Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)

Mission

Support

Type of actor

Research player

Fields of intervention

Health / Social care / Social

Intervention zone

National

What is the CEA?

The French Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission (CEA) is a public research organisation of a scientific, technical and industrial nature (EPIC). As a major player in research, development and innovation, the CEA is active in four areas: Defence and security, low-carbon energy (nuclear and renewables), technological research for industry, and basic research in material and life sciences.

Go to the CEA website

Missions

The CEA pursues an active innovation policy based on the development of its laboratories' work and the transfer of knowledge, skills and technologies to industry. As the number-one research organisation in France and Europe in terms of patent applications (Clarivate Top 100 ranking), it has developed numerous partnerships with industrial players, thus contributing to scientific rejuvenation, the spread of innovation and the competitiveness of French industry.

The CEA is thus in a position to offer its partners, whether they are large corporations, start-ups or SMEs, an environment that is particularly conducive to innovation. It relies on recognised scientific and technological expertise, access to state-of-the-art infrastructure and equipment, and the ability to provide customised support for research partnerships. One of the main missions of the CEA is to act as a link between research and industry.

I have a project, how can contacting the CEA be of use to me?

  • Access to know-how and multidisciplinary scientific expertise
  • Access to research infrastructures in biology and health and state-of-the-art platforms and equipment for: Clinical translational research, functional exploration and technological developments in digital technology
  • Access to innovative technologies
  • Project-based work, from basic research to providing and validating prototypes

At what stage of my project should I contact them?

At any stage requiring research work or access to certain technological resources

In the pre-market phase, particularly for digital medical devices

What can the CEA do for project leaders?

Topics involved

The CEA combines basic research in biology with cutting-edge technologies to contribute to the advancement of knowledge and provide solutions in the field of health. It addresses several themes that can involve digital technology, including medical imaging, large-scale biology, molecular modeling and in vitro diagnostic medical devices.


In the field of eHealth, its activities and expertise are mainly focused on:

  • Data production: Biomedical imaging, genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, etc.
  • Interpreting the data generated and modelled, and identifying pathophysiological mechanisms and biomarkers
  • Standardisation of data acquisition processes and quality control for those processes
  • Bulk data management and processing
  • Integration and cross-analysis of heterogeneous data
  • Mathematical modeling of complex data associations in systems biology
  • Secure exchanges and data confidentiality
  • Responsible AI for advanced, recommendation and decision-support functions

The CEA offers a multidisciplinary environment where several scientific communities interact.


Examples of support for the digitisation of the health system's structure:

  • Data analysis and decision-support tool for example for a clinic, patients and health professionals, or for the health industry
  • Semantic text analysis for exploring a patient's DMP record
  • Solutions for trusted networks
  • Expertise in cryptography, blockchain, cybersecurity (CEA participation in the ANSM Working Group).


Development of new digital medical devices:

  • Automated and embedded biological analysis
  • Real-life parameter measurement
  • Follow-up therapy e.g. for sleep apnea, dialysis, diabetes


Contribution to the development of new tools for using medical data:

  • Identification or development of medical knowledge for integration into digital twins
  • Modeling, simulation and decision-support systems for personalised medicine in oncology, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, radiotherapy, infectious diseases and vaccines
  • Proofs of concept on various application domains in health for example access to distributed medical data, the DMP record, diagnosis, prognosis or prevention, or therapy.

Accessible resources (database, observatory)

National infrastructures and technological platforms for analysis allowing the production of quality data in the field of "omics" and multimodal phenotype analysis. The CEA coordinates several national infrastructures (IDMIT, NEURATRIS, FLI, Neurospin, France Génomique) and is involved in several others (IFB, FRISBI, MetaboHub, PROFI, Ibisba).


Leading centres and networks in biology and health and large computing and data processing infrastructures such as:

  • The CATI, the multicenter neuroimaging platform
  • The Joliot Curie Hospital Service (SHFJ) and its facilities and technical platforms
  • The CNRGH, a national research centre that can answer scientific questions requiring high-throughput sequencing and genotyping, through the development and implementation of innovative, integrated technologies
  • The Genoscope, which develops methods and projects for the exploration of biodiversity, in particular in massive DNA sequencing and bioinformatics
  • The TGCC, infrastructure for very high performance scientific computing and big data, operating multi-petaflop supercomputers


N4HCloud: Infrastructure for the storage, processing and analysis of health data for research purposes, connected to the major computing infrastructures hosted at the TGCC – A platform enabling the deployment of research projects in the field of eHealth with the support and expertise of the CEA in various fields (computing/digital, imaging, omics, etc.)


Platforms for technological development and/or validation of digital medical devices By combining sensors from microtechnologies, e.g. development of MEMS or optical sensors, combined with expertise in biology and health to

  • Develop portable and automated biological analysis devices
  • Deploy sensors for real-life measurements on a human being, especially for monitoring chronic diseases. One of the strengths of the CEA is the development of complete functions from innovative sensors to digital processing in order to identify a medical sign
  • Clinatec: For carrying out the design, integration, and (pre)clinical trial phases for innovative medical devices


With a European ecosystem of excellence:

  • Hub4AIM: A European alliance in which the CEA is a partner that supports medical device companies to accelerate their development until CE marking is achieved
  • EBRAINS is a European platform providing tools and services that can be used to address the challenges of brain research and the development of brain-inspired technologies. Its components are designed with, by and for researchers. The tools help scientists collect, analyse, share and integrate brain data, and perform modeling and simulation of brain function
  • FENIX a European research infrastructure providing access to computing resources and integrated services around data
  • EIT HEALTH an ecosystem of 150 industrial and academic partners innovating in the field of health for more efficient health systems. The CEA is one of the founding members.

Does it fund projects?

  • In connection with regional, national and European financing ecosystems

Links to innovators and entrepreneurs

  • Research collaborations
  • Access to research platforms and services
  • Joint laboratories
  • Access to regional, national and European innovation ecosystems in the fields of health and digital technology e.g. high-performance computing
  • Setting up national and European consortia
  • Support for spinning off start-ups from the CEA

Find out more

Practical guide

Frequently asked questions about the CEA

Who is the right person to contact?

Nora Benhabiles: nora.benhabiles@cea.fr

Does the CEA charge for their services?

It depends on what form of partnership is chosen.

Can your organisation assist my project individually?

We study all projects that are proposed to us. Moreover, we work in close collaboration with a very strong innovation ecosystem, at the national and regional levels (e.g. in the Ile-de-France or Grenoble region) with our academic and industrial partners, hospital structures and business clusters, and at the European level (e.g. EIT Health).

25 Rue Leblanc 75015 Paris