IHU THEMA-2 " European Leukemia Institute " brings together Université Paris Cité, AP-HP, Collège de France, Inserm and their academic, associative and industrial partners. The project leader is Pr Hugues de Thé, Professor at the Collège de France. THEMA-2 follows on from a previous project which had already demonstrated its ability to federate and build an ecosystem conducive to the development of leukemia research. It will receive funding of between 30 and 40 million euros.
Acute leukemia and related diseases affect both adults and children. Worldwide, they killed more than 300 000 people in 2020. Acute leukemias are genetically much simpler than most cancers, offering unique opportunities to study malignant transformation, discover new targets and develop curative strategies. Yet, to date, less than 25 % of adult patients diagnosed with acute leukemia will be cured. Genome sequencing has enabled not only a genetic classification of leukemia, but also the development of promising treatments targeting oncogenic pathways or cellular interactions. These drugs are active and can bring about transient remissions, but all too rarely cure the disease on their own. Understanding the biological basis of leukemia eradication or resistance to therapy, and circumventing the latter with drug combinations, represents an enormous medical and societal challenge, as these results are likely to be applicable to certain solid tumors. THEMA members have already made major scientific and clinical advances in this field. THEMA-2 will strengthen its leading hospital-based clinical research, combine it with a unique scientific environment for basic leukemia research, and become a hub in the European landscape of leukemia research, therapeutic innovation and education.
Launched as part of the France 2030 investment plan, the " Instituts Hospitalo-Universitaires " (IHU) program has enabled the creation of centers of excellence in France for biomedical research, care, training and technology transfer, bringing together academic researchers, nursing staff, clinicians and industry.
