Four new key initiatives to assert the unique identity of I-SITE MUSE
Presented in June and July 2020 to the MUSE Boardi*, four new cross-disciplinary themes will be designated as MUSE Key Initiatives at the start of the academic year. Infectious Risks and Vectors (RIVE), Nutrition and Food Systems, Interdisciplinary Blood Sciences Network (Riss), and Climate Risks and Health (Phoenix).
These four new MUSE key initiatives complement existing measures to affirm MUSE's unique identity and its involvement in high-stakes issues at both the regional and international levels. The aim is to strengthen synergies between Research, training, and the economy within a multidisciplinary community. These four new KIMs will highlight the strong potential of Montpellier's scientific strengths in the field of health by positioning themselves at the interface of the three MUSE pillars: Nourish – Protect – Care.
While certain details of the projects still need to be finalized before their official launch, here are the broad outlines around which these four initiatives will develop.
Infectious Risks and Vectors (RIVE)
Current global changes are leading to an increased risk of vector-borne diseases emerging in humans, animals, and plants, including in our region. The Montpellier academic, institutional, and economic community has the ambition and the capacity to develop innovative and sustainable approaches to understanding the risks of emergence, surveillance, and control of these diseases. The project proposed to the board aims to consolidate Montpellier's position as a European center of excellence and expertise by structuring its community around a "One Health/Eco Health"approach that responds to the challenges of MUSE: Feed, Care, Protect.
With more than 40 research structures and 600 stakeholders, KIM will support research into the emergence and vector transmission of infectious agents, and their control. Resolutely stakeholder-oriented, particularly in the region, KIM RIVE will deploy its actions through a dense network of partnerships in both the South and the North, and will be the foundation for high-level expertise and training. Companies in the region will be encouraged to develop applications based on the research. KIM will organize international events and summer schools that will increase the visibility of MUSE.
Nutrition and food systems
A major societal issue, the triptych of Food – Nutrition – Health is a key marker for the I-SITE MUSE development project on an international scale. Bringing together the "Agro" and "Health" communities around translational approaches combining fundamental and participatory, transdisciplinary, and cross-sectoral research should enable Montpellier to become a unique ecosystem for research, training, and development in the field of nutrition. Complementary expertise will provide the scientific basis for better supporting food and health policies and offering original training through the creation of a new Master's degree focused on the nexus between agriculture (aquaculture), the environment, and health within the conceptual framework of Ecosanté – Econutrition, contribute to the competitiveness of businesses and improve the resilience of southern regions through a multi-stakeholder approach.
Interdisciplinary Network for Blood Sciences
At the site level, numerous stakeholders address issues related to blood and/or develop expertise to respond to these issues: Montpellier and Nîmes University Hospitals, research units, public and private socioeconomic partners, the French Blood Establishment, and Master's degree programs. While the necessary resources are available, interactions between stakeholders could be optimized, and there is a lack of collaboration between practitioners, biologists, biophysicists, veterinarians, and representatives of the hard sciences, as well as a lack of knowledge transfer between the academic and economic worlds. KIM aims to promote the emergence of synergies between the various players in the field. Among the actions that will be implemented are an action program to attract young researchers trained in multidisciplinarity and strong actions to raise international visibility by hosting and organizing major scientific events in Montpellier.
Climate Risks and Health (Phoenix)
Among the major challenges of this century, the effects of climate change on public health are becoming increasingly significant. They can have a notable impact on healthcare systems. In Occitanie, according to a February 2020 report by INSEE, the heatwaves of 2019 offer a glimpse of the heatwaves to come. The main objective of KIM PHOENIX is to highlight the effects of extreme climate risks (heat waves, initially) on healthcare organizations and propose managerial solutions to develop resilient organizations. Among the actions proposed to the MUSE Board are the creation and facilitation of a multidisciplinary observatory, the development of international partnerships to benefit from experience effects, and the organization of a simulation exercise to test healthcare institutions' response to climate risk.
The MUSE Board is the steering body of the I-SITE. It is composed of the President of the University of Montpellier (UM) and representatives from the CEA, CIRAD, INRAE, INSERM, IRD, UM, and one representative from each of the partner agreements "Institut agro-Montpellier SupAgro, ENSCM, CIHEAM IAMM," "Montpellier University Hospital, Nîmes University Hospital, and ICM," and "BRGM, Ifremer, and Inria."