France Life Imaging bears the ambition to become the privileged point of access to the biomedical imaging research, and gathers under its banner a federative network of research teams and facilities. Built on a coherent fleet of preclinical and clinical equipment backed by strong and multidisciplinary scientific and clinical expertise, FLI spans the entire spectrum of biomedical imaging research and provides the academic, clinical and industrial community with a full range of tailor-made services. The FLI offer is built on a privileged access to the technologies and facilities, a support in setting up and developing projects and partnerships with the research teams of the network, and training programs on the different aspects of biomedical imaging.

The facilities, where the technologies and equipment are gathered with the scientific, medical and technological expertise, constitute preferred sites for research in biomedical imaging, and are at the core of the FLI network.

 

Figure 1

More than 160 pieces of equipment, dedicated for two thirds to preclinical and one third to clinical imaging, are thus available within the network core facilities.

Figure 2: FLI equipment

Figure 3: modalities distribution for preclinical (left) and clinical (right) imaging equipment

Those facilities are dedicated to the needs of preclinical and clinical imaging research, whether diagnostic or interventional. Moreover, they provide a unique environment for training both students and professionals.

Figure 4

The major thematic fields are covered throughout the involvement of almost one hundred research laboratories. FLI coordinates four major research themes, namely molecular imaging agents, instrumentation and innovative technologies, interventional imaging, and image processing.

The structural link between FLI facilities and the clinic naturally feeds a translational approach. FLI fits into the clinical research continuum, focusing on early stage studies, advanced methodology for diagnosis and therapeutic follow-up and first in-man studies. A consistent fraction of the equipment is installed within the hospitals in Paris, Orsay, Bordeaux, Grenoble, Lyon and Marseille, and the network involves experts and key opinion leaders in the biomedical imaging of specific therapeutic areas, such as neurology, cardiology and oncology.

Figure 5

FLI aims at becoming an easy point of access to the resources and expertise of the field, from a national perspective, as a complement to the existing local links between the laboratories and the companies. The detailed knowledge of the French biomedical imaging research environment, the involvement of experts and key opinion leaders and the comprehensive perspective of the sector enable FLI to guide and assist its partners, whether they seek for an expertise, want to build a research partnership (whatever its form), or need a training in some imaging technique.

Figure 6

The FLI network facilities have hosted many companies, and different projects at local, national and European and international scales have benefited from the equipment and expertise of the network.

Figure 7