Editorials

2023 saw major changes for the Genopole landscape, particularly with the inauguration of more than 1,200 m² of new spaces dedicated to research in genomics and biotechnologies.

Among them are laboratories specifically renovated for synthetic biology and a project hostel for the start-ups and academic teams at Genopole’s Campus 2 and at the CEA.

The clear objective of this initiative is to energize research in these sectors, which are crucial for health and sustainable development.

Stéphane Beaudet
President of Genopole

An exceptional 2023 and a promising future

Year 2023 brought major, future-shaping accomplishments to our biocluster.

We had the honor of signing a convention with Paris-Saclay University to further strengthen our ties to academia and higher learning. This alliance will favor the exchange of knowledge and expertise in training & research as well as stimulate innovation in the biotechnologies sector.

Also, our novel partnership with L’Oréal Recherche & Innovation led to the creation of the Green Sciences Incubator, a promising initiative aimed at developing new, sustainable solutions for the cosmetics sector. The Green Sciences Incubator will serve as a veritable motor for innovation and place Genopole as an accelerator for envirotech start-ups.

We were also proud to see the biocluster project GenoTher approved by the France 2030 call for expression of interest. Genethon and Genopole are founding members of the GenoTher initiative, which seeks to develop novel gene therapies for rare diseases. It will benefit from €70 million in government funding over a five-year period to enable the emergence of these new treatments. The France 2030 accreditation for GenoTher represents a crucial step for the recognition of our territory as a epicenter for research and innovation.

In sum, these achievements are quintessential manifestations of the efforts made by the teams dedicated to development at Genopole. And “teams” is large here, describing an impressive coordination between the GIP and the SEM, the true catalysts of these flourishing projects.

2023 was a year of significant progress for Genopole, and we are convinced that even greater things lie ahead. With the steadfast support of our partners and members, particularly the French State, the Île-de-France Regional Council, the Grand Paris Sud Urban Area, the Essonne Departmental Council and the AFM-Téléthon, we are committed to pursuing our mission for France’s and Europe’s health sovereignty and reindustrialization. Moreover, by participating in the emergence of biotechnologies and the development of innovative therapeutic solutions, Genopole contributes to both reducing the carbon footprint of our industries and improving healthcare provision for patients. What exciting objectives for the members of the GIP and SEM teams, whom I wish to sincerely thank for the commitment they show every day.

Stéphane Beaudet
President of Genopole

Gilles Trystram
CEO of Genopole

A fertile ecosystem for innovation: results and perspectives

It is my pleasure to present to you our annual report for 2023, a year notable for significant advances as concerns our mission of supporting and structuring scientific excellence, innovation and the economic development of our biocluster.

Accompanying and promoting the development of scientific research remains our primary mission. We focus primarily on two essential groups: researchers in public laboratories and those in private companies that have chosen Genopole as their home.

In September of 2023, to help reach this ambitious objective, we established an in-house scientific committee that brings together the laboratory directors. It ensures a collective dialog and dynamic scientific activities within our community. We also focused on making our teams stronger through investments in our research-enabling programs and in the acquisition of state of the art equipment, such as a mass spectrometer and a high throughput/high content imaging system.

 

As underlined by our president, Stéphane Beaudet, the partnership established with Paris-Saclay University is a crucial milestone for Genopole, as it strengthens our position and network in the scientific research & training landscape.

Also among our 2023 efforts was the examination and validation of the first phase of the Biofoundry project. This latter is intended for the validation of strain and substrate screening and the demonstration of the industrial viability of bioeconomy-oriented projects. The health sector benefited from a major advance with the accreditation of the GenoTher project aimed at the development of gene therapies in France and beyond. GenoTher will involve the establishment of scientific & technological platforms and the competencies needed for this field.

Genopole mutualizes its technological equipment for public or private research and ensures privileged access to it for its emerging or established businesses. Through this approach, we create a sharing of competencies between the biocluster’s actors, easing development and accompanying pre-industrialization for our businesses.

Genopole continues to provide crucial support to the fund-raising efforts of our start-ups while enabling them to develop the know-how needed to advance to an industrial scale. In parallel, our commitment to events, either on-site or with our partners such as France BioLead and Medicen, remains a cornerstone of our strategy for collaboration and innovation.

Together, we continue to write the Genopole story while bringing progress to science and fashioning the future of biotechnological research. My thanks to all for your confidence and your devotion.

Gilles Trystram
CEO of Genopole