Université de Montpellier and CHU de Nîmes strengthen their joint momentum
On September 2, the Nîmes university hospital community gathered for an afterwork session with Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier, Frédéric Rimattei, General Director of the CHU de Nîmesand Michel Prudhomme, President of the CHU de Nîmes medical committee. In the presence of Véronique Dominguez-Guillaumel, Rector Delegate for Higher Education, Research and Innovation for the Occitanie academic region, the occasion was given to highlight the joint dynamic that the two establishments have been developing for several years in the fields of research and innovation.
The University of Montpellier and the CHU de Nîmes have long joined forces to combine academic excellence and medical innovation. Their partnership is deployed notably through the I-Site and the Pôle universitaire d'innovation(PUI) de Montpellier, of which the CHU is a founding member.
The afterwork highlighted this dynamic through a presentation of the CHU's innovation strategy and three emblematic PUI projects. The evening concluded with the launch of a new joint call for translational research projects.
Encouraging new ideas
The CHU de Nîmes reiterated its commitment to encouraging the emergence and support of new ideas, whether technological, medical or organizational, to improve the quality of care and enhance its attractiveness. With over 3.5 million euros invested each year and research areas ranging from neuroscience to oncology, the hospital is an active member of the regional academic and scientific ecosystem.
This strategy is part of the PARI 2030 program, a real lever for the region's hospital and university reputation and socio-economic development.
Coordinated by the University of Montpellier, the Pôle universitaire d'innovation brings together 14 founding members. It encourages collaboration with the socio-economic world, technology transfer and the creation of start-ups. With its 5,000 researchers and 350 annual partnerships, it is a driving force for innovation on the Montpellier-Nîmes site.
Three innovative projects presented
Three projects supported by the PUI illustrate the synergy between academic research and clinical needs:
- PEASY: an innovative medical device for the management of male urinary incontinence, led by Xavier Garric.
- 3D4 PEDIA: a pediatric pharmaceutical 3D printing project, led by Ian Soulairol in partnership with MB Therapeutics.
- DM CONNECT: a digital platform to improve care pathway coordination, developed by Laure Roux.
All three have benefited from PUI funding schemes such as Booster Innovation Montpellier and Companies and Campus.
A new call for projects
Finally, the event marked the launch of a call for "Translational Research " projects, jointly funded by the University of Montpellier and Nîmes University Hospital to the tune of 100,000 euros. The aim is to strengthen cooperation between researchers, clinicians and industry, and accelerate the transition from basic research to concrete clinical applications.
For Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier, " this joint initiative illustrates our ambition to build together a centre of excellence in healthcare of European stature ".