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An Institute Anchored in the Hospital Environment

The Institut Necker Enfants Malades (INEM) is firmly embedded within the hospital-university ecosystem. Its location on the Necker hospital campus fosters close, dynamic interactions with clinicians and care units, enabling a seamless integration of basic and clinical research. Beyond Necker, many INEM teams also maintain strong collaborations with other AP-HP hospitals across Paris, including Bichat, Lariboisière, Cochin, Henri-Mondor and HEGP.

These robust clinical ties provide INEM researchers with privileged access to medical expertise, patient cohorts, and biological samples, creating a unique environment for advancing translational research and driving innovation in human health.

Clinical Integration and Hospital-Based Researchers

A defining strength of the INEM lies in its close integration with the hospital environment, reinforced by the active involvement of clinician-scientists. Several INEM research teams are led or co-led by hospital-affiliated investigators (PU-PH, MCU-PH, PH), creating a direct bridge between clinical care and research. These physician-scientists are embedded in departments at Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital and collaborate with colleagues across other AP-HP institutions, including Bichat, Lariboisière, Cochin, and Henri-Mondor.

This multi-site clinical integration provides privileged access to patient samples and fosters research programs grounded in real-world medical needs and challenges.

Examples of this synergy include:

  • Dr. Anne Jamet, co-director of the Host-Pathogen Integrative Biology team, is a practicing medical microbiologist in the Department of Bacteriology, Virology, Parasitology, and Hygiene at Necker Hospital.
  • Prof. Vahid Asnafi and Prof. Elizabeth Macintyre, co-leads of the Normal and Pathological Lymphoid Differentiation team, are affiliated with the Department of Biological Hematology at Necker.
  • Prof. Guillaume Canaud, head of the Translational Medicine & Targeted Therapies laboratory, plays a leading role in the Department of Adult Nephrology and Kidney Transplantation at Necker Hospital.
  • Prof. Matthieu Mahévas, leader of the Autoimmune and B Cell Immune Responses team, is affiliated with the French Reference Center for Immune Thrombocytopenia at Henri-Mondor Hospital.
  • Prof. Isabelle Sermet, a physician-scientist in the Epithelial Transport and Cystic Fibrosis team, is a senior pulmonologist at Necker and a recognized expert in rare respiratory diseases, including cystic fibrosis.

Together, these dual clinical-research roles ensure that INEM’s scientific strategy remains patient-centered, translationally focused, and responsive to the evolving needs of modern medicine.

From Clinical Needs to Scientific Discovery

Translational research at the Institut Necker Enfants Malades (INEM) is deeply rooted in clinical practice. Many research teams shape their scientific questions in direct response to unmet medical needs, collaborating closely with hospital departments to access patient-derived samples, contribute to clinical trials, and investigate disease mechanisms in vivo. This bench-to-bedside approach ensures that discoveries remain closely aligned with therapeutic innovation.

  • At Necker Hospital, the Translational Medicine & Targeted Therapies team investigates genetic mosaic disorders associated with overgrowth syndromes and vascular malformations. Working closely with the Department of Nephrology and Kidney Transplantation, they identify molecular drivers of these rare diseases and develop targeted therapeutic strategies, including the repurposing of approved drugs and the design of precision clinical trials.
  • The Immunity & Metabolism of Diabetes team works in close partnership with the Diabetology and Endocrinology departments at Lariboisière and Bichat Hospitals. Their research focuses on understanding the complex interactions between immune responses and metabolic dysfunction in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. By leveraging well-characterized patient cohorts such as GLUTADIAB, ANGIOSAFE, and SFDT1, the team explores immune-metabolic signatures, the impact of environmental factors, and disease progression.
  • INEM research is also built on the pioneering work of Prof. Lucienne Chatenoud, who has led major clinical and translational efforts in type 1 diabetes, particularly in the field of immune intervention. She was instrumental in the development and early clinical application of anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody therapy, one of the first immunomodulatory treatments aimed at preserving pancreatic β-cell function in newly diagnosed pediatric patients. Her ongoing work at INEM continues to inform the design of immunotherapies and precision medicine strategies for autoimmune diabetes.

Throughout INEM, the close integration of clinical insight and scientific expertise fosters the development of innovative, patient-centered research programs that advance both diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies.

