European programs
European Programs
Biomedical research is strongly linked to the European context. Researchers are encouraged and guided in their participation in the various Horizon 2020 programmes, the main instrument for implementing European research.
CRCT researchers are fully engaged in these calls for proposals. Find below all the European programmes in which the CRCT is strongly involved.
PROTEOblood – New therapies against two subtypes of leukemias and lymphomas.
Significant advances have been made recently in the diagnosis and selective treatment of some blood cancers. However, most of these cancers remain incurable. Much evidence suggests a link between imbalances in protein homeostasis and the development of some subtypes of leukemia and lymphoma. The study of this phenomenon requires highly specialized knowledge and represents a fundamental economic and research challenge, which institutions cannot address efficiently on an individual basis.
Researchers from universities, research centers, and companies in France and Spain have joined together to create a French-Spanish cooperative network for the analysis of proteinopathies and the development of individualized therapies in hematological cancers: EFA360/19 PROTEOBlood. This network will investigate protein homeostasis in two prevalent subtypes of leukemia and lymphoma and develop personalized treatments to cure them.
PROTEOblood’s goal is to optimize, share and exploit a set of cutting-edge technologies and resources through the coordination of these entities, for the study of protein homeostasis in two prevalent subtypes of leukemia and lymphoma, and to generate innovative tools and technologies transferable to the development of personalized medicines against these diseases.
To this end, the network will bring together a collection of study models derived from patients (organoids and xenografts) with the capacity to recreate the tumor microenvironment ex vivo. State-of-the-art proteomics approaches, associated with systems biology analysis and small molecule design, will allow the complete characterization of proteinopathies and the development of effective and safe therapies to validate in organoid and xenograft collections. PROTEOblood will thus promote technological development, cross-border cooperation, and knowledge sharing, easing the optimization of existing infrastructures and resources of all entities.
CRCT program partnership Jean Emmanuel Sarry
Date of begining : june 2020
date of closure : may 2022
The project has been co-financed at 65% by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Interreg V-A Spain-France-Andorra Programme (POCTEFA 2014-2020). https://www.poctefa.eu/fr/
Press release june, 23, 2020 (june 23, 2020)
MITHAML – Metabolic heterogeneity in acute myeloid leukaemia
Accumulating evidence indicates that metabolism could be implicated in the drug resistance that develops in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). However, approaches so far have assessed metabolism in bulk, without addressing the genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneity observed in cancer. The EU-funded MITHAML project will employ mass cytometry (CyTOF), a single-cell technology with tremendous analytical potential to investigate the role of metabolic intra-tumour heterogeneity before and after therapy. By focussing on metabolism-targeting drugs, researchers hope to find new therapeutic targets against AML. Deciphering the role of metabolism in chemoresistance will open new avenues for therapy with new combinations of drugs.
This program will be carried out thanks to a collaboration between the laboratory of Dr K Davis (Stanford University, San Francisco, USA), very recognized in the study of intratumor heterogeneity in particular with Cytof, and the laboratory of Dr JE Sarry (CRCT Inserm, Toulouse, France), expert in the role of oncometabolism in the in vivo resistance of LAM. Finally this project will be led by Dr L Stuani who will spend two years in Stanford before coming to establish him in Toulouse.
This program is coordinated by Jean emmanuel Sarry
More : https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/897140
Date of begining : 21 septembre 2020
date of closure : 20 septembre 2023
This research programme is part of the European call H2020-MSCA-IF-2019 (Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions- Individual fellowship)
IMMUSPHINX - Targeting sphingolipid metabolism to improve anti-melanoma immune therapies
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have shown unprecedented and long-lasting anti-tumor response in patients with metastatic melanoma. To extend the proportion of responders, prevent cancer recurrence and improve the efficacy in other cancers, novel strategies are urgently needed. Also, personalized therapies, based on robust prognostic and predictive factors, are necessary to resource allocation and toxicity management.
