Cancer Research: the IECB teams acclaimed by the French associations

One research prize and a new team label awarded by the ARC, three new postdoctoral fellowships... In 2011, the French associations for cancer research have reinforced their support to the IECB teams.

In the Aquitaine region, cancer research is led by the Institut Bergonié, but not only… In 2011, the French associations for cancer research showed special interest in the science conducted at the IECB. In chemistry, Neil Owens, from the Guichard team, was awarded the Helen Starck prize from the ARC for his research project on molecules that can trigger the death of cancer cell death (read article).

In biology, the IECB teams performed very well over 2011 in the context of highly competitive calls for proposals. In fact, after the labeling in 2010 of the Teichmann team by the French Ligue contre le cancer, in 2011, the Mergny teams was the only group in Aquitaine to be awarded the Programme Labelisé of  ARC. “The ARC is giving us 170 000 euros over 3 years to hire an engineer for 1 year, cover our lab expenditures and operating costs” explains Jean-Louis Mergny. His research project on G-quadruplexes ligands was much appreciated by the ARC, since he was also awarded one of the only two post-doctoral grants awarded by the association in Aquitaine, the other grant being allocated to… the team of Cameron Mackereth from the IECB! Add to this the post-doctoral fellowship awarded to Elisabeth Génot by the Ligue contre le Cancer and it makes 3 young international scientists who will join the IECB in 2012 to advance the French cancer research.