Institut de Biologie de Lille

From 2006-2009, parts of the teams within the IBL building have been merged in one research unit: UMR 8161, “Institut de Biologie de Lille”. This unit of about 160 people was in partnership with the two universities of Lille (Lille 1 and Lille 2 Universities) and with the Lille Pasteur Institute. The research conducted in the unit has been mainly focused on cancer and microbiology in close interaction with chemists and biostructuralists. Since the discovery of the first oncogenes in Lille, a strong activity of research in the field of cancer has been held in UMR 8161; i.e. the identification of molecular mechanisms (from membrane receptors to transcription factors) by which a normal cell becomes tumoral, and finally metastatic. Several of these research teams are currently involved in the North-West “Canceropole”.


For the 2010-2013 period, the UMR 8161 interest will be focused on cancer research performed by six independent and interactive teams, among which one is a young investigator emerging team. A special attention will be given to reinforce the interdisciplinary programs between chemists and biologists on the discovery of new extracellular inhibitors of the HGF/SF receptor (MET). The first steps of tumorigenesis will be decorticated through the molecular mechanisms by which a normal cell becomes pre-tumoral by escaping senescence and/or programmed cell death. The tumor microenvironment crucial for the metastatic process will be analyzed mainly via the role of the VE-statin in tumor neo-angiogenesis. Research on epigenetic of cancer will be done on the precise mechanism brought by the product of the HIC1 tumor suppressor gene on the transcriptional repression in tumorigenesis. In parallel, the role on tumorigenesis of the 91H antisense non-coding-RNA will also be studied. Finally, interaction with the clinics will be reinforced, particularly through programs on the immune response in HCV-related hepatocarcinoma and EBV-related carcinoma. In conclusion, this research project is one of the main pieces of the regional (North-West "Canceropole": CNO) and national (National Institute of Cancer : INCa) programs on cancer research. The next 4 years should allow to strongly reinforcing the links between the cancer research teams of the UMR 8161 and those from the Universities of Lille 1 and Lille 2. This will be done through the creation of a “Comprehensive Cancer Centre” in Lille putting together all the basic and translational research teams which study cancer.