We recently discovered that sphingolipid (SL) metabolism is strongly altered in melanoma, leading to oncometabolites that modify the tumor microenvironment. Unpublished preclinical data reveal that SLs critically regulate tumor progression and anti-melanoma immune responses. We hypothesize that: (i) SL blocking agents (SBA) synergize with ICI in inducing anti-tumor responses and (ii) SL levels and/or SL-metabolizing enzymes constitute useful biomarkers predictive of prognosis and treatment outcome in response to ICI. IMMUSPHINX aims at developing new combined therapeutic strategies that target both SL metabolism and immune checkpoints.
Moreover, to individualize new immune modulating therapies, IMMUSPHINX aims at identifying prognostic and/or predictive biomarkers. Specifically, IMMUSPHINX will determine: (i) the efficacy of novel approaches combining SBA with ICI; (ii) how SLs affect tumor microenvironment and facilitate anti-melanoma immune responses by analyzing the sphingolipidome of tumors and plasma, and by identifying immune signatures; (iii) whether intratumoral SL metabolizing-enzymes and/or peripheral blood SLs could serve as biomarkers predictive of ICI efficacy. These parameters as well as treatment efficacy in melanoma patients will be analyzed using (Ir) RECIST both in a retrospective and prospective manner.
Overall, IMMUSPHINX is an essential step to (i) define the eligibility criteria for this novel strategy combining SBA and ICI, and (ii) set up a clinical trial using SBA as adjuvants for immune-based therapies in cancer patients.
This program is coordinated by Nathalie Andrieu-Abadie
More : https://www.transcanfp7.eu/index.php/abstract/immusphinx.html
Date of begining : April,1, 2017
Date of closure : june, 30, 2021
This research programme is part of the European call ERA-NET TRANSCAN-2 Aligning national/regional translational cancer research programmes and activities
Part of the objectives of this project was published in 2020::
Resistance of melanoma to immune checkpoint inhibitors is overcome by targeting the sphingosine kinase-1.
Imbert C, Montfort A, Fraisse M, Marcheteau E, Gilhodes J, Martin E, Bertrand F, Marcellin M, Burlet-Schiltz O, Peredo AG, Garcia V, Carpentier S, Tartare-Deckert S, Brousset P, Rochaix P, Puisset F, Filleron T, Meyer N, Lamant L, Levade T, Ségui B, Andrieu-Abadie N, Colacios C.
Nat Commun. 2020 Jan 23;11(1):437
PINICAL-MRT : Protocols for clinical impact in molecular radiotherapy
Developing the guidance to translate measurement knowledge on Molecular Radiotherapy into clinical practice
Article 56 of EC Directive 2013/59/EURATOM, detailing the requirements for individual dose planning for radiotherapy patients, is being introduced across EU states. This applies to Molecular Radiotherapy (MRT), which involves the use of radiopharmaceuticals in cancer treatment, but currently no standardised methods exist to support clinical compliance. A traceable MRT calibration infrastructure for patient-tailored doses was developed in the EMRP project MetroMRT and EMPIR project MRTDosimetry however before this can be transferred to the clinic it requires extending and staff trained in its use.
The project will develop guidance on how to use the protocols and methods developed in MRTDosimetry and enable traceable practices to be established within clinical centres. This will include how to calibrate, commission and perform quality control for quantitative imaging instruments used for dosimetry. Training materials will also be developed to support measurement practices. At the end of the project the establishment of standard practices for MRT will make it easier for relevant government agencies to ensure compliance with regulations as well as deliver more accurate, better targeted treatments for patients.
CRCT Partners Manuel Bardiès
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Date of begining : 2020
Date of closure : 2021
This research program is part of the European call EURAMET – The European Association of National Metrology Institutes
MEDIRAD - Implications of Medical Low Dose Radiation Exposure
MEDIRAD’s context
The evolution of medical science and the growing pace of innovation and deployment of medical technology have led to a situation where most of the artificial ionising radiation exposure of the European population is created by diagnostic imaging or radiotherapy procedures.
The use of ionising radiation in medicine has been steadily increasing, and this trend is set to continue, with obvious health benefits for the population thanks to improved diagnostic and therapy technologies. However, the increasing use of new modalities both for diagnosis and treatment also raises a number of issues in radiological protection of patients and medical workers, as the population’s average medical exposure levels are continually rising.
