True proximity between clinicians and researchers at the heart of the Charleroi CHU (University Hospital Centre

An interview with Dr Frédéric FLAMAND, General Manager of hospital strategy at Charleroi CHU

What are the strong points of Charleroi CHU research? Charleroi University Hospital Centre is a public structure whose role is to supply the population of greater Charleroi with healthcare based on the methods and techniques that have been the best validated at the cutting edge of technology. In addition, it is a University structure that takes part in the basic training of future doctors whilst providing supervision for those applying to be specialist doctors.

The public hospital is also a place where research is carried out. The strong point of research at Charleroi CHU is the closeness of the relationship between clinicians and researchers within the institution. This is the only example that exists outside of academic hospitals. The other strength is the existence of a reflection group that is responsible for the critical analysis of clinical practice by dissecting the methodologies and analyses used in scientific publications. In addition, since 2012, a “clinical research” unit has been established to provide support on an administrative and legal level for the medical teams carrying out trials with pharmaceuticals companies.

Could you please present to us the activities of the Experimental Medicine Laboratory (LME)? The main activities of the LME are the whole of the vascular system but also oxidative stress and metabolism. With regard to oxidative stress, the works of the LME study the role of myeloperoxidase in a number of different biochemical processes that take place in the blood flow or in certain organs. The LME also participates in teaching through its employees and by giving lessons, seminars and conferences in a number of different academic and public institutions. In addition, it is developing an epistemology programme aimed at graduate schools with international collaborations and takes part in European projects. Lastly, it enters into partnerships with large biotechnology companies established in Wallonia such as Frid Mind Technologies, Cardiatis, OncoDNA and Bio.be.

Could you give us a few examples of research programmes in progress at Charleroi CHU? I would like to talk about sepsis, widespread damage to organs that is fatal in approximately 35% of cases and largely attributable to an attack on blood microcirculation. Intensive care services and the LME study the involvement of red blood cells and blood platelets in patients as well as in the in vitro systems that reproduce microcirculation.

For its part, the Anaesthesia Department is carrying out research into the identification of molecular mechanisms of the fasting effect on hepatic cytolysis. The LME is also interested in atrial fibrillation, which increases the risk of a stroke. Named EMPEROR and given a label by the BioWin cluster, this project is being carried by the company Frid Mind Technologies and aims to develop a device placed in the aorta to deviate blood clots from the heart to peripheral circulation.

What are the main challenges faced by human health researchers in your opinion? In Europe there is a prevalence of non-transmissible diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancers, but also mental problems linked to the ageing of the population, which are on the rise and also becoming chronic illnesses. Researchers working on chronic illnesses will have to highlight mechanisms studied in laboratories in patient populations. Another issue is that of antibiotic resistance in infectious diseases. Here, the research must be accompanied by a better use of antibiotics. © Charleroi CHU

The arrival of artificial intelligence will also shake up the way we build epidemiological and clinical studies. Clinicians will have to assimilate these techniques to interpret the results thereby obtained. In the same way, the management of healthcare institutions in the short term will have to integrate these approaches to outline the factors that may be associated with mortality, the frequency of complications or infections. Lastly, healthcare research will have to continue to prioritise the long term in the interests of the human race and not the short term for immediate profit.