seeds that can grow into different plants.

For blood, we talk about hematopoietic stem cells, which are found in the bone marrow. They have the ability to produce:

Red blood cells (which carry oxygen)
White blood cells (which fight against infections)
Platelets (which help the blood clot)

These cells are vital, particularly for treating certain types of leukemia, such as in bone marrow transplantation, which involves replacing diseased cells with healthy cells from a donor.