France Life Imaging

France Life Imaging
Name	France Life Imaging
Formation	2014
Type	Research Infrastructure
Headquarters	Paris
Region served	France

France Life Imaging is a national research infrastructure coordinating advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging and molecular imaging platforms across laboratories and hospitals in Paris, Lyon, Grenoble, Toulouse and other French cities. It hosts multi‑site imaging resources interfacing with clinical centers such as Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, research institutions such as the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale and universities including Sorbonne Université and Université Grenoble Alpes. The infrastructure supports translational programs linking preclinical platforms, hospital departments, and international consortia like European Research Council-funded projects and networks such as Human Brain Project, EuroBioImaging, and International Neuroinformatics Coordinating Facility.

Overview

France Life Imaging is organized to provide shared access to high‑field Magnetic Resonance systems, clinical PET‑CT, cyclotron‑supported radiochemistry, and preclinical imaging suites that serve investigators from institutions like Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, Université Paris Cité, Aix-Marseille Université and Université de Strasbourg. The infrastructure interfaces with clinical research units at centers such as CHU de Grenoble, CHU de Toulouse, Hôpital Beaujon and Hôpital Necker–Enfants Malades. It coordinates standardization efforts aligned with agencies such as Agence Nationale de la Recherche and regulatory bodies including Agence Nationale de Sécurité du Médicament.

History and Organization

France Life Imaging emerged from national initiatives that consolidated imaging platforms previously hosted by entities like Institut Pasteur, Inserm Unit 1214, and university hospital networks including AP-HP and Assistance Publique–Hôpitaux de Marseille. Founding efforts involved stakeholders from CNRS, CEA, and regional centers such as Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale in the Île‑de‑France. Governance adopted principles influenced by European infrastructures such as ESFRI and projects funded by Horizon 2020, while drawing on expertise from legacy programs including France BioImaging and international collaborations with groups like Wellcome Trust partners and the National Institutes of Health.

Research Programs and Facilities

France Life Imaging coordinates programs spanning neuroimaging, cardiology, oncology, and metabolic research with participating units such as Institut du Cerveau, Gustave Roussy, Institut Curie, Institut Cochin, Cardiologie Hôpital Lariboisière and Hôpital Tenon. Facility components include high‑field human MRI scanners at sites affiliated with CEA NeuroSpin, preclinical MRI at centers like Centre d’Imagerie BioMédicale, PET radiochemistry labs attached to Institut Claudius Regaud and cyclotrons at university hospitals including CHRU de Lille. Research themes align with consortia such as ERA-NET NEURON, Cancer Research UK collaborations, and multicenter trials coordinated with institutions like INSERM Clinical Trial Units.

Imaging Modalities and Technologies

The infrastructure supports modalities including ultra‑high‑field 7T Magnetic Resonance Imaging at facilities such as NeuroSpin, multi‑modal PET‑MRI suites in collaboration with Institut Curie and hybrid PET‑CT scanners at centers like Gustave Roussy. Preclinical platforms host micro‑PET, micro‑CT and high‑resolution optical imaging at sites like CNRS Imaging Facilities and INRAE‑linked laboratories. Technologies include radioligand development in radiochemistry units inspired by methods from Marie Curie Actions projects, advanced pulse‑sequence development influenced by work at MIT and ETH Zurich, and image analysis pipelines interoperable with standards from Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine and initiatives like The Cancer Imaging Archive.

Collaborations and Networks

France Life Imaging maintains partnerships with European infrastructures such as EuroBioImaging, research networks including Human Brain Project and European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer, and bilateral collaborations with institutes like Karolinska Institutet, University College London, Max Planck Society, University of Oxford and Harvard Medical School. National linkages include clinical research networks at AP-HP, regional university hospitals including CHU de Nantes and CHU de Bordeaux, and coordination with funding agencies such as Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale. International trial participation involves consortia like IMI and joint projects with entities including WHO task groups and UNESCO science programs.

Training, Education, and Outreach

Training programs engage doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers from universities such as Université Paris Saclay, Université de Montpellier and Université de Lille, and clinical fellows from hospitals including Hôpital Cochin and Hôpital Henri‑Mondor. Educational activities include hands‑on workshops co‑organized with professional societies such as European Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and Biology, Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, and national bodies like Société Française de Radiologie. Outreach to patient groups occurs through partnerships with associations like Fondation ARC pour la recherche sur le cancer and public science events with organizations such as La Villette and Palais de la Découverte.

Governance and Funding

Governance structures involve representatives from research organizations including CNRS, CEA, INSERM, universities like Sorbonne Université and regional hospital groups such as AP-HP, with advisory input from stakeholders tied to Agence Nationale de la Recherche and European funding instruments such as Horizon Europe. Funding sources comprise competitive grants from bodies like ANR, institutional support from Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur, de la Recherche et de l'Innovation, contributions from regional councils (e.g., Région Île-de-France), and collaborative funding through European programs including Horizon 2020 and bilateral agreements with institutions such as National Science Foundation and Wellcome Trust.

Category:Research infrastructures in France