Cutting-Edge Platforms and Institutional Support for Translational Research

INEM benefits from a robust ecosystem of state-of-the-art technological platforms and institutional support structures that collectively enable high-quality clinical and translational research. These resources provide investigators with the tools and infrastructure necessary to drive innovation from bench to bedside.

Key assets include:

  • Core technological platforms operated by the SFR Necker, offering advanced capabilities in imaging, histology, proteomics, genomics, and behavioral phenotyping—essential for mechanistic studies and preclinical modeling.
  • Access to the Necker Biobank and Biological Resource Centers across affiliated AP-HP hospitals, which ensure standardized collection, storage, and distribution of high-quality human samples for translational studies.
  • Institutional support from:


     
    • AP-HP’s Délégation à la Recherche Clinique et à l’Innovation (DRCI), which facilitates clinical trial design, regulatory compliance, and patient recruitment.
    • Université Paris Cité’s Pôle Recherche et Innovation, providing strategic guidance, funding opportunities, and support for collaborative research.
    • Inserm’s Regional Delegation and Thematic Institutes, which offer scientific oversight, programmatic funding, and integration into national and international research networks.

Together, these resources empower INEM teams to carry out ambitious, multidisciplinary research programs grounded in clinical relevance and scientific excellence.

Integrated Within a Broader Clinical and Academic Network

INEM is not only embedded within the Necker campus but also actively engaged in a broader network of clinical and academic collaborations that amplify its research impact. Many INEM investigators play leadership roles in multi-institutional, cross-hospital, and interdisciplinary structures, helping to shape the future of translational biomedical research.

These include:

  • Hospital-university research consortia involving multiple AP-HP sites (such as Bichat, Cochin, Henri-Mondor, and Lariboisière), where INEM researchers contribute to the development of shared clinical cohorts, translational protocols, and biobanking initiatives.
  • Thematic Clinical Research Networks (Filières de Santé Maladies Rares), in which INEM scientists are key players, particularly in rare genetic diseases, immunodeficiencies, and autoimmune disorders.
  • Participation in national research infrastructures such as INBS (Infrastructure Nationale en Biologie et Santé), F-CRIN (French Clinical Research Infrastructure Network), and EUR (Écoles Universitaires de Recherche) initiatives supported by the French government, which promote collaboration across disciplines and institutions.
  • Active roles in Inserm’s Thematic Institutes and research programs, including contributions to ITMO I3M (Immunology, Inflammation, Infectiology, and Microbiology) and ITMO PMN (Physiology, Metabolism, Nutrition), fostering strategic alignment with national research priorities.
  • Strong involvement in Université Paris Cité’s research community, with shared doctoral programs, teaching responsibilities, and collaborative research initiatives across faculties of medicine, life sciences, and public health.
  • International partnerships with academic centers and hospitals across Europe and North America, enhancing opportunities for joint publications, mobility, and co-funded projects.

Through these dynamic interactions, INEM leverages a wide network of expertise, clinical access, and technological resources—strengthening its position as a leading hub for integrative and translational biomedical research.

Events at the Research-Care Interface

INEM is committed to fostering a dynamic dialogue between researchers and clinicians by organizing events that bridge the gap between scientific discovery and clinical application. These initiatives are designed to promote cross-disciplinary exchange, inspire collaborative projects, and ensure that research remains closely aligned with patient care.

Key activities include:

  • Joint research–clinical seminars, where basic scientists and medical teams present ongoing projects and discuss emerging findings in the context of real-world clinical challenges.
  • Thematic symposia and translational workshops, often co-hosted with clinical departments, focused on topics such as immunometabolism, rare diseases, gene therapy, and personalized medicine.
  • Clinical case-based research discussions, in which complex or illustrative clinical cases are used as starting points to explore underlying biological mechanisms and potential research directions.
  • Cross-disciplinary journal clubs and data clubs, bringing together PhD students, postdocs, and clinicians to critically evaluate recent publications from both basic and clinical perspectives.
  • “Bench-to-Bedside” rounds and research days, encouraging bidirectional learning and helping identify opportunities for translational projects, patient cohort development, and clinical trial design.

By cultivating these regular, structured interactions, INEM helps break down silos between the lab and the clinic, accelerating the translation of discoveries into meaningful improvements in diagnosis, treatment, and patient outcomes.