© CHU de Brest
Among the Brest region assets is a complete health infrastructure articulated mainly around the Regional University Hospital Center (CHRU) of Brest, the first regional health operator and second employer in the Brest area. With nine specialized hospitality sites, 2,200 beds, 760,000 people hospitalized each year, 6,500 professionals and 1,300 students, it brings together the centers of excellence of a dozen specialties. It is assisted by the Army Hospital of Clermont-Tonnerre, the hospitals of Morlaix and Landerneau and the local hospitals of Crozon, Lesneven, Saint-Renan and Lanmeur.
The presence of the CHRU has also fostered the development of research and innovation in the medical field, often at the crossroads between biology, genetics, information technology and biotechnology from the marine and agri-food sectors of excellence. For example, the Brest CHRU ranks in first place nationally for meniscal transplant, a rare and complex procedure.
The proximity of key organizations such as IMT Atlantique and ENSTA Bretagne makes it possible to find synergies and increase the number of technology transfers. Molecular genetics, image-guided surgery, telemedicine, the expertise developed in the management of autoimmune diseases and the treatment of medical imaging are areas where Brest excellence is asserting itself and that see the emergence of highly innovative startups or startups relying on the opportunities offered by the digital revolution. This is the case of Imascap (preoperative planning solutions), MEDECOM (logiciels d’aide au diagnostic, de communication, d’archivage…), d’Around Innovation (software for diagnostic assistance, communication, archiving, etc.), Around Innovation (improvement of the patient experience by optimizing the patient’s waiting time), Oxynov (optimization device for oxygen therapy), ...
Also noteworthy is the Followknee project led by Professor Eric Stindel (one of the 10 winners of the 3rd call for projects « university hospital research – RHU », 7 900 000€ award) that offers to improve the design, implantation and the follow-up of implanted prostheses, the number of which has exploded over the last 20 years (+ 600%), especially due to their implantation in a younger population, that often suffers from obesity.
The health sector is managed by ID2Santé, throughout Brittany, a center for technological innovation that supports the development of innovative health projects.
FOCUS : ID2Health
ID2Santé provides its expertise in helping put together and the follow-up of projects. They provide information on the standards and/or regulations in force, help in the search of partners and/or financing. ID2Health also offers support for the labeling of projects by competitiveness clusters. It is the Brittany branch of the Atlanpole Biotherapies competitiveness cluster.
Publicized during the Mediator scandal by the Brest CHRU pulmonologist Irène Frachon, the sector of training, innovation and medical research in Brest is particularly well represented, with of course the University of Western Brittany and the Faculty of Medicine, but also through the Center for Simulation in Health (CESIM), four Inserm units including a Clinical Investigation Center, a French Blood Establishment and the participation of the CHRU in a Network of Schools of Management and Health Engineering (REMIS). Ranked 8th in the national rankings for its research, it contributes to the spread innovation through multiple collaborations across the West.