Although most of these exposures result in low to moderate doses in most tissues, there is a need to evaluate the health effects of these exposures, optimise practices to reduce doses and develop dose evaluation tools that can be used in clinical practice to ensure adequate and improved radiation protection of patients and medical personnel. Whilst patient RP has been a constant concern of physicians, and regulated by the competent authorities, some specific scientific questions arise in this context, which RP research has not addressed before, at least successfully.
Objectives
MEDIRAD aims to enhance the scientific bases and clinical practice of radiation protection in the medical field and thereby addresses the need to better understand and evaluate the health effects of low-dose ionising radiation exposure from diagnostic and therapeutic imaging and from off-target effects in radiotherapy.
This will be achieved by focusing on three major operational objectives:
- Improvement of organ dose estimation and registration in order to a) inform clinical practice, optimise doses and set recommendations and b) provide adequate dosimetry for clinical-epidemiological studies of effects of medical radiation.
- Evaluation of the effects of medical exposures, focusing on the two major endpoints and exposure conditions of public health and clinical relevance:
- Cardiovascular effects of low to moderate doses of radiation from radiotherapy including understanding of mechanisms
- Long term effects of low doses from higher dose radiological procedures on the risk of cancer
- Development of science-based policy recommendations for decision-makers and practitioners for the effective protection of patients, workers and the general public.
CRCT Partners Manuel Bardiès, Frédéric Courbon
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Date of begining : June 1, 2017
Date of closure : February 28, 2022
This research program is part of the European call Horizon 2020 – Euratom : https://www.horizon2020.gouv.fr/pid30040/euratom.html
IMLINFO : Cross-border Network of Personalized Immunotherapies for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas
CRCT Partners Christine Bezombes
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Date of begining : 2014
Date of closure : 2020
This research program is part of the European call POCTEFA : https://www.poctefa.eu
MRTDosimetry : Metrology for clinical implementation of dosimetry in molecular radiotherapy
The use of radiopharmaceuticals for treating cancer in Europe has grown considerably over the last few years. Current practice is to administer a carefully measured radioactivity dose to a patient, without taking into account the amount of radioactivity actually absorbed by tissue in the patient’s body. As a result, the administered dose is not the best indicator of effective treatment, and accurate knowledge of the radioactivity absorbed by tissue would make a significant difference to the success of many patients’ treatments. A recent EU Directive (2013/59/EURATOM) will require individual dose planning based on absorbed dose measurements for patients from February 2018. However, the planning process is complex and no standard methods exist to support clinics’ compliance with the regulation. This project addressed these obstacles by building on the work of previous EMRP project HLT11 MetroMRT, developing a robust measurement protocol and providing standardised methods, test objects and resources to support molecular radiotherapy clinics in setting up and validating dosimetry, thereby improving patient outcomes.
CRCT Partners Manuel Bardiès
More : http://mrtdosimetry-empir.eu/
Date of begining : 2016
Date of closure : 2019
This research program is part of the European call EURAMET – The European Association of National Metrology Institutes
ONCONET SUDOE : European Network for translational Research and Innovation in oncology
CRCT Partners Pierre Cordelier
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This research program is part of the European call INTERREG Sudoe : https://www.interreg-sudoe.eu/gbr/home
ALKATRAS : Role of miRNA and RNA binding proteins (RNA-BPs) in the regulation of the autophagy signalling pathway in ALK dependent tumours
CRCT Partners : Sylvie Giuriato, Domenico Sorrentino
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This research program is part of the European call Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN-ETN) : https://www.horizon2020.gouv.fr/cid144802/appel-2020-innovative-training-networks-itn.html
Phd - Deciphering PI3K biology in health and disease
CRCT Partners (co-coordinator) : Julie Guillermet-Guibert
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This research program is part of the European call Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN-ETN) : https://www.horizon2020.gouv.fr/cid144802/appel-2020-innovative-training-networks-itn.html