Interview with CGI-Clinics project partner, Centre Léon Bérard
The Centre Léon Bérard is dedicated to cancer care and research in the heart of Lyon, France.
Loic Verlingue, Camille Brodin and Pierre Saintigny join us from Centre Léon Bérard to share more about their involvement in CGI-Clinics and how they anticipate the project’s progress. The Centre Léon Bérard is a hospital that is dedicated 100% to cancer care and research, and is one of the CGI-Clinics project consortium partners.
Please introduce CLB.
The Centre Léon Bérard (CLB) is actively involved in numerous EU projects, forming a comprehensive suite for personalised cancer medicine (PCM), including CGI, UpSmart, TM2, PCM4EU, PRIME-ROSE, and SPIDERWEB. Our molecular screening programs, such as PROFILER, PLANET, and PFMG2025, aim to advance precision oncology through detailed genomic profiling.
What most excites you about the CGI-Clinics project?
The CGI-Clinics project excites us because it aims to harmonise molecular profiling outputs across Europe, laying the groundwork for improving personalised therapies and clinical trial activities. The Virtual Molecular Tumour Boards (MTB) tool enhances collaboration among caregivers, patients recruitment to clinical trials, enables proper multicentric evaluation of clinical decision support systems (CDSS), and ultimately improves patient care. Additionally, eduCGI empowers patients by providing them with information on treatments and clinical trials they could access.
Pierre Saintigny of CLB (second from right) on the discussion panel as we presented the project to policymakers at the EU Parliament in March 2023
What resources and experience do you bring from CLB to support the goals of CGI-Clinics?
At CLB, we bring extensive expertise from our MTB specialists who use multiomics data, along with our experience in harmonising clinical data using OSIRIS. Our collaboration with other EU projects, our implication in evaluation of trial matching tools, and innovative strategies for improving patient access to trials, including cross-border access, will significantly support CGI-Clinics. We also contribute to dissemination through platforms like the PCM4EU YouTube channel including various videos on CGI.
How will your expertise as a clinical partner in the project contribute to improving the CGI tool?
Our MTB specialists’ expertise in using multiomics data, combined with fine-grain evaluation of CGI outputs and user experience feedback, will be invaluable in refining and improving the CGI tool.
How does participating in this international project fit into CLB’s own goals?
Participation in CGI-Clinics aligns with CLB’s goals of advancing personalised cancer medicine and fostering collaborations with other countries. We are actively involved in increasing France’s and Europe’s readiness for clinical trials. This project enhances our ability to exploit the necessary data to provide personalised therapies and improve patient outcomes on an international scale.
What do you hope your involvement means for advancing innovative cancer care in France?
By leveraging the cutting-edge genomic insights provided by CGI-Clinics, we aim to advance personalised cancer care in France. Integration of CGI into PFMG2025 will link French molecular analysis initiatives with patient orientation, improving access to clinical trials. CGI-Clinics is an important part of the global requirements to optimise readiness for clinical trials, to increase the interest of pharmaceutical industries and finally the number of clinical trials we can offer to patients locally.
The CGI tool was presented by Dr Nuria Lopez-Bigas on the PCM4EU YouTube channel
What kind of patient empowerment initiatives do you already have going on, from other projects or initiatives?
In PLANET, a sequential molecular screening program at CLB, we investigate how patients understand and cope with longitudinal genomic profiling throughout their systemic therapy. We also facilitate access to clinical trials in France and cross-border access to clinical trials by improving information dissemination, and help administrative procedures, together with neighboring countries such as Switzerland.
How will CLB maximise project outcomes through dissemination, exploitation, and communication activities?
We maximise project outcomes through dissemination via the PCM4EU YouTube channel, collaboration with other EU projects, strategies to future projects and contributions to CGI analysis and publications. Our efforts ensure that the findings and advancements from these projects reach a broad audience and are effectively implemented in clinical practice.
About the CGI-Clinics Project
The CGI-Clinics project is a five-year EU project, and stakeholders are encouraged to follow its progress by signing up for the newsletter or following the project on social media.
