Infectious diseases: the world’s leading vaccine production center
With Lyonbiopôle, a world
competitive cluster dedicated to the fight against infectious diseases, Lyon, together with Grenoble, is a world center of
excellence in diagnostics and vaccines. Designed as a “factory” for developing multi-partner R&D projects, Lyonbiopôle
is an interface between the industrial and academic research spheres, helping to bring them closer together.
Sanofi Pasteur, #1 worldwide
in human vaccines
Merial, #1 worldwide in veterinary
products
bioMérieux, #1 worldwide in bacteriological
diagnostics
BD, world leader in the medical
and diagnostics fields
Lyonbiopôle relies on several of the region’s assets, in particular a number of international organizations and major
technical platforms, such as the WHO Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response Center (CSR), the Virology and Immunology
Research Center (CERVI), the Jean Mérieux Biosafety Level 4 Laboratory (one of only two BSL4 in Europe) and others, the French
Healthcare Product Safety Agency (AFSSAPS) with its Immunological Products department in Lyon, an “Innovations in Infectiology”,
Advanced Research Topic Network (RTRA), one of 13 in France selected by the French government.
Cancer Research:
France's second-largest cancer research hub
With 27,000 new cases of cancer treated every year, the Rhône-Alpes region
is France’s second-largest cancer research hub with more than 1,700 scientists and the presence of Cancéropôle Lyon Auvergne
Rhône-Alpes (CLARA) in Lyon. This cancer research cluster aims to drive the emergence of innovative research projects and
the transfer of the results of this research to industry, for the benefit of patients. A Thematic Research and Care Network
(RTRS) in the field of cancer, “Synergie Lyon Cancer”, was accredited at the start of 2007, to develop new therapeutic strategies
that take into consideration the complexity of cancerogenesis mechanisms, with a focus on therapy targeting and tumor escape.
In 2009, a hadrontherapy center (proton therapy) to treat radioresistant cancers (the first in France), should open in Lyon.
Neurosciences, an outstanding neuroimaging potential
The region is one of the few in Europe to cover all
of the fields in the neurosciences and cognitive sciences, with an outstanding neuroimaging potential for research or clinical
applications in humans or animals. Neurosciences research is based in particular on Neurocap, a Neurosciences Thematic Research
and Care Network (RTRS), accredited in early 2007, which aims to discover and validate new strategies for preventing and treating
neurosensory, motor, cognitive and psychiatric disabilities. 800 research leaders are